Four-year sentence for Ballymena man who was an 'active and persistent participant' in riots
A Ballymena man who was an “active and persistent participant” in riots “aggravated on the basis of hostility of race,” was handed a four-year sentence on Wednesday (November 12).
While 100 people have been arrested and 91 charged in connection with the summer riots, Jake Quigley is the first defendant to be sentenced in the Crown Court.
Ordering the 21-year-old to serve two years in jail and a further two years under supervised licence conditions, Judge Philip Gilpin told the defendant while he was not a leader or instigator, he had been “an active and persistent participant in the disorder.”
The Antrim Crown Court judge said he was satisfied the rioting in general, involving hundreds of people over three consecutive nights in the Ballymena area alone, “is aggravated by reason of hostility based on race". That aggravating factor also applied specifically to Quigley’s role, said Judge Gilpin.
Quigley, from Drumtara in the town, entered guilty pleas to a total of three offences including riot, causing criminal damage to a property on Clonavon Terrace and causing damage to two police vehicles, all committed on 9 June 2025.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Gilpin said the whole of the UK saw a “significant spike in public disorder with certain racial undertones” where the homes, business and property of ethnic minorities had been specifically targeted.
“On 9 June, there was large-scale disorder that broke out on the streets of Ballymena, involving large crowds of rioters on three consecutive nights,” said the judge, adding that further violence broke out in other towns and cities across Northern Ireland.
The judge said that over those three nights of disorder, 20 homes were attacked, eight families were displaced, including a pregnant woman and her child who suffered smoke inhalation when their home was set on fire, and more than 50 police officers were injured, some of them seriously.
Serious Impact
The rioting “had a serious impact on the police capacity to police effectively and to keep people safe”. Turning to Quigley’s offending, Judge Gilpin said he surrendered himself to police after images were released to the public in an appeal for information.
He told the court it was clear from the footage obtained and recorded by police, the defendant was able to be identified due to his distinctive tracksuit, trainers and from carrying a red golf umbrella.
That footage, the court heard, had recorded Quigley: using the umbrella to smash windows of a home on Clonavon Terrace; standing in front of a burning barricade, “laughing” along with other rioters; entering another property which had been broken into; throwing several pieces of masonry at police; smashing the rear window of one police vehicle; damaging the front headlight of a second police vehicle.
After Quigley handed himself in to police, he made “full admissions during interviews” and told police that having gotten a message about a peaceful protest over a teenage girl being sexually attacked, he decided to attend.
Quigley maintained that he had no intention of getting involved in anything illegal, but when someone in the crowd shouted that the property on Clonavon Terrace was connected with the alleged sex attack, he “let his heart rule his head” and he used the umbrella to break the windows.
Judge Gilpin said given Quigley’s actions, the fact that he was an active participant for around 100 minutes, throwing items himself and handing missiles to other rioters for them to throw, he was assessing both the harm caused and the defendant’s culpability, as high.
The judge concluded that taking all matters into account, including the early guilty pleas and racial hostility aggravator, “the appropriate sentence is one of four years, two in custody and two on licence".
Speaking after the hearing, Chief Inspector Michael O’Loan said: “At the time, we assured the public that we will work tirelessly to restore calm and ensure that anyone who chooses to take part in this criminality is brought to justice.
“Our dedicated investigation team has worked tirelessly to ensure that those involved are prosecuted – today’s sentencing is one of many over this disorder.
“We would also repeat our appeal to anyone who has been the victim of, or has any information on, any crime to contact police on 101, or 999 in an emergency. We can assure you that we will always act on concerns and information we receive.”