Belfast Rioters Jailed As Sentence Deal Slammed

Just hours after a Westminster MP asked if a Spanish student jailed for attempted grievous bodily harm on a policewoman in Northern Ireland can be retried on a more serious charge, more people have been sentenced over the same north Belfast riots of 12 July last year.

The two teenager and four adults were charged with riot and criminal damage following the serious disorder caused by nationalists after a disputed Orange Order parade has passed.

Their appearance in court today came after Rodger Jarro Costa, 29, from Barcelona, was sentenced to four years in prison on Monday, when he admitted injuring a policewoman during 12 July riots in the Ardoyne area - where Irish President Mary McAleese was in fact reared.

The police officer was injured after a concrete block was dropped on her head.

Soon afterwards, the DUP MP Ian Paisley said he was "outraged" that the Public Prosecution Service had "decided to go for a lesser sentence" and said: "I have asked the Attorney General to individually review the sentence and how it was applied to see is it possible to retry this individual under the more serious offence of attempted murder."

The development comes as the latest six rioters were sentenced to a variety of custody terms and community service orders on rioting charges.

They are Robert Darling of Springmadden Court, who is 32 and Gavin Savage, 25, with an address in Liverpool - where he was a student - and Darren Greer, 19, of Alliance Avenue, Belfast.

Also jailed are Kyle Thornton, 24, of Rectory Road, Lurgan, and Damien Power, 27, of Rossnareen Avenue, Belfast.

Darling has been sentenced to nine months in prison. He attacked a land rover and was hit by a plastic baton round.

Savage, who is originally from the area, threw missiles at police and the passing parade. He was jailed for 10 and a-half months.

Greer of Alliance Ave was sentenced to nine months in a young offenders centre.

Thornton had been staying with a friend when he went to Ardoyne to find a nephew and became involved. He was charged with riot and attempted criminal damage. He was jailed for nine months.

Power was jailed for 15 months for riot and attempted actual bodily harm.

Another accused, Liam Daykin, 19, of Hannah Glen Heights, Belfast, had faced a single charge of riot. He was given 200 hours of community service.

Judge Tom Burgess said the violence of that day had been "gratuitous" and had involved a large crowd.

BBC NI reported today that he said those involved should reflect on how it felt for the officers facing it and for Ardoyne residents who had been denied the right to live their lives peacefully.

See: Spanish Rioter Jailed For Ardoyne Attack

(BMcC/GK)