The charges facing 11 men accused of targeting police during a large-scale Halloween riot in Dundee have been revealed.
Prosecutors allege the men – aged between 54 and 21 – were responsible for launching lit fireworks and projectiles at officers in the Kirkton area of the city.
They are accused of setting fires, blocking roadways and inciting others to take part in the disorder on October 31 2022.
A makeshift device was allegedly used to discharge lit fireworks at police officers.
A massive police response, including a helicopter, was rushed to Kirkton on Halloween 2022 after trouble broke out.
The 11 accused of playing a part in it are:
- Joseph McPhee, 54;
- Stewart Burns, 40;
- Dean Mullen, 37;
- George Reid, 35;
- Ryan Dolan, 31;
- Aaron Hutchison, 25;
- brothers Marley Williams, 25;
- and Brandon Williams, 23;
- Kai Buchan, 23;
- Keegan Jorgensen, 21;
- Jack Reynolds, 22.
All are charged with committing a breach of the peace on Balgowan Avenue, Beauly Crescent, Ambleside Avenue and Gillburn Road.
The men, all of Dundee, appear across 10 separate charges on indictment at Dundee Sheriff Court.
They are charged with:
- conducting themselves in a disorderly manner;
- acting aggressively;
- throwing lit fireworks, rocks and projectiles at police officers, members of the public and vehicles, causing damage;
- setting fires to grass areas;
- blocking vehicular access;
- riding on the exterior of a moving vehicle and driving it into the disorder, shining the headlights at police, obstructing their view of the disorder;
- distributing fireworks to others;
- inciting others to take part.
Reid, Hutchison, the Williams brothers and Jorgensen were allegedly on bail orders at the time.
Marley Williams, a prisoner at HMP Perth, was allegedly found in possession of a police-issue baseball cap in the car park of St Paul’s Academy.
He is also accused of assaulting a male on Balgowan Avenue by repeatedly punching him on the head to his injury.
Reid, Dolan and Hutchison allegedly distributed fireworks to children on Ambleside Avenue and Gillburn Road.
It is alleged wheelie bins, pallets, refuse and other items on Gillburn Road were set ablaze by Brandon Williams.
Reid allegedly acted with others in using a “makeshift firing device” to direct multiple lit fireworks towards police and placing them “in danger of serious injury”.
Separate charges allege the Williams brothers and Reynolds failed to leave Ambleside Avenue after being instructed to do so by PC Andrew Scott.
Buchan, allegedly an unlicensed and disqualified driver, is charged with driving an unregistered car dangerously by driving erratically, into oncoming traffic, causing a car to brake to avoid a crash and driving into a playground while people were clinging to the exterior and roof of the car.
Jorgensen allegedly used a car’s full beam headlights to “dazzle other persons” during the disorder.
At a first diet hearing, solicitors tendered not guilty pleas for all of the men apart from Hutchison, who is yet to instruct solicitors.
Fiscal depute Joanne Ritchie said Hutchison had been in contact with the Crown Office to say that he was working abroad and she did not seek a warrant for his arrest.
Reynolds instructed a solicitor on the morning of the first diet.
The other men were previously excused from attending court as they had engaged with lawyers.
It was revealed that any trial would be held in either Dunfermline or Falkirk Sheriff Courts as Tayside’s courts cannot accommodate the case due to the number of accused involved.
Solicitor Ian Houston, representing Buchan, said: “His position is that it was simply a case of mistaken identity. He was not there.”
Sheriff Paul Brown fixed a further first diet for May and all of the men are excused from attending apart from Hutchison.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
