Four jailed for violent riots that brought terror to Ayrshire town over three nights

A woman and three men have been jailed for a total of 20 years after taking part in violent riots that brought “great terror” to Ayrshire communities during three nights of trouble.

During the outbreak of disorder, police came under attack with bricks and rocks, and firefighters who were deployed to tackle a blaze had to wait until the mob dispersed for fear they would be the target of assaults.

Police were forced to deploy riot officers, dog handlers and a helicopter as the trouble flared in Auchinleck and Cumnock between November 24 and 26 in 2023.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that East Ayrshire Council assessed the bill for damage caused to local authority-owned property at £195,027.

Prosecutor David McDonald said: “The cost of damage to private property is not known. The cost to the public purse of deploying police, fire and ambulance resources to these incidents has not been quantified.”

Jenna Bryce, 31, from Auchinleck, was jailed for five years. Lorry driver Christopher Turnbull, 35, also of Auchinleck, was jailed for four years. Terrence Taylor, 36, of Auchinleck, was jailed for five years, and John Gordon, 45, a prisoner at Kilmarnock jail, was jailed for six years..

They admitted that in November 2023 they “did form part of a mob of evilly disposed persons which, acting of a common purpose, did conduct itself in a violent, riotous and tumultuous manner to the great terror and alarm of lieges and in breach of the public peace”.

The offending took place in Lambfair Crescent, Old Avenue, Peden Drive, Well Road, Heathfield Road, Church Street, Back Rogerton Crescent, Barbieston Road, Sorn Road, all in Auchinleck, and Holland Crescent, Meagher Court and Walker Court, in Cumnock, and elsewhere.

Judge Norman McFadyen told them: “You all pleaded guilty to mobbing and rioting and were involved in shocking disorder.”

The court heard that Bryce used social media to send a message on November 24, saying she wanted as many people as possible to “get the boys out from Lambfair Gardens in Auchinleck.”

Multiple videos were later circulated showing a crowd outside an address on that street throwing objects at a door and shouting.

One man was attacked by a crowd outside his home in Well Road, Auchinleck, after he went to confront them.

He tripped and fell and was hit on the head with a weapon that he believed was a blunt machete.

Mr McDonald said: “He noted that many people in the crowd had bladed weapons and many were concealing their identities with hoods up, scarves and facemasks. He was repeatedly kicked, punched and stamped on by the group.”

The man was taken to the hospital and cuts to his head were closed with surgical glue.

The following day, Turnbull phoned a woman and told her it was going to “kick off” that evening. Police went to Old Avenue and found an 80-strong mob in the street with Bryce, Turnbull, and Taylor at the front.

Bryce shouted at officers: “Do your f***ing job. Get them out.”

The crowd became increasingly hostile towards the police, and Turnbull was heard calling out: “F*** the police. We will just walk through them.”

The crowd began throwing rocks, fireworks and bottles at officers and began targeting other addresses, which were vandalised. One woman later returned to her home to find that the entire house was damaged.

Police attended at another address in Auchinleck, where a man was assaulted, but were forced to retreat as a crowd hurled projectiles at them. A blockade was set up to stop officers from accessing a block, and police vehicles were attacked with bricks.

Mr McDonald said: “Police were informed of a further planned disorder due to take place at Walker Court, Cumnock, on November 26, 2023. Jenna Bryce had been encouraging this on social media, and so further police resources were put in place to deal with further rioting.”

Further violence broke out as fireworks were set off and windows smashed. The advocate depute said: “Multiple calls were made by members of the public who feared for their safety after the disorder of the previous night.”

Bryce was found to have sent a message on the evening of November 25 saying: “Young teams mental lol f*** it it’s making a statement there not welcome Cumnock is next the flats there in is getting hit tomorrow.”

Bryce was arrested on November 27 and interviewed.

Mr McDonald said: “She did accept that she had posted on Facebook calling on people to attend at Old Avenue but said she wasn’t the only one making such posts and that the full town were there.”

“She told the police that she thought this would be a display of local unity to show these people that they weren’t welcome, and that the younger members of the group got out of hand,” he said.

The court heard that there was a suspicion in the community that certain houses were being used by drug dealers who had come into the area.

Defence counsel Lily Prais KC, for Bryce, said it was felt that vulnerable members of the community were being exploited.

She said Bryce was not directly involved in any violence and was not the sole instigator of events. She added: “She did not anticipate it escalating as it did.”

Kelly Duling, for Turnbull, said he wanted to offer his “sincere apologies” to all those affected by the actions of the rioters.

The court heard that father of six Taylor apologised for his behaviour and was “utterly ashamed”. One of his children was provided with illicit drugs and became unwell as a result, the judge was told.