Three men and woman took part in 'violent' Auchinleck riots where police came under attack

Three men and a woman took part in rioting that brought “great terror” to an Ayrshire village, which saw police forced to deploy riot officers and dog units.

During the violent disorder in Auchinleck, 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 targets of assaults.

A judge at the High Court in Edinburgh heard that a local authority estimated damage to its property in Auchinleck and nearby Cumnock cost nearly £200,000.

Advocate depute 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, Christopher Turnbull, 35, Terrence Taylor, 36, and John Gordon, 44, 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 the lieges and in breach of the public peace”.

The court heard that in November Bryce posted on Facebook that she wanted as many people as possible to attend an address in Auchinleck.

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

After Bryce was arrested she told police that she accepted posting on Facebook calling on people to gather in Auchinleck, but said she was not the only one sending such messages and that the “full town was there”.

Mr McDonald said: “She told the police that she thought this would be a display of local unity to show these people that they were not welcome and that the youngest members of the group got out of hand.”

The advocate depute said that on November 24, 2023, a man was at his home in Auchinleck with friends when he heard noise outside and opened the door to find 15 to 20 people throwing objects at his windows.

“As he left the house to confront them, he tripped and fell to the ground and was set upon by the group. He felt something metal hit him on the head, which he thought was a blunt machete.

“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,” said Mr McDonald.

The crowd left after police arrived, and the man was taken to hospital in Ayr, where cuts to his head were closed with surgical glue.

In the afternoon of November 25, Turnbull phoned a woman, telling her it was going to “kick off” that evening and she should find somewhere safe to stay.

Police later attended a street in Auchinleck and found a group of about 80 people outside an address. Bryce, Turnbull and Taylor were at the front of the gathering, and Bryce shouted at officers: “Do your f***ing job, get them out”.

The crowd began throwing rocks, glass bottles and fireworks at officers who removed the occupants of an address for their safety. The mob then began throwing rocks at windows at another house in the street before they moved to another street where windows at a house were smashed and the door was kicked in.

When the occupant later returned, she found the house was extensively damaged after rocks and buckets of dirt were thrown through windows. Every room was damaged and it appeared fireworks were set off inside the property.

The earlier victim, who had been discharged from hospital, found his home under attack again with bricks hurled at windows. He estimated 30 to 40 people were there and he was repeatedly punched.

The victim’s friend was also assaulted in a separate incident when he was repeatedly hit on the legs with what he thought was a metal bar before being chased by teenage assailants.

The mob targeted other properties in the village and police vehicles had bricks thrown at them when they attended.

Police attended another assault in Auchinleck, but were forced to retreat as a crowd threw projectiles at them. Officers saw that a bin was set on fire at a property but the mob formed a blockade to prevent them accessing the block.

Mr McDonald said: “A total of 58 police officers attended Auchinleck during the course of November 25 in 2023, including public order trained officers, dog units and also a police helicopter.”

The prosecutor said police learned that “further planned disorder” was due to take place at an address in Cumnock the following day. He said: “Jenna Bryce had been encouraging this on social media and so further police resources were put in place to deal with further rioting.”

Addresses in Auchinleck and Cumnock were vandalised and the prosecutor said: “Multiple calls were made by members of the public who feared for their safety after the disorder the previous night.”

Judge Norman McFadyen remanded all four in custody while background reports on them are prepared ahead of sentencing next month.

The judge told them: “None of you should be under any illusion about the seriousness and gravity of the position you are in.”