Lennon Ashwood was due to stand trial next week on over 20 charges arising from serious disorder targeting businesses owned by foreign nationals.
Laganside Courts in Belfast (Image: Liam McBurney/PA Wire)
A 24-year old man is to be sentenced in the New Year for his involvement in racially-motivated riots which erupted in Belfast in 2024.
Lennon Ashwood was due to stand trial next week on over 20 charges arising from serious disorder in South Belfast which saw the targeting of businesses owned by foreign nationals.
Ashwood’s case was listed for mention at Belfast Crown Court on Thursday ahead of next week’s trial.
Addressing Judge Patrick Lynch KC, Ashwood’s barrister Richard McConkey KC revealed that a trial would no longer be necessary and asked that his client be re-arraigned.
From Pernau Street in Belfast, Ashwood was then charged with and pleaded guilty to a range of offences.
He admitted rioting in the Broadway area of Belfast on July 15 and 16, 2024. He also admitted causing criminal damage to a police vehicle on July 15 and damaging the wall of a property on Broadway on July 16.
In addition, Ashwood pleaded guilty to throwing a petrol bomb at police on July 16.
He was also pleaded guilty to a litany of offences committed during racially-motivated disorder at the start of the following month.
On Saturday August 3, 2024 an anti-immigrant rally was held in the centre of Belfast and following this, a crowd began making its way to the Islamic Centre on University Road.
A short time later, public disorder broke out in the Donegall Road/Sandy Row area which saw police come under attack and several businesses being targeted.
Ashwood admitted his involvement on that day and entered guilty pleas to rioting and to a charge of arson of the Sham Supermarket being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.
He also entered guilty pleas to attempting to damage the window and door of the Sham Supermarket, criminal damage to windows of Ulidia House, four counts of attempting to cause criminal damage to a PSNI Landrover, trespassing the Bash Cafe on Donegall Road, criminal damage to the wing mirror of a PSNI Landrover and damaging by fire a Vauxhall Astra and Skoda.
Ashwood also pleaded guilty to assaulting a police constable causing him actual bodily harm on August 3.
The final charge put to Ashwood was rioting on August 5, 2024 and when asked how he pleaded, he replied “guilty.”
Following the pleas, a Crown barrister said a number of charges initially levelled at Ashwood were being left on the books and were not being proceeded with.
Mr McConkey then asked that a pre-sentence report be compiled on his client ahead of sentencing.
Acknowledging a term of imprisonment was “inevitable”, Mr McConkey also asked that Ashwood be released on continuing bail.
This was granted by Judge Lynch who said he would sentence Ashwood on January 8, 2027.
Before he released Ashwood from the dock, the Judge told him to “fully co-operation” with Probation and to return to court on January 8 “for sentence.”
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