Penulis: Agus S

The court heard Dighton was "intent on serious violence" and that he targeted Talbot Green police station in an attempt to "force a confrontation" with officers.

A man motivated by anti-government ideology has been jailed for life for attempting to murder an officer during an attack on a police station in South Wales.

Alexander Dighton, 28, whoinjured three officersduring the attack outside Talbot Green police station in Rhondda Cynon Taf on 31 January, was sentenced to at least 22 years behind bars.

The defendant, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest during the attack, was armed with a Molotov cocktail, a knife, a hatchet and a wooden pole.

He caused damage to police vehicles, before attacking the officers as they attempted to restrain him – stabbing one in the leg, punching another in the head and swinging a pole at another.

Two of the officers were taken to hospital to receive treatment.

Dighton, from Pontyclun, hadpreviously pleaded guiltyto a total of 10 offences at the Old Bailey inLondon, including the attempted murder of a police officer, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, assault, attempted arson, possession of a bladed article and criminal damage.

Prosecuting, Nicholas Hearn told the court that Dighton was "intent on serious violence" and had targeted the police station in an attempt to "force a confrontation with police officers".

Police Constable Steph Fleming "drew her Taser" when she saw Dighton as she exited the station, while the defendant "continued to smash the windows" of a police vehicle.

In footage played in court, the defendant could be heard telling the officer, "I am fed up" and "I am done".

He also made reference to the number 75 and later clarified in a police interview that the comments were relating to "grooming gangs".

When he was arrested and cautioned he told the arresting officer: "Your government is vulnerable."

He told officers during an interview the motivation for the attack was to "let it be known that 'his tolerance of the government had come to an end'".

The court heard the defendant had previously been reported to the government's Prevent scheme by his sister due to his "racist and anti-Muslim views".

PC Fleming attempted to Taser the defendant, but it had "no effect" on him as he was wearing a bullet-proof vest.

She said in evidence that she had "never felt this level of fear before and never want to feel it again".

Detective Constable Jack Cotton, who was stabbed in his leg during the incident, said in a victim impact statement that the night of the attack was "the most [he'd] ever feared" for his or a colleague's safety.

"If Alexander Dighton had not been detained when he was, the outcome would have been completely different, and potentially fatal," he added.

Detective Constable Joshua Emlyn, who restrained the defendant in a "head lock", was punched in the head, in what he described as "a fight or flight situation".

Police Sergeant Richard Coleman, who was struck by the defendant's pole, said he can remember being hit "with incredible force".

He also spoke of the toll the incident had taken on his family, saying it "had far more of an impact upon [his] wife than [he] could ever have imagined".

Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan from SouthWalesPolice said in his victim impact statement that the force had undertaken a "review of the CCTV system" at the station in an attempt to "reassure" police officers and staff.

"I am immensely proud of the action of those officers who apprehended the defendant on the night," he added.

"Their actions in really difficult and dangerous circumstances prevented tragedy."

When asked by the judge whether there was anything he wanted to say in his own defence, Dighton, who was unrepresented, said: "I don't care about myself."

"What I think is important is that we have a genuine conversation about where Britain is," he added.

Passing sentence on Thursday, Judge Lucraft KC said that "serious violence was clearly your motivation".

"I am entirely satisfied that all of the offences here have a terrorist connection," he added.

The sentences for the other offences will run concurrently to the life sentence for attempted murder, the judge said.

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Speaking after the case, Chief Superintendent Stephen Jones, from South Wales Police, told Sky News the officers involved were "recovering well".

"The physical wounds are healing, but obviously the mental scars of such an unprecedented, determined, violent attack will take a considerable amount of time to heal," he said.

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Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Williams, head of investigations at Counter Terrorism Policing Wales, told Sky News that police "will not stand for people who act to undermine our democracy and our society".

"People will be sought out, they will be prosecuted, and as has happened in this case, they will be sent to prison for lengthy periods," he added.

The fully functioning 18-carat gold artwork was stolen from Blenheim Palace in September 2019. James Sheen and Michael Jones were part of the gang who planned and carried out the burglary.

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Two men have been jailed for their roles in the theft of a £4.75m gold toilet from Blenheim Palace.

James Sheen, 40, and Michael Jones, 39, were part of the gang who planned and carried out the burglary at the Oxfordshire stately home.

Sheen, 40, a roofer who pleaded guilty to burglary, conspiracy and transferring criminal property, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court to four years in prison.

His sentence will run consecutively to the 19 years and four months' sentence he is currently serving for attacks on cash machines, a museum burglary, and fraud.

Michael Jones, 39, who worked for Sheen and was convicted of burglary at trial, was sentenced to two years and three months.

The fully functioning 18-carat gold artwork, titled America, was stolen from Blenheim Palace in September 2019.

The heist took place hours after a glamorous launch party, and the distinctive toilet was split up or melted down and sold on soon after it was stolen. It has never been recovered.

Passing sentence, Judge Ian Pringle KC said the "bold and brazen heist took no more than five-and-a-half minutes to complete".

The judge said he has "no doubt" that Sheen's sentence must be consecutive to the one he is already serving.

Judge Pringle said he could not be sure that Jones was part of the gang that carried out the burglary, but had "no doubt" that his role was to "carry out a reconnaissance of the museum, to know exactly where the golden toilet was situated and to work out the quickest route in and out of the palace".

Last month, Frederick Doe, 36, was handed a two-year suspended sentence after he wasfound guilty of conspiracy to convert or transfer criminal property.

Jewellery shop owner Bora Guccuk, 41, from west London, was acquitted of conspiracy to transfer criminal property.

During court proceedings, Prosecutor Julian Christopher KC said five men carried out the raid; however, only Jones and Sheen have been caught.

Detective Superintendent Bruce Riddell of Thames Valley Police (TVP) said he is "fairly confident" he knows the identity of two others who took part in the heist.

He asked if anyone had any more information on the case to contact TVP or Crimestoppers.

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Sheen and his accomplices drove two stolen vehicles, a VW Golf and an Isuzu truck, through locked gates at Blenheim Palace shortly before 5am on the night of the raid.

Thames Valley Police said three men armed with sledgehammers and a crowbar gained entry to the palace, smashed through the solid wooden door and tore the toilet from its fixings.

The gold was believed to be worth about £2.8m at the time of the theft. However, it had been insured for the price of £4.75m.

A couple of days after the burglary, Sheen contacted Doe about selling the gold.

Read more from Sky News:Man jailed over police station attackSeven men used two teenage girls as 'sex slaves' in Rochdale

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Through coded messages, the two men talked about "cars" and getting offered "26 and a half" – which the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) argued referred to the men getting £26,500 per kilo of the stolen gold.

Jones, who had visited the stately home twice in the days before the raid, was arrested on 16 October 2019 before officers analysed his phone.

The force found he had searched for news reports about the stolen toilet on 20 September 2019.

He also told the jury he took advantage of the artwork's "facilities" the day before it was taken. When asked what it was like, Jones replied: "Splendid."

Meanwhile, Sheen's DNA was found both on a sledgehammer left at the scene and in one of the stolen trucks used in the raid.

Words such as "murder" and "killing" have been plastered across placards by opponents of the bill – expect the language to become more incendiary in the weeks to come.

Health correspondent@ashishskynews

Finger jabbing, the frenetic shaking of heads and the competitively loud chanting to drown out the opposition are all symptoms of rising tensions.

The two sides of the assisted dying debate clashed on Parliament Square Garden as parliament worked through amendments on Kim Leadbeater's controversial bill.

The sides have not shared the same space before, not intellectually, nor emotionally, nor physically.

But on Friday, they stood uncomfortably close together, mostly squaring up to each other because neither side could afford to give an inch to the other.

The pink-wearing supporters of the bill usually have the green lawns opposite Big Ben to themselves.

The black-wearing opponents of the proposed legislation usually stand with their tombstone placards much further down towards Jewel Tower.

But they decided to decamp to Parliament Square on the penultimate day ahead of the final vote next week.

As the months have passed, the discourse has become increasingly bitter. There is a lot at stake for both sides, and the anger is palpable.

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Doctors have been publicly falling out with each other, each side accusing the other of spreading misinformation.

Even some of the Royal Colleges have become embroiled in rows with sections of their membership calling out their leadership.

Read more:Will the bill pass and what's changed?How the assisted dying debate is dividing doctors

And the emotion outside parliament was reflected inside the Commons when Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden (South Devon), whose husband died of oesophageal cancer, warned MPs about the language being used. Assisted dying, she said, was not the same as "murder and killing".

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But those words, and stronger, were plastered across placards held by opponents of the bill outside parliament.

Expect the language to become more incendiary, more accusatory in the weeks to come. In seven days, we will learn which side has won.

For politicians and prime ministers, sports stars like Beckham are pure gold. David Cameron was also a fan and was photographed sitting alongside Becks at the London Olympics.

Chief political correspondent@joncraig

Saturday 14 June 2025 03:15, UK

A sporting icon courted by prime ministers past and present, newly knighted Sir David Beckham is renowned for being extremely media savvy.

Never more so than when I interviewed him for Sky News at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, after he took part in the closing ceremony having played a key role in London's winning bid to host the 2012 Games.

Speaking about Sir Alex Ferguson in the interview, canny Sir Becks heaped praise on his old boss in our interview. But he'd been less complimentary about his old boss in a conversation with prime ministerGordon Brown, I later learned.

I'd travelled to Beijing with Mr Brown, via Afghanistan, and we spent the final evening of the Games at the handover party, whenBoris Johnson- then London mayor – famously spoke in his speech about "wiff waff" (table tennis) coming home.

During his Beijing visit, Mr Brown had been promoting the idea of a Great Britain football team competing at the 2012 Games and there was speculation aboutSir Alexbeing the team's coach.

"Aah, Sir Alex," Becks said wistfully and apparently affectionately when I asked him about being re-united with his former Manchester United manager during the interview. "Like a father to me."

Later, on the flight home to the UK, when I told Gordon Brown about the interview, the prime minister laughed. "That's funny," he said.

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He replied: "He told me 'If Sir Alex is manager, he won't pick me!'"

Beckhamplayed for Fergie at Manchester United from 1995 until 2003, when he joined Real Madrid amid claims that Ferguson disapproved of the player's showbiz lifestyle.

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By 2008 he was playing for LA Galaxy in the US.

But despite his canny, PR-savvy answers in my interview, I saw him work the room that night in Beijing and glad-hand relentlessly.

He gave every interview asked of him and turned on the charm on behalf of UK PLC to everyone present.

For politicians and prime ministers, sportsmen and women like Beckham are pure gold.David Cameronwas also a fan and was photographed sitting alongside Becks at the London Games.

When "Goldenballs", as wife Victoria called him, retired from football a year later, a No 10 spokesman gushed: "The prime minister's view is that David Beckham has been an outstanding footballer throughout his career.

"But not only that, he has been a brilliant ambassador for this country, not least if we remember all the work he did on helping us win London 2012."

Read more from Sky News:Men jailed for their roles in theft of £4.75m gold toiletPolice issue mosh pit warning ahead of Download festival

There was indeed a Great Britain men's football team at the Olympics, but it was coached by former England legend Stuart Pearce, not Sir Alex.

And Pearce, nicknamed "psycho" for his aggressive style on the pitch, didn't pick Becks either, though he claimed he'd faced pressure from Downing Street to include him.

Then in 2017, David Cameron's former spin doctor Craig Oliver claimed a senior Tory cabinet minister – thought to have beenGeorge Osborne- suggested giving Becks a peerage and appointing him sports minister in a 2013 cabinet reshuffle.

That never happened either, obviously, though at leastnow David Beckham is also a knight- just like his "father figure" Sir Alex.

The 50-year-old was said to be close to a knighthood a decade ago only for the taxman to reportedly red flag his name – now though, he becomes Sir David.

Saturday 14 June 2025 02:01, UK

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David Beckham has called it "truly humbling" and an "emotional moment" to be made a knight in the King's Birthday Honours.

The former England captain receives the honour alongside The Who frontmanRoger Daltreyand Oscar-winning actorGary Oldman.

Singer and actress Elaine Paige, novelist Pat Baker, and former defence secretary Penny Mordaunt have been awarded damehoods.

Meanwhile, Strictly Come Dancing hosts Tess Daley andClaudia Winkleman, as well as darts starsLuke Littlerand Luke Humphries, will all get MBEs.

Beckhamwas made an OBE in 2003, but now finally becomes Sir David after being in the running for many years. He gets the honour for his services to sport and charity.

Sir David was said to be close to a knighthood in 2014, but reportedly lost out after HM Customs and Revenue flagged his involvement in an alleged tax avoidance scheme.

"Growing up in east London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British, I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour," he told PA news agency.

"To have played for and captained my country was the greatest privilege of my career, and literally a boyhood dream come true," added the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star.

Sir David, who recently turned 50, was seen chatting tothe Kingthe day before his honour was announced as part of his role as an ambassador for the monarch's foundation.

He said he'd been fortunate to "represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation".

Sir David added: "I'm so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment.

"It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family."

On the music front, The Who's singer got a knighthood at age 81.

Sir Roger – known for hits such as My Generation and Pinball Wizard – led the Teenage Cancer Trust at Royal Albert Hall concert series for more than two decades.

"It's kind of weird, but I am deeply honoured to get this, especially for the charity for the Teenage Cancer Trust, and I accept it on their behalf really, because this honour is really for all unsung heroes," said Sir Roger.

"It's a dream come true for me, but it's especially a dream because the charity means so much."

TV presenter Tess Daly called her MBE "the greatest surprise of my life".

"I don't think I've come back down to earth yet," she told PA. "I didn't see it coming, and it almost didn't happen because the letter went to the wrong address.

"And thank goodness someone very kind found me. And so by the time I got it, I only had, I think it was two or three days left to accept it."

Her co-star on Strictly, Claudia Winkleman, said she was "incredibly grateful" to be recognised.

"I will buy a hat and am taking my mum [to receive the honour]. I am ridiculously lucky and will celebrate with Tess by doing a paso doble," she said.

West End legend Elaine Page – who has starred in shows such as Cats and Evita – was also honoured for services to music and charity.

The singer said she was in "shock" at becoming a dame

"I've got all these different emotions coming at me all at once," said the 77-year-old. I'm proud and I feel grateful and I'm thrilled and surprised, and so it's been quite a lot to take in."

Dame Elaine has roles at two charities – The Children's Trust and The Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, which supports disabled tennis players.

She's also presented a BBC radio show for more than 20 years.

Read more:Men jailed for their roles in theft of £4.75m gold toiletPolice issue mosh pit warning ahead of Download festival

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More than 1,200 people from across the country were given honours in the latest list, including Sky Group chief executive Dana Strong – awarded a CBE for services to business and the media.

Eleven-year-old disability campaigner Carmela Chillery-Watson is the youngest to be recognised after helping raise more than £400,000 for Muscular Dystrophy UK.

The oldest is 106-year-old William Irwin, founder of the Coleraine Winemakers Club, who gets a BEM (British Empire Medal) for services to the community.

However, the top accolade has been awarded to sculptor Sir Antony Gormley, the man behind the Angel of the North, who is made Companion of Honour for services to art.

There can only be 65 companions at any one time.

Other notable names on the list include former defence secretary Penny Mordaunt – who famously had a prominent role holding a sword at the King's coronation – and is now a dame; and former EastEnders actress Anita Dobson, who gets an OBE.

A palace spokesperson said the King wanted the alterations to his birthday parade "as a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy".

Royal correspondent@SkyRhiannon

Members of the Royal Family will wear black armbands "as a mark of respect" to those involved in the Air India crash at tomorrow's Trooping the Colour parade.

There will also be a minute's silence at the event following Thursday's crash in the city of Ahmedabad, western India.

Following the crash, whichkilled at least 241 people,the Kingasked for some amendments to be made to his traditional birthday parade on Saturday.

A palace spokesperson said Charles wanted the alterations "as a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy".

The minute's silence will be held after the King inspects the guard on Horse Guards Parade. It will be signalled in the traditional way by a Last Post and Reveille.

Charles and the senior royals riding in the ceremony will wear black armbands, as will postilions, coachmen and coachwomen from the Royal Mews.

They will not be worn by family members who are wearing civilian clothes.

The King said he and the Queen were "desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad" after the crash on Thursday.

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A statement from Buckingham Palace continued: "Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations, as they await news of their loved ones.

"I would like to pay a particular tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency services and all those providing help and support at this most heartbreaking and traumatic time."

Union flags have today been flown at half-mast on all royal residences and government buildings.

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Alterations have been made to the Trooping event before.

In 2017, Queen Elizabeth requested a minute's silence to be held during the parade as a mark of respect to those who died in the Grenfell Tower fire three days earlier.

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Read more:Who are the Air India crash victims?King meets D-Day veterans

This year, the Coldstream Guards will Troop their Colour and display their banner flag as they mark their 375th anniversary.

A decade later, in 1660, the regiment marched down from Berwick to help restore the monarchy, dissolve Parliament and bring King Charles II back to the throne.

More than 1,000 soldiers and 200 horses from the Household Division will be involved in the spectacular display, with members of the Royal Family also taking part on horseback or travelling along the Mall in carriages.

Last year, the King joined Camilla in a carriage, rather than riding, after being diagnosed with cancer months earlier in February.

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It's been reported he will do the same this year, but this has not been confirmed by the palace.

The event will finish with the traditional balcony moment, as members of the Royal Family gather to watch a flypast of military aircraft, including The Red Arrows.

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning until 6pm across the South West, North East and North of England, Wales and much of Scotland.

Saturday 14 June 2025 09:22, UK

Roads have been flooded and a landslip has disrupted trains as the UK was hit by tens of thousands of lightning strikes during thunderstorms – with severe weather warnings in place for large parts of the country.

It follows the hottest day of the year on Friday, which saw a high of 29.4C (84.9F) in Santon Downham in Suffolk.

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning until 6pm across the South West, North East and North of England, Wales and much of Scotland.

Check the weather forecast where you are

They said there had been over 30,000 lightning strikes during the night, with the "vast majority" over the sea.

The Met Office has warned some areas could see 30-50mm of rain in a few hours, while a few locations could reach up to 80mm.

At the same time, strong wind gusts and hail accompanying the storms could potentially bring road flooding, difficult driving conditions, power cuts and flooding of homes and businesses.

The Environment Agency urged the public not to drive through flood water, reminding drivers that "just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car."

A further yellow warning is in force in the eastern half of Northern Ireland from 6am to 6pm on Saturday, while a similar warning has been in place across the South East of England overnight following an amber alert on Friday.

Kent experienced heavy rainfall overnight, with flooded roads in parts of Dover, while a fire in a residential building in St Leonards-on-Sea on Friday night was likely caused by a lightning strike, the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service say.

Devon received five flood warnings overnight by the Environment Agency, alongside 46 flood alerts in the South West, South East and Midlands.

A further six flood alerts have been put in place by Natural Resources Wales in South Wales.

National Rail said a landslip had stopped all services between Exeter St Davids and Okehampton, with the weather conditions meaning it is not safe for engineers to reach the site. Disruption is expected until around 1pm.

Other rail operators also warned customers to check for updates on services on Saturday morning.

Heathrow Airport apologised to passengers late on Friday night for flights delayed by "adverse weather conditions".

Sky News weather producer Steff Gaulter said: "The most active thunderstorms are over parts of Wales, Northern Ireland, Northern England and Scotland, and some are still bringing localised downpours and strong winds.

"The storms will continue northwards, becoming largely confined to Northern Ireland and Scotland by the afternoon. Elsewhere will see a mixture of sunshine and showers, with the showers tending to ease during the day.

"Then from tomorrow an area of high pressure will start to stretch towards us, and the weather next week is looking far calmer and quieter."

Read more from Sky News:Is Ibiza at breaking point?Why is Ballymena the site of riots?

Despite the risk of heavy showers and thunderstorms, not everyone will see rain during the day, with the driest and brightest weather expected in the South East, which will remain very warm.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued its first yellow heat-health alert of the year, active until 8am on Sunday in the east of England, East Midlands, London, and the South East.

Under the UKHSA and the Met Office's weather-health alerting system, a yellow alert means there could be an increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people.

A yellow alert warns of a possible spike in vulnerable people accessing healthcare, and health risks for the over-65s and those with conditions such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

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While scientists have not assessed the role of global warming in this short-term event, in general they expect more heavy downpours as the climate changes.

That's largely because hotter air can hold more moisture and so releases more water when it rains.

The head of the country's police has warned his officers will pursue the "bigots and racists" responsible.

Saturday 14 June 2025 06:23, UK

Petrol bombs have been thrown in a fifth night of violence in Northern Ireland – with the disorder now moving from Ballymena to Portadown.

Fireworks and bottles were also hurled at police, who responded with water cannon in an effort to move people off West Street.

The unrest began on Monday in Ballymena over the alleged sexual assault of a girl in the town and the subsequent arrest of two 14-year-old boys.

Some homes have been attacked and theNorthern IrelandHousing Executive said 14 families had been given emergency accommodation.

Police say the violence is fuelled by racism after the two 14-year-old suspects used a Romanian interpreter to plead not guilty in court.

Read more:Why did Ballymena become site of anti-immigration riots?

There were also reports on Friday night of damage to public property in the Tullyally area of Londonderry/Derry as police dealt with another protest.

Why did Ballymena become the latest site of anti-immigration riots?

Ballymena riots latest: Fire started 'after vandalism' at leisure centre as water cannon deployed in third night of disorder in N Ireland

Ballymena disorder: Six arrested in Northern Ireland – as 32 officers injured in second night of violence

Officers are to be sent from Scotland to bolster the response and "reassure our communities", announced PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson.

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At least 63 police have been injured over the last five days and First Minister Michelle O'Neill has hit out at the troublemakers.

"What we have seen over the last four days has been devastation, has been horrific for those people targeted – this is women and children, these are families, at the brunt of racist, violent attacks, and it is wrong on every level," she said.

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The trouble in Ballymena seemed to have largely dissipated by Thursday, instead flaring up in Portadown – although generally at a lower intensity.

Incidents have also occurred in other towns – Larne Leisure Centre was set on fire on Wednesday, while a man, woman, and four children escaped an arson attack on a house in Coleraine in the early hours of Friday.

The head of Northern Ireland's police, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, has warned his officers will pursue the "bigots and racists" responsible.

Analysis of census data shows that Ballymena has experienced rapid demographic change in recent years, while the Sky News data and forensics team also found evidence of rising tensions on social media in the weeks preceding the incident.

By Daniel Dunford, Freya Gibson, Joely Santa Cruz and Adam Parker, Sky News data and forensics unit

Saturday 14 June 2025 06:25, UK

There have now been five consecutive nights of ongoing violence and disorder on the streets of Northern Ireland, with Ballymena at the focus of the unrest following an alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl in the town on 7 June.

Two 14-year-old boys were arrested and charged after the incident, and police said the pair used a Romanian interpreter to plead not guilty in court.

After that, calls for "peaceful protest" from the victim's father were amplified online. Those protests took on an anti-immigration angle and erupted into riots and clashes with police.

Analysis of social media messaging has shown there were already rising tensions in the town before the incident, following a decade of rapid demographic change.

The unrest spread on Friday night, withpetrol bombs thrown in the town of Portadownand reports of damage to public property in the Tullyally area of Londonderry/Derry.

On 30 May, eight days before the 7 June incident in the Clonavon Terrace area that triggered this week's violence, police released a statement regarding claims of a different sexual assault in Ballymena, this time of a 13-year-old girl.

The offence was alleged to have taken place on a public footpath near the Ballykeel housing estates, during daylight hours on Saturday 24 May.

Local media at the time reported the suspect as having "dark-coloured skin, dark brown eyes, and speaking in a foreign language".

On 31 May, a far-right news aggregator on messaging platform Telegram was already sharing information related to this incident, saying "Ballymena said to be at boiling point".

But the online chatter remained relatively contained until after the police announcement on the evening of Sunday 8 June, that they had arrested the two 14-year-olds charged with the Clonavon Terrace incident.

Analysis of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, shows there were 114 mentions of Ballymena per day from 3-7 June.

It was mentioned 142 times on 8 June, then surged up to 10,300 on 9 June and 78,300 the following day. The majority of posts originated outside of Northern Ireland.

The descriptions of the alleged perpetrators of the two incidents have contributed to the anti-immigrant sentiment of the violence.

Sky News has seen Union flags and signs saying "British household" or "Locals live here" left outside homes of people keen to avoid being targeted, and has also spoken to Bulgarian nationals in Ballymena who say that they are "terrified" and "scared to get out of the house".

Speaking in the House of Commons, Jim Allister, MP for North Antrim, which includes Ballymena, said he was "appalled" by the violence. "However," he said, "the government must be aware of underlying tensions produced by uncontrolled and often undocumented immigration."

"None of that excuses violence, but it is a matter of concern to many," he added.

Analysis of census data shows there has been rapid demographic change in the town since 2011. No other part of Northern Ireland has seen a bigger increase in people who don't speak English/Irish as a first language.

At the time of the 2021 census, three in 10 residents of central Ballymena said their first language was something other than English or Irish.

One in eight listed Romanian, with a similar number listing other Eastern European languages like Bulgarian, Polish and Slovak.

That figure is almost seven times higher than the average across Northern Ireland, and amounts to a trebling over the course of the decade.

Almost three-quarters of the total foreign-born population of central Ballymena arrived in the country since 2011.

The average is significantly lower for Northern Ireland as a whole, and England and Wales, where the rate of change has been more gradual.

Of 621 primary schools in Northern Ireland where data is available, Ballymena Primary and Harryville Primary, both in central Ballymena, had the 7th and 8th highest share of "newcomer pupils".

"Newcomer" is the term used by the Northern Irish Department for Education to refer to pupils who don't have satisfactory language skills to participate fully in the school curriculum.

How, and when, will the violence end?

Sky'sConnor Gillies, who has been in Ballymena reporting on the violence and talking to locals for the past few days, said on Wednesday that "the talk here is that this unrest is only just beginning",adding that "it could go on for weeks".

Meanwhile, locals have expressed theydon't like the talk from police and politiciansthat taking to the streets following the alleged sexual attack on 7 June equates to them being "racist thugs".

Police have responded to rioters' petrol bombs and bricks with rubber bullets and water cannon onslaughts of their own. There have been tens of arrests, as well as injuries to more than 50 police officers since Monday evening.

Violence and disorder erupted in Ballymena on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, appearing to have largely abated in the town by Thursday. However, the unrest has spread to other areas including Larne, Coleraine,Portadownand Belfast.

A senior police officer insisted to Sky News that he did have "a grip" on the unravelling situation when questioned by Sky News, but officers from Scotland, Wales and England have been sent to bolster the forces of their Northern Irish colleagues.

From 7-12 June, 39,000 Ballymena-related posts on X mentioned "migrants", with around 95% of them deemed to be negative by social media analysis tool Talkwalker.

Well-known far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who thanked X-owner Elon Musk for his support when he wasreleased from prison four months early on 27 May, was the most influential poster.

His 14 X posts about Ballymena between 7-12 June reached an average of 1.3 million accounts each.

TheData and Forensicsteam is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling, we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.