A man in the public gallery of Swansea Crown Court who celebrated the verdict in the Mayhill riot trial was locked up for his troubles.
Judge Paul Thomas QC warned those in the gallery to remain silent when the verdict - whatever it was - was returned in the case of Kye Dennis who accused of taking part in last year's mass disturbance.
But when the foreman of the jury returned the verdict of not guilty, Patrick Shaun McGinn punched the air and shouted out in celebration. The judge told Mr McGinn to leave the court but as he did so he made a comment to the judge about leaving. Judge Thomas instructed Mr McGinn to return to court and, after telling the defendant he was free to go and thanking the members of the jury for their service, he ordered the man into the dock before sent him down to the cells where he remained over the lunch break. You can read our coverage of the trial here.
Mr McGinn returned to the dock after just over an hour in custody and apologised to the judge for his outburst, saying the defendant was a friend who had got a "good result", adding that the comment about leaving the court "came out by accident".
Judge Thomas said he accepted the apology and would not take the matter further. He told the man in the dock that another judge may not have been no understanding, adding: "You came very close to serving a prison sentence for contempt of court".
Kye Christopher Lee Dennis, of Dale Close in Fforestfach, was acquitted of taking part in last year's rioting in Mayhill at a three-day trial. The 25-year-old drove a recently-purchased second-hand car to the area, a vehicle which was later rolled down Waun Wen Road and torched. Mr Dennis accepted being present at the scene for some of the disturbance but denied being involved. Twenty-six other people aged between 15 and 44 pleaded guilty to riot in relation to the incident, and the non-youth defendants are awaiting sentence.
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