Woman who filmed her teenage son rioting sentenced

A mother-of-six who recorded her teenage son rioting in the Broadway area of Belfast avoided an immediate prison sentence on Thursday.

The woman, 49, was handed a 12-month sentence, which was suspended for three years, for a charge of cruelty to a child.

Judge Laura Ievers KC said the disorder had a "significant impact on police and their resources, and on members of the community both directly and indirectly".

The judge added that the woman had encouraged the anti-social behaviour by filming it.

Belfast Crown Court heard that over July 15 and 16, 2024 rioting broke out in the Broadway roundabout area of the city.

During the racially-motivated street disorder, police officers were pelted with missiles.

Evidence-gathering teams were in the area and footage of the rioting was recorded.

Officers subsequently identified the then 15-year-old as being actively engaged in the disorder.

His mother, who is from south Belfast, was also present during the rioting on July 15 and 16 and stood at the side of the road watching youths, including her son, engaging in the disorder.

The court heard she was aware of her son's conduct, did nothing to stop it and at times she was observed filming his engagement.

Following her arrest, the woman told police she was only present at the riot in an attempt to remove her son from it.

She later pleaded guilty to a charge of child cruelty with a Crown barrister revealing this was on the grounds she "exposed her child to the disorder and did not do anything to prevent him becoming involved in the disorder".

When speaking to a probation officer, she said she got caught up in events within the community.

The woman also said she had acted recklessly and foolishly, rather than with any deliberate intention to harm her child.

Defence barrister Michael Boyd told Judge Ievers that his client has suffered "massive personal consequences" as a result of her actions which included being "estranged" from her teenage son for 16 months due to bail condition

Regarding the offence, Mr Boyd spoke of a "huge amount of people out on the street in that particular area" but said his client "knows what she did was wrong".

He added that his client has "no criminal history at all" and that the month she spent in custody in Hydebank as a result of her conduct was a "harrowing experience" for her.

Further defence submissions set out instabilities in her childhood as well as her long-standing mental health difficulties.

Judge Ievers said the disorder had a "significant impact on police and their resources, and on members of the community both directly and indirectly".

The judge added that by pleading guilty to a charge of child cruelty, the-mother-of-six admitted she "failed to remove or adequately protect her then 15-year-old son while he was participating in this disorder".

She added: "The defendant accepts that her actions and inaction exposed her son to risk and she acknowledges that she exercised poor judgement and failed to appreciate the wider consequences of remaining present in that environment."

Saying it appeared that she has now "demonstrated insight into her offending" and the danger her son was exposed to, Judge Ievers noted she did not seek to minimise her behaviour to probation.

As she imposed the suspended sentence, Judge Ievers told her: "You know that this sort of public disorder has a significant adverse impact and such demonstrations of hostility hurt members of our community directly and indirectly and make the job of police officers even more challenging.

"Your very presence at the scene is of considerable concern to the court but the fact that you did nothing to stop your 15-year-old son, not only witnessing events but, actively participating in them is shocking.

"Worse still, you encouraged this anti-social behaviour by filming it for a period of time."

Before she left the dock, the woman was warned by the judge of the consequences of re-offending within the next three years.