A father-of-five who threw two beer bottles at police during a racially-motivated riot in Ballymena was jailed for a year on Friday.
When he is released from prison, Gary McCrystal will spend an additional two years on supervised licence.
He admitted a charge of rioting on June 10th last year and was handed the three-year sentence by Judge Laura Ievers.
Belfast Crown Court heard that there was a spike in public disorder aggravated by hospitality towards ethnic groups for three consecutive nights in June 2025.
While there was no loss of life, eight families were displaced.
During the disorder, police officers were attacked with petrol bombs, fireworks and masonry resulting in over 50 officers in Ballymena being injured.
On June 10th, 2025, hundreds of people gathered in the Clonavon area of the Co Down town.
McCrystal (44) was identified on police footage as being present.
At around 8pm he made his way to the front of the crowd towards police lines.
A group of masked men took items from the rear of a residential property and created a barricade in front of PSNI vehicles.
This masked group then started pelting police with bricks and other items while McCrystal stood and observed from around 3m away.
As officers moved the crowd back, McCrystal remained at the front talking to masked men around him.
McCrystal then joined a large crowd who were throwing missiles at police and it’s at this point that a masked rioter removed a beer bottle from a bag held by McCrystal and threw it at police lines.
Following this, McCrystal started distributing bottles from his bag to other rioters before removing two from the bag and launching them at officers.
He then set the bag down and walked into the crowd.
Footage of the rioting was viewed and police released a series of images of those involved in the riot.
McCrystal was identified
and arrested.
During interview he made some admissions.
After he pleaded guilty to the charge of rioting, McCrystal spoke to a probation officer.
He said he’d been at the scene when the disorder broke out, that he intended to meet a friend on the North Road and that a masked individual took a bottle from his bag and threw it at police.
McCrystal also told the officer he threw two bottles himself and remained in the area for around an hour before going home.
In addition, he expressed shame and embarrassment about his behaviour and told the probation officer “this is the worst thing I have ever done”.
During Friday’s sentencing, Ievers said she had considered defence submissions made on McCrystal’s behalf by his barrister Neil Moore.
These set out the extensive caring responsibilities he has for both his mother and his son who has special needs.
Ievers also noted McCrystal’s “vintage” but “relevant” criminal record for criminal damage and disorderly behaviour dating back to 2001.
As she imposed the sentence, evers addressed McCrystal and told him:
“People should be able to feel safe in their own homes. They should not have to live in terror.”