Kieran Sutherland, 19, seriously injured a police officer by throwing a brick through the window of a police van during a Bonfire Night riot in the Niddrie area of Edinburgh in October 2024. The attack left PC Joanne Hiroz with permanent scarring and lasting psychological impact.
Attack Details
Shocking CCTV footage released by the Crown shows Sutherland, wearing a mask, launching the brick that smashed through the van window and struck PC Hiroz in the face. The officer was left with a serious cut to her head and required therapy sessions following the ordeal.
At Edinburgh Sheriff Court, Sutherland pleaded guilty to culpably and recklessly throwing the brick and injuring the officer. Sheriff Julius Komorowski noted that the Crown accepted the plea to culpable and reckless conduct rather than assault, stating, "I have to assess this as dangerous behaviour causing injury. It was obviously dangerous, that was part of the disorder, and was against a police officer who has suffered scarring and lasting psychological impact."
Sentencing and Co-accused
Sheriff Komorowski deferred sentence for three months to allow Sutherland to gain employment, indicating he is considering imposing unpaid work and a compensation order. Co-accused Sean McGovern, 18, admitted smashing a police van windscreen with a firework, while Nathan Anderson, 21, pleaded guilty to igniting and aiming fireworks at police officers, throwing bricks at vehicles and the public, and inciting others to join the violence. All three pleaded guilty to offences aggravated by use of a firework in relation to an emergency worker.
Sheriff Komorowski described McGovern's conduct as "deeply disturbing and concerning" and said throwing a firework at a police vehicle was "an incredibly dangerous thing to do." McGovern was sentenced to 300 hours of unpaid work and a curfew from 10pm to 6am for six months. Anderson received a similar unpaid work order of 300 hours.
Riot Footage
The court was shown CCTV footage of the rioting, where a large gang of masked youths marched along Niddrie Mains Road on October 31, 2024. Prosecutor Emma Laing played clips capturing the louts launching fireworks and objects at police officers and vehicles. Two officers were forced to retreat into their vehicle after spotting the group at around 9pm. The van was then bombarded with fireworks, and an explosive thrown by McGovern cracked the windscreen. All three rioters, from Edinburgh, were identified via CCTV and later arrested and charged.
