Edinburgh teenager facing jail after hurling fireworks at police and public during Bonfire Night riots

Dean Gorrie was part of large mob seen wearing balaclavas who attacked a line of police officers in Edinburgh on Bonfire Night in 2023.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told 19-year-old Gorrie also fired explosive devices at passing members of the public during a shocking night of violence to hit the capital’s Niddrie area.

Fiscal depute Cheryl Porter told the court the teenage scaffolder was a member of a large group seen walking along the city’s Hay Avenue at around 5.30pm on November 5, 2023. The gang were described as all wearing black clothing and Gorrie had his face covered with a black balaclava.

Ms Porter said Gorrie, of Newton Village, Midlothian, was first caught on CCTV taking “possession of a firework and aimed it at members of the public and fired it at them” at around 5.20pm.

Rioting youths threw fireworks and petrol bombs during a night of mayhem in Niddrie on Bonfire Night. Police officers in riot gear rushed to the Niddrie area of Edinburgh after reports of large groups of young people lobbing fireworks at vehicles and property. Officers formed a line using riot shields as youths launched fireworks and petrol bombs at their feet.

Five minutes later the lout was then seen smashing a window of a passing single decker Lothian bus by throwing a brick at the vehicle. The bus was described as having between 15 to 20 passengers on board at the time.

The driver of the vehicle was said to have heard “two loud bangs” and after stopping the vehicle he discovered two windows had been smashed.

At around 6pm, members of the public were again “randomly” attacked by a gang with fireworks leading police to race to the scene though Gorrie was said not to be participating at this point.

Ms Porter said during the subsequent confrontation Gorrie was caught on CCTV footage “igniting fireworks and throwing it towards police lines with the fireworks exploding nearby”.

During Tuesday’s hearing, the fiscal said Gorrie then threw two more devices at the police officers that detonated nearby. The court heard as a result of extensive police enquiries following the “mass disorder” Gorrie was identified as being involved and he attended a police station to hand himself in seven day later.

Lawyer Nicola Haston, defending, said her client was working full time as a scaffolder and had been wearing an electronic tag as part of his bail conditions for the past 12 months.

Sheriff Julius Komorowski said “Given this offence involves firing fireworks at police and putting members of the public at risk the sentence will be substantial. All options are open and the potential of custody will be considered.”

Sentence was deferred for social work reports and a restriction of liberty order assessment to be prepared to next month.

Gorrie pleaded guilty to culpably and recklessly discharging fireworks at members of the public and police officers causing the fireworks to explode all to the danger of the public and police officers exposing them to risk of injury at Niddrie Mains Road and Hay Avenue, Edinburgh, on November 5, 2023.