It would not normally be in the remit of this publication to comment on matters that occurred in a suburb of the Welsh capital. But the events surrounding the deaths of two teenagers in Ely last Monday should not go without comment.

Firstly, we would offer our deep condolences and sincerest sympathies to the families and friends of Kyrees Sullivan and Harvey Evans who died when an e-bike they were riding collided with a bus.

Their deaths sparked an ugly riot and, so far, about a dozen people face charges over the night of violence that saw cars destroyed, 15 police officers injured and tens of thousands of pounds in property damage in the area.

But this incident has once again tainted the image of Ely, an area of social deprivation where community leaders, volunteers, organisations and clubs have worked hard for decades to try and change its perceived image.

While authorities initially said that the violence was sparked by unfounded rumours on social media, that official version of events quickly unravelled.

For more than 24 hours, South Wales Police denied any of their officers were involved in the incident, and while they may not have been at the actual scene of the collision, it’s obvious they were in pursuit of the teens immediately prior. They have rightly referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

In view of his comments, this publication would judge that the position of Alun Michael, the Police Commissioner for South Wales, is untenable, and he should resign as a matter of urgency. When he defends those he is supposed to oversee without having the full facts to hand, the public can have no confidence in his supposed impartiality.

That the rioting occurred in Ely, in the backyard of First Minister Mark Drakeford, cannot go without comment either.

The levels of social deprivation endured in Ely should serve both as a reminder to Mr Drakeford of the need for action by the government he leads, and also of his government’s failure to address those issues during his time in office. It’s easy to point to Westminster as the root cause for all our issues, but to the people of Ely and across Wales in general, that excuse is wearing a bit thin.

This sad chapter too should serve as a warning to us all of the dangers of social media. Once the ‘send’ button is pressed, all hell can break loose. Beware.