
Police launch appeal after teenager missing for days
Deacon, 17, is from Graig-y-Rhacca with links to Pembrokeshire and is described as white, about 5'8" tall, of average build with brown hair.
He was last seen at around 1pm on Friday, June 13 at Newbridge train station wearing a Jack Jones t-shirt, black Nike jogging bottoms, Nike trainers and a black Puma Hooded top.
A spokesperson for Gwent Police said: 'Gwent Police is appealing for information to find 17-year-old Deacon, from the Graig-y-Rhacca area, who has been reported as missing.
'He was last seen at about 1pm on Friday 13 June at Newbridge train station. At the time he was wearing a Jack Jones t-shirt, black Nike jogging bottoms, Nike trainers and a black Puma Hooded top.
'He has links to the Caerphilly, Blackwood, Brynmawr, Tredegar, Abertillery, Ebbw Vale and Pontypool areas. He also has links to the Haverfordwest, Fishguard and Tenby areas.
'He's described as white, about 5'8" tall, of an average build with brown hair.
'Anyone with information on Deacon's whereabouts is asked to call 101,
quoting 2500188486, you can send a direct message on Facebook or X,or online: https://www.gwent.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us-beta/contact-us/.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Woman knocks on ex's door after suspicious feeling and whole world crumbles
Alice thought she was rekindling a lost romance when she reconnected with Mark, a childhood friend. Instead, she became the victim of a devastating romance fraud Alice thought she was rekindling a lost romance when she reconnected with Mark, a childhood friend and former schoolmate. Instead, she became the victim of a devastating romance fraud that cost her £42,000 and left her emotionally shattered. Unlike most romance scams, which begin online between strangers, Alice, a solicitor from Shropshire, knew her fraudster personally. She and Mark, not their real names, had once dated briefly in their twenties, shared dozens of mutual friends on Facebook, and had exchanged occasional birthday greetings over the years. Their renewed connection began in October 2020, when Mark started messaging her regularly. They bonded over shared memories, tastes in music and food, and soon met in person at a pub they had frequented as teenagers. "It was amazing. It was like my youth was back," Alice told the BBC. "We had a shared history. I felt completely at home with him." Their relationship developed quickly. Mark met Alice's friends and family, and she trusted him completely. So when he confided that he was struggling with business debts due to the coronavirus pandemic, she didn't question it. He even showed her threatening messages to back up his claims and said he couldn't bring her to his home for safety reasons. "He made it very clear that he needed help," she said. "I was essentially in a position where I wanted to save him." By April 2021, Alice had loaned him £20,000. As a solicitor, she took the precaution of formalising the loan in writing and verifying that Mark was in the process of selling his property to repay her. But the sale never materialised - and neither did the repayments. Over time, the amount she lent him ballooned. Alice paid for everything from rent and clothes to medical treatments and therapy sessions. She even covered the cost of a car and funded trips to Wimbledon and Croatia. She was there for Mark emotionally, and he was even by her side when her grandfather died. But behind the scenes, Mark was living a double life. In October 2023, after lending him a total of £57,000 - of which he had only repaid £14,000 - Alice ended the relationship over the phone. Feeling suspicious, she drove to Mark's house for the first time. There, she encountered a woman she recognised as Mark's supposed ex, Julie, standing in the driveway with Mark's dog, whose vet bills Alice had paid. Julie told Alice to leave and warned her not to return, accusing her of stalking. Mark had reportedly told Julie a completely different story. When Alice insisted she could prove their relationship, Julie threatened to call the police. Alice's final meeting with Mark took place in a supermarket car park, where he claimed he had cancer and had gone back to Julie for emotional support. But when Alice spoke with a neighbour, the truth emerged: Mark had been living with Julie the entire time. "For the whole period he was with me, promising a life together, he was going home to her every day," Alice said. The couple moved out shortly after Alice's confrontation. Their landlady later confirmed that Mark still owed her five months' rent. Alice reported the matter to police in December 2023, but was initially told it was a civil matter and that no crime had been committed. Undeterred, she sought help from Love Said, a charity supporting victims of emotional and financial abuse. Co-founder Anna Rowe told the BBC that many police forces lack awareness of "in-person" romance fraud, often dismissing it or shaming the victims. With the charity's support, Alice filed a report with Action Fraud. "They asked, 'Are you saying this man deliberately entered a relationship to get your money?' And I said, 'Yes, I am.'' On the anniversary of their breakup in 2024, Alice received a £120 bank transfer from Mark. He reportedly told investigators he plans to repay the debt monthly - meaning it would take him 30 years to clear, by which time Alice will be 80. Detective Inspector Daniel Fenn, from West Mercia Police 's economic crime and cyber unit, said romance fraud cases are often complex and emotionally charged. "We have trained officers dedicated to tackling fraud and additional resources in place to investigate these types of crimes,' he said. But for Alice, the damage is already done. She says it's not just about the money, as the scammer also stole "my trust, my love, my future".


Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
We saw bodies as smirking ‘Terminator' gunman who slaughtered 5 prowled our quiet street… the bloodbath still haunts us
The Ted Bundy-obsessed gunman's twisted rampage came after a 'catastrophic failure' by police GUN RAMPAGE We saw bodies as smirking 'Terminator' gunman who slaughtered 5 prowled our quiet street… the bloodbath still haunts us WITH neat, well-tended gardens and neighbours chatting over their picket fences, Biddick Drive feels like a haven of peace in the heart of a bustling city. Yet a terrible shadow has been cast over this seemingly idyllic cul-de-sac - and locals are still struggling to shake off the memories of August 12, 2021, when blood ran in the streets, leaving five dead. 16 Plymouth gunman Jack Davison slaughtered five people in his sickening rampage Credit: Facebook / Jake Davison 16 Davison killed his mother at their home in Biddick Drive, Keyham, before going on a shooting spree down the road Credit: Neil Hope 16 Local resident Victoria White said she never used to worry about locking her door - but does now Credit: Neil Hope It was on that hot, humid evening in Plymouth four years ago that deranged gunman Jake Davison emerged from his 51-year-old mother's terraced house, having shot and killed her. Thick-set, his body pumped up through steroid abuse and hours in the gym, he then strolled downhill, spraying locals with rounds from a Weatherby pump-action shotgun as he went. Eye-witnesses told how the Ted Bundy-obsessed gunman - who had branded himself "Terminator" before the rampage - was apparently enjoying himself as he shot neighbours Michelle Parker and her son Ben Parsonage, injuring both. Ben recalled: "He had a smirk on his face, like he didn't care what he was doing." By the time Davison's murderous 19-minute rampage came to an end, five people lay dead or dying on the streets of Plymouth's Keyham district. It was one of the worst mass shootings in British criminal history. Unsurprisingly, those living on the road are still haunted by that tragic day. As one resident told The Sun: "When you're out of the house now, you take notice of who's around. The memories fade – they don't leave." In addition to his mum Maxine, victims included three-year-old Sophie Martyn, nicknamed 'Daddy's Princess', her father Lee, 43, shot three times, Stephen Washington, 59, a carer for his disabled wife who was walking his husky dog through nearby parkland, and artist Kate Shepherd, 66, blasted outside a hair salon. 16 Stephen Washington was killed in the Keyham shooting while walking his dog Credit: PA 16 Lee Martyn, 43, and daughter Sophie Martyn, three, were also killed Credit: Tim Stewart 16 The funeral of little Sophie and her father Lee Credit: PA Finally, confronted by unarmed PC Zach Printer, who bravely ran to within 20 metres of the killer shouting for him to stop, 22-year-old Davison turned the gun on himself. Within days, reports emerged of his troubled state of mind. One former teacher told of Davison's unhealthy love of guns. Another had concerns about his anger management. CCTV appears to show Jake Davison during Plymouth shooting spree His desperate mother, with whom he had a violent and volatile relationship, told relatives of his obsessive use of energy drinks and muscle-boosting supplements while his absent father said he "was in his own world", largely devoid of emotion. Later, an inquest jury would hear how staff at Plymouth's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service noted that Davison, diagnosed as autistic 10 years earlier, enjoyed violent computer games and used "sexual talk which was quite extreme". Aged 13, his ambition was to be a sniper. Police enquiries showed that, as an adult, he became immersed in the shocking world of incels – a violent online sub-culture dominated by men unable to find love. 16 The scene at Biddick Drive after the tragedy Credit: Chris Eades 16 Local Arthur Beacham said 'Any one of us could have been a victim' Credit: Neil Hope 16 He was out waling his dog on the evening the tragedy unfolded Credit: Neil Hope But apprentice crane driver Davison's mental health background was only one factor in his victims' fate. In concluding that all five were unlawfully killed, an inquest jury pointed to a "catastrophic failure" by Devon and Cornwall Police. Officers granted him a firearms licence in 2018 in the full knowledge that he had assaulted teachers and a fellow student. And although in September 2020 he launched a "ferocious, intense and unprovoked attack" on a teenage boy and 15-year-old girl, he was placed on a "deferred change programme" called Pathfinder instead of facing a court. Davison 'viewed women with contempt' and sympathised with incel culture An inquest heard how Davison spent a lot of time reading and writing about 'incel' culture. The term refers to "involuntary celibates" with the movement labelled a "hate" group as many followers believe they are owed sex by women. Incels believe they have no possibility of finding a partner to get love, validation or acceptance from. In turn, this makes some incels want to strike out at the world because they have been rejected by girls, while others blame attractive men for their perceived problems. The self-confessed black sheep of the family also described himself as "The Terminator" in a slew of "deeply disturbing" posts. He shared posts referring to 'violence, misogynistic views, viewing women with contempt' and "sympathy with incel culture", the inquest was told. He also looked up Ted Bundy and incel serial killers, watched videos on firearms and how to reload them and posted a one minute clip from an online game called KillZone. Jurors heard Davison branded mum Maxine a "dirty insufferable, a vile creature" who was difficult to live with. His firearms licence was seized only in December 2020 after another Pathfinder member tipped off police that it remained valid. Yet it was returned seven months later after an officer decided Davison was "low risk" and his decision – which should have been signed off by a senior colleague – went unchallenged. Today, many Keyham residents cannot understand how laws supposed to protect them from gun crime proved so hopelessly ineffective. On Royal Navy Avenue – the route Davison took as he headed towards his final victim – resident Victoria White, 51, told us: "You think about those who died and their families and wonder how this could ever have happened. "I'd known [victim] Lee for years. I worked with him when I was 16 at a local Toshiba dealer. 16 Davison strolled downhill, spraying locals with rounds from a Weatherby pump-action shotgun as he went Credit: Facebook / Jake Davison 16 He was caught on CCTV during his twisted shooting spree Credit: Plymouth Police 16 "My neighbour and I saw someone lying on the ground just up the road. We thought they were unconscious because of drug use. But they had been shot there in broad daylight. "What happened was dreadful. It's always there with you. "When you're out of the house now, you take notice of who's around. "The memories fade – they don't leave. I never used to worry about locking my door…but I do now." Another neighbour, who asked to be named only as Paul, agreed. "I suffer from PTSD," he said. The memories fade – they don't leave" Resident Victoria White "I don't think what happened should ever be forgotten and I understand why people still have questions. "But it affected me very badly and I can't talk about it." Devon and Cornwall Police has since made major changes to its firearms licensing unit - more than doubling staffing levels to 99 by 2023, improving training procedures and appointing four senior managers instead of one to assess high-risk decisions. On Biddick Drive itself, there is an understandable reluctance among neighbours to talk about the shootings. The feeling was summed up by 85-year-old Arthur Beacham, out walking his springer spaniel Barney. 16 A photo of the Weatherby pump action shotgun used by Davison next to a standard sporting style 12 – gauge over – under twin barrel shotgun (below) shown in the inquest Credit: PA 16 Those on Biddick Drive are still haunted by the horror shooting Credit: Neil Hope "It's something that wants forgetting," he said. "What happened was awful, but it's gone, it's over, and we can't bring anyone back. The man was off his head. How do you deal with people like that? "Any one of us could have been a victim. I was out with my dog that evening and my usual walk would have taken me into his path. "For some reason, I decided we'd go to St Levan's Park instead." A few streets away, Manos, a gardener, said social media had made the aftermath of the tragedy worse for some residents. What happened was awful but it's gone, it's over and we can't bring anyone back. The man was off his head. How do you deal with people like that? Arthur Beacham He said: "Years ago, if a violent crime happened in your neighbourhood, you would chat it through with your family and friends and process it gradually in your own time. "Social media changed all that. Now photos flash up as 'memories' whether you want them to or not. And even if those photos aren't directly of the scene of the crime, they can still upset you by reminding you where you were and what you were doing at the time. "They come up on some thread and people share them, and suddenly everyone is weighing in." 'Moving on' But he added that Keyham remained a place people wanted to live. "My customers love it here," he said. "I don't hear anyone saying they want to leave." Latest figures from the estate agents' website Rightmove bear that out. Average sold prices reached a peak of £167,315 in 2022 and since then have risen by a further 9% to stand at £182,817. One young mother told how she'd moved into Biddick Drive – which comprises mostly rental properties – even though some friends couldn't understand why. "I wasn't here when it all happened. I've just taken the road as I found it," she said. "The truth is, it's a lovely community. It's quiet, people talk to each other, it feels safe for kids. "As far as I'm concerned, there's no stigma. Why wouldn't you want to live here?" It's the kind of spirit that has also been embraced by local businesses. At Henderson Local Convenience Store, yards from where Davison killed himself, the owner said her family had been welcomed and supported by locals. "This place lay mostly empty after what he did," she said. "It was briefly a café, then a shop but maybe because everyone remembered what happened, these businesses quickly closed. "We came in from outside. I had to ask a customer why a candle and bouquet of flowers had been left here. That was how I discovered what had happened. "Now we have many customers and they appreciate that we're trying to give them a good service. "Keyham is a good place to live. This is a strong community and it is moving on." 16 Victoria White saw a body lying on the ground after the shooting Credit: Neil Hope

South Wales Argus
10 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Gwent Police launch new team to tackle anti-social behaviour
Gwent Police's Community Action Team began patrols from Cwmbran police station on Monday, June 9, targeting hotspot areas across Blaenau Gwent, Newport, Torfaen, and Caerphilly with a focus on visible policing and community safety. Inspector Laura Paget said: "Neighbourhood policing is all about being proactive, solving local problems, and making sure we're at the very heart of, and engaging with, the communities we serve. "Whether it's investigating the use of off-road vehicles in Alway or tackling ASB in Cwmbran, over the next four months officers will be working in the areas we've identified as being affected most by ASB and acquisitive vehicle crime." The team includes 10 PCSOs, 16 PCs, two sergeants, and is led by Inspector Paget. Since launching, the team has made more than 20 arrests for offences including drug supply, road offences, possession of weapons, and violent crime. They have also seized 21 vehicles connected to anti-social off-road driving or traffic offences. Inspector Paget said: "The public have the right to feel safe in their neighbourhoods, and we've all got a shared commitment to increasing safety, trust in our services, and building strong relationships with the public. "The teams will also continue our work with community safety partnerships in each local authority area to build on the good work already taking place to make our neighbourhoods safer." Funding for additional resources in the Caerphilly area is being provided by Caerphilly County Borough Council, with a focus on improving safety in town centres. Cllr Sean Morgan, leader of the council, said: "We very much welcome the launch of this new initiative. "It enables council services and police services to be more closely aligned and provides additional reassurance to our residents. "CCBC is in a unique position thanks to our financial support to the new team, which demonstrates our continuing commitment to target crime and anti-social behaviour by working in close partnership with Gwent Police. "I look forward to seeing the benefits of this collaborative approach going forward." Blackwood will be the first town in the county borough to benefit from the new policing model. Jane Mudd, police and crime commissioner for Gwent, said: "Chief Constable Mark Hobrough and I are united in our commitment to increase visible policing in our communities. "This is what our residents have told us they want and that is why it forms a key part of my Police, Crime and Justice Plan. "The Community Action Team will provide the Chief Constable with the extra resilience to put more officers on the ground in the areas that need them most, and I look forward to seeing the results of this work in the coming weeks."