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Wales Online
a day ago
- Wales Online
Man plied young girl with drugs and food before leading her down a dangerous path
Man plied young girl with drugs and food before leading her down a dangerous path After meeting the girl on Snapchat Nijab Arab used her in his drug-dealing operation. The court heard he continues to blame his victim to this day Najib Arab (Image: South Wales Police ) A "manipulative" man lured a vulnerable child into the dangerous world of drug dealing. Najib Arab plied the girl with free cannabis and food and gave her attention, then used her for sex and to package and deliver cannabis for him. Cardiff Crown Court heard Arab is a refugee from Afghanistan whose real age is uncertain and who had a previous conviction for dealing Class A drugs. Making him the subject of an extended sentence the judge said she was satisfied he should be considered a dangerous offender who poses a risk in particular to girls under 16. The court heard the victim in the case met Arab after she travelled to central Cardiff with a friend looking to buy cannabis "spliffs". The girl was given the defendant's number and contacted him on Snapchat. Arab asked the girl to send him a picture of herself which she did, and the pair met in the city centre. The court heard defendant told the girl he was from Afghanistan and was aged 17, though in reality his genuine age is not certain with Arab having four different dates of birth on official systems variously putting his age somewhere between 27 and 33. After meeting the pair went to the defendant's bedsit where he gave her three free cannabis cigarettes and was "flirtatious" with her before they "quickly" had sex. This was to be the start of an exploitative relationship between the child and the defendant. The girl made a series of visits to the defendant's property where she was given food and drugs, and the pair engaged in sex. On a number of occasions the defendant collected the child in a taxi from where she lived. Article continues below The court heard Arab told the victim he was the only cannabis dealer operating around Cardiff Central station and showed her videos of him assaulting other people who tried to encroach on his "territory", and he also made it known to the child that he carried a knife. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter The court heard Arab then began using the girl in his drug dealing business, instructing her to package cannabis deals and then showing her how to conceal deals in her mouth and getting her to do the wraps and make deliveries on his behalf, often ferrying her around on his electric bike. On one occasion he took her to a drugs den where people were preparing crack cocaine deals. The court heard that Arab's activities came to light last year when the girl spent three nights at the defendant's house. Police launched a search for the vulnerable teen and the court heard that it was due to "ingenious policing" and detailed local knowledge by a police officer that she was located at the defendant's property. While police were rescuing the victim the defendant turned up at the property with two other young girls before fleeing over a garden fence. He was arrested a week later around Cardiff Central railway station. In a statement from the victim which was to the court read by prosecution barrister Emma Harris the girl said Arab initially seemed like he "genuinely cared" for her and made her feel looked after. She said he provided her with "food, shelter and drugs" and had sex with her, and she said she felt she had to "give something back". The girl said she then came to realise she was being taken advantage of but felt she had no choice but to keep going back to him as she was "worried about the repercussions if I didn't". She said felt "worthless and disgusted with myself" and engaged in self-harm but added that though she struggles to trust people she is now in a batter place than she was. Najib Arab, of Mackintosh Place, Roath, Cardiff, had previously pleaded on the day to trial to being concerned in the supply of cannabis and being concerned in the supply of ketamine, and had been convicted at trial of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour contrary to the Modern Slavery Act when he returned to the dock for sentencing. He has one conviction for three offences from 2018 - possession of crack with intent to supply, possession of heroin with intent to supply, and possession of a bladed article. William Chipperfield, for Arab, said the defendant found himself in the UK as a refugee and "to a certain extent has himself been a victim of trafficking". He said it was accepted it must have been a frightening experience for the girl and "nobody would want their daughters in similar circumstances" but said his client had never meant to cause the girl psychological harm and said Arab's drug-dealing lifestyle meant the teenager's experience was "an unfortunate circumstance of the life that he was living at the time". Judge Lucy Crowther told Arab he had purported to care for the girl when in reality he did not, and said he was a "manipulative individual" who flattered the child and paid her the attention he realised she was "craving". She said the defendant gave the child drugs and food as part of plan to "lure" her into his criminal activity and his control, which he maintained by "implied violence". She said Arab's actions had had had a "very destructive effect" on the teenager. The judge noted the defendant continues to blame his young victim and does not take responsibility for what he has done. Judge Crowther said she was satisfied on the basis of everything she had read and heard about the defendant that he should be considered a dangerous offender who posed a risk to young girls in particular those under 16 and an extended sentence was necessary. She said she would use the date of birth which had previously been used in immigration proceedings which made Arab's age 29. Arab was made the subject of an extended nine-year sentence comprising seven years in custody and a two-year extended licence period. The defendant must serve two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence before he can apply to be released but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be let out and, if so, under what conditions. Article continues below Arab was also made the subject of a life-long slavery and trafficking prevention order. Speaking after the sentencing South Wales Police detective constable Jessica Thomas, said: 'Najib Arab took advantage of a vulnerable child, putting her in dangerous positions for his own profit. His sentencing sends a clear message that child exploitation has no place in south Wales. "We remain committed to identifying and safeguarding children in our communities who are being exploited into criminal activity, and we urge those who have concerns to report them to us."
BBC News
5 days ago
- BBC News
Snapchat used by teenagers to plan Barry island stabbing
Teenage boys who used Snapchat to plan the stabbing of a 12-year-old girl have been given youth detention sentences of two and three Crown Court heard the boys, now aged 13 and 16, used the app to discuss sourcing knives, luring the girl to Barry Island, Vale of Glamorgan, and carrying out the 23 November 2024, they took her to the Harbour Road car park, where she was choked, repeatedly stabbed, and kicked in the face, leaving her defendants, who cannot be named because of their ages, were sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court after admitting wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The girl, who knew the boys, spent three days at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, where she underwent three operations. She has since been diagnosed with PTSD and said she thinks about the attack "every day", the court night before the attack, the boys discussed their plans on Snapchat, with prosecutors outlining what was said. "Bruv, we meeting [her] down Asda?" the 13-year-old asked. They talked about bringing "tings", slang for blades, and said they would "ching" the girl, which is slang for 13-year-old also told his co-defendant, who was then 15, to "wear gloves", and they discussed cleaning the knives next morning, the now 16-year-old brought a knife from home and met the girl in the supermarket car had used Snapchat to arrange the meeting, and the three spent the day at Barry Island amusements before the attack. When the victim came around after the attack, she heard the boys laughing, before running home for mother described blood spraying everywhere from wounds to her head, back and hands. On the way to hospital, the girl asked paramedics whether she was going to victim cannot be named after Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke imposed reporting restrictions on naming in a statement read to the court by prosecutor Tom Roberts, she said she thinks about the incident "on a daily basis"."Every day when the sun sets, I begin to think about the attack," said Mr Roberts, adding: "I see my scars every day and I can't avoid them." Kevin Seal, representing the 13-year-old, told the court, in mitigation, that his client had experienced significant trauma from the age of eight and that he has "limited capacity for reasoning and comprehension".Educational psychiatric assessments are under way."He's been let down already in his life by possibly every adult he's come into contact with both professional and personal," said Mr Seal, adding: "this may be his last chance."For the 16-year-old, defence barrister Dan Jones said his client had never committed an offence before, and that he had shown remorse for his actions. Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clark said both boys had initially blamed each other for stabbing the girl, before they both pleaded guilty at a hearing in March."Neither of you is telling the whole truth," she said, adding: You both acted together, and you are both to blame."She sentenced the 13-year-old to two years and 173 days youth detention, and the 16-year-old to three years and 260 were also given restraining orders preventing them from contacting their victim indefinitely.
South Wales Argus
7 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Monmouth: Drugs runner hid cocaine in Mercedes SUV engine
Gwent Police officers found 265g of the class A drug when they pulled over Stuart Wood near the Gibraltar Tunnels on the A40 in Monmouth. The 39-year-old told them he wasn't carrying anything illegal inside his Mercedes-Benz GLE 400. James Evans, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court that the drugs with a potential street value of £26,500 were found in the engine. They were 'concealed in a chamber' following the search on Thursday, January 9. Wood had been arrested after police 'received intelligence'. Examination of the defendant's mobile phone revealed how he had made five trips previous between his native Cheshire and Monmouthshire to deliver drugs. He admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and possession with intent to supply the class A drug. Wood's offending spanned June 9, 2024 and January 10 this year. The defendant had no previous drug trafficking convictions but did have two for money laundering. He was arrested with £300,000 in Stockport in 2012 and £261,000 in Birmingham four years later in 2016. 'There is some inference that these convictions were something to do with the drugs trade,' Mr Evans added. Wood's barrister Richard Ace said his client had been 'a drug user/addict of cocaine' for at least 15 years. He told the court the defendant, a qualified electrician, had two children who he would miss seeing growing up during his inevitable lengthy jail term. 'It could be agreed that there is genuine remorse in this case,' Mr Ace put forward. 'The defendant pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.' Judge Daniel Williams said to Wood: 'You realised that you were playing for high stakes and you lost.' He was sent to prison for six years for being concerned in the supply of cocaine and four years for possession with intent to supply cocaine. They were ordered to be served concurrently which means a total sentence of six years. Wood will serve half of that term in custody before being released on licence. He is due to face a proceeds of crime hearing on January 14 next year.
BBC News
23-06-2025
- BBC News
Man jailed for arson at Cardiff supported accommodation unit
A man has been given a 16-month prison sentence for burning down a supported accommodation unit in Cardiff and causing over £2m of Jakes, 33, had admitted arson after setting fire to Dyfrig House on Fitzhamon Embankment shortly before midnight on 4 March was injured, but all 21 residents were evacuated during the blaze, in which parts of the roof of the building were Crown Court was shown CCTV footage of Jakes, who was a resident at the time, setting fire to a skirting board outside his room. The court heard the fire was initially believed to be accidental, but CCTV of the incident later led to Jakes being arrested two-and-a-half months later, on 20 played in court showed him igniting a lighter before pressing the flame against a wall and a skirting board, before walking a prepared statement following his arrest, Jakes said he had not intended to start the fire, but was trying to burn a cockroach he had court heard damage to the building had been "extensive", with initial estimates put at £2.2m, but that insurance companies had already paid out over £3.3m related to the Jakes, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said she had "questioned the prosecution as to why you haven't been charged for a more serious offence" given the "reckless" nature of his actions and the damage added Jakes, who was under the influence of drugs at the time, had acted "without thought for the risk you were causing", or the vulnerable people who were whom the court heard had an extensive criminal record, had previously pleaded guilty to one count of was sentenced to one year and four months, at least half of which will be served in custody, and ordered to pay costs of £187.
Wales Online
19-06-2025
- Wales Online
He attacked his partner then strangled her daughter as she lay helpless on the floor
He attacked his partner then strangled her daughter as she lay helpless on the floor Mark Moon, 46, was charged with actual bodily harm, strangulation and assault by beating Mark Moon, 46, from Porth (Image: South Wales Police ) A 46-year-old man has been jailed after he attacked his partner and then assaulted and strangled her daughter in front of her as she tried to help her mum. Judge Simon Mills told Mark Moon that if he was violent again, he would be going to prison for a "very, very long time". Alice Sykes, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court that on February 15, 2025, Moon had consumed some Stella beer and a whole bottle of spirit. He kicked his partner in the ribs which winded her and caused a wound to her face which meant she couldn't see. The court heard that her head hit a nearby plug socket so hard that it broke and when her daughter then tried to help he pinned her up against the wall. When she said she was going to ring the police he put his arm around her neck, restricting her breathing, and said: "It's your f***ing fault, you should not have provoked me." In a victim impact statement read to the court by Ms Sykes, his former partner said the incident happened six days before her father's funeral. "We laid him to rest with the physical and emotional scars Mark inflicted on us," she reflected. She added that as a result of the incident she even considered not going to the funeral, saying the incident had left a "lasting and significant impact" on her and her daughter's lives. Article continues below The court heard that Moon had 36 previous convictions, including for violence, battery and actual bodily harm (ABH). Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here . Edward Mitchard, representing Moon, told the court his client had a difficult upbringing and was exposed to violence as a young person. Mr Mitchard added: "When times get tough he resorts to excessive drinking and lashes out at those closest to him." Moon, of Cemetery Road in Porth, pleaded guilty to charges of ABH, strangulation and assault by beating. During sentencing, Judge Simon Mills said: "The way that you treated those two women at that point close to you was terrifying. Against a background where you have repeatedly inflicted serious violence against other people, what you did was totally unacceptable. "You then lost your temper and subjected the victim to appalling misogynistic abuse when you knocked her to the ground. In my view she was particularly vulnerable because of her personal circumstances. "You started punching her daughter and then strangled her. The amount of times I have seen in my career where strangulation by a man like you has resulted in death, I have seen it too many times and I really worry that you are going to lose control of yourself again in the future because you do not seem to be able to stop yourself." Article continues below The judge warned that the punishment would be much harsher if he was to commit a similar crime again. He said: "If you are violent again, particularly with a woman you are in a relationship with, you will be going to prison for a very, very long time. It's got to stop." Judge Mills sentenced Moon to three years in prison and put a restraining order in place to protect both victims for ten years.
