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South Wales Argus
09-07-2025
- South Wales Argus
Dashcam footage as banned driver reversed into police on M4
Christian Robjohn was jailed at Newport Crown Court for a series of driving offences in the early hours of November 7 last year. 'The utterly reckless and selfish driving which you displayed involved doing anything and everything to try to get away,' said Recorder Andrew Hammond as he jailed the defendant. Prosecutor Nuhu Gobir said a police officer in an unmarked car spotted a Skoda Octavia driving on Malpas Road in Newport at around 2.20am. The car's front and rear number plates didn't match, and the officer suspected the vehicle had been stolen. A stinger was deployed near Malpas Fire Station, and this punctured the car's front tyres. However, Robjohn continued up the slip road and on to the westbound M4. On the motorway, a number of police vehicles boxed Robjohn in against the central barrier and brought him to a stop. As one officer got out to arrest him, Robjohn revved his engine, reversed, and 'collided heavily' with the police car behind, Mr Gobir said. The officer arrested the defendant – who was on his phone. Checks revealed Robjohn was disqualified at the time, meaning he also had no insurance. Inside the car, officers found tools worth a total of £1,133.08 which had been stolen from B&Q in Cwmbran. Robjohn admitted dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, driving without insurance, fraudulent use of registration plates, and handling stolen goods. Christian Robjohn tried to outrun the police on the M4 despite having two punctured tyres. (Image: Gwent Police) The defendant also admitted burglaries at three businesses in Cardiff on September 30, 2023, and breaching bail by failing to attend court. Mr Gobir said the managers of B&M and PureGym on Excelsior industrial estate in Cardiff and B&M in Pentwyn all received messages reporting break-ins at the stores. Robjohn and his co-defendant David Large used a Citroen Berlingo van to 'ram raid' the businesses, but they were both caught at the scene in Pentwyn. The court heard 43-year-old Large, of Ellwood Close in Trowbridge was sentenced to a community order for the burglaries. Mr Gobir said the defendant had 24 previous convictions for 50 offences, and that he had 'a very bad driving record'. Robjohn's defence counsel said his best mitigation for the driving offences was his guilty pleas. He said the 39-year-old defendant had viewed these proceedings as a wake-up call, and told him: 'I'm finished. I'm going to look after my family from now on and do the right thing'. The court heard that the defendant had already served the equivalent to a 21-month sentence in custody awaiting sentence and on licence. Robjohn, of Wakehurst Place in St Mellons, was jailed for a total of 21 months, meaning he will be released from prison imminently. He was banned from driving for three years, and must pass an extended retest.
South Wales Argus
04-05-2025
- South Wales Argus
Notorious Newport criminal jailed for having knife in street
Daniel Barrington, 37, from Newport was arrested by the police armed with the blade on the city's Cardiff Road on Friday, April 25. The defendant, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to this as well as possession of crack cocaine in Cwmbran on the next day. He has 'a flagrant disregard for court orders', Newport Magistrates' Court was told. Barrington was sent to prison for 24 weeks by District Judge Sophie Toms and ordered to pay £85 costs following his release from custody. The defendant was recently sentenced to a community order for stealing a mobile phone from McDonald's on Cardiff Road following a burglary and abusing nursing staff. He was jailed for 20 months in November 2021 after breaking into the Havelock Street Presbyterian Church in Newport and taking a TV used by a mother and toddler group. On that occasion, Nuhu Gobir, prosecuting, said the defendant also raided Harvey Bowes Financial Services on the city's Bridge Street and stole iPhones, iPads and laptops worth £7,000. Barrington was spotted by witnesses carrying out the £649 TV with another man who has not been caught. Mr Gobir read out a victim impact statement made by pastor Andrew Cleverly which said: 'This has shocked and upset me and I can't understand why anyone would want to steal from a church. 'We are a charity and we are here to help and support the community. 'The TV was used by a mother and toddler group.' Barrington left his DNA at the church after scenes of crime officers found a smear of blood on a door. Mr Gobir said: 'After he was arrested he told the police he would never steal from a church. 'The defendant said he had attended the church as they had helped him by giving him food and clothing. 'He said he had left blood on the door when he was injecting himself in the toilet.' After breaking into Harvey Bowes Financial Services, the defendant was spotted by council CCTV operators trying to sell a laptop on Commercial Street.
