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South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Robber stole cash and tobacco at Tredegar petrol station
Newport Crown Court heard that Liam Watts and another man – who has not been identified – entered Nantybwch Service Station in Tredegar wearing balaclavas at around 8.45pm on December 23, 2023. There was a lone woman working in the service station, and the men grabbed her and told her to open the till. The men took £200 in cash, and Watts emptied packets of tobacco and cigarettes into a bag. The men hit Nantybwch Service Station in Tredegar. (Image: Google Street View) The pair warned the woman not to call the police, and the other man then grabbed a bottle of brandy as they fled. She phoned the police, and CCTV footage of the incident was provided. Police searched an address in Tredegar on January 1, 2024, in relation to an unrelated matter. Whilst at the address, they recognised a pair of grey Armani tracksuit bottoms. Forensic checks revealed Watts' fingerprints on a tobacco pack which had been dropped during the robbery. The defendant, who has five previous convictions for 12 offences, pleaded guilty to robbery. In a statement read out in court, the woman said she was left feeling 'particularly nervous' when working by herself late at night after the robbery, and she was concerned that the other man had not been identified yet. Liam Watts robbed a petrol station with another man. (Image: Gwent Police) Kevin Seal, appearing for Watts, said the defendant was 'sorry' and 'embarrassed' about his offending, and was so intoxicated during the robbery that he didn't realise the member of staff was somebody he knew. He said Watts developed a drug addiction and issues with alcohol after receiving a large amount of money and spending it all in a short period of time 'mixing with others and taking cocaine'. 'That's probably the worst thing that ever happens to him,' said Mr Seal. 'He then went on effectively a spree of offending.' Mr Seal said Watts was 'grateful' that he was now in custody, and that this gave him a chance to address his substance issues. 'It has put the brakes on a one way path,' he said. Addressing the defendant, Judge Carl Harrison said: 'This was a lone female working at night at 8.45pm in December. It was dark outside. 'Your offending has had a long-lasting effect on her.' Watts was jailed for two years and three months, and the woman was granted a five-year restraining order against him.
South Wales Argus
14-07-2025
- South Wales Argus
Caerphilly cocaine dealer jailed after police raid on home
Prosecutor Amelia Pike told Newport Crown Court that police raided Kimberley Davies' home in Rhymney on March 26 last year. Officers seized her phone, which contained a number of drug-related messages from an 11-month period, including Davies labelling herself as 'active' when she had drugs to sell, and messages where she supplied her bank details to customers. Analysis of Davies' bank account showed £69,349.44 in third party payments had been made between August 2022 and August 2024. She was arrested on January 31 this year and gave a no comment interview. However she later pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and possession of criminal property – relating to the cash from the bank transfers. Kimberley Davies admitted her involvement in selling cocaine. (Image: Gwent Police) The court heard that Davies, 35, of Brynhyfryd, had four previous convictions for nine offences, although none of these were drug-related. Alice Sykes, mitigating, said Davies 'struggled to cope' after she lost two family members and her relationship broke down. 'She began smoking crack cocaine at a faster rate than she could afford to and began selling to pay off her debt,' she said. 'She plans to use her time in custody constructively. 'Part of that will be to address her addiction to drugs.' Judge Carl Harrison said Davies' offending was so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified. He sentenced Davies to three years and four months imprisonment. Ms Pike confirmed Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings would be sought against Davies in an attempt to recover any profits she made from her offending.
South Wales Argus
12-07-2025
- South Wales Argus
Caerphilly drug-driver jailed for series of driving offences
Newport Crown Court heard witnesses saw Neo Maguire 'struggling to stand up' as he staggered towards his Ford Ka in Trethomas on November 16. Within minutes, police located Maguire – who was driving 'erratically' – and he turned into a dead-end road. Maguire tried to flee on foot, leaving his passenger in the car, but was tackled to the ground by an officer and was arrested. When searched, cannabis was found in his wallet. Maguire was taken to hospital, and blood tests revealed he had 240 micrograms of benzoylecgonine - the main metabolite of cocaine - per litre (µg/L) of blood. There was also THC present. The prosecution said this was 'nearly five times the limit' for benzoylecgonine, which is 50µg/L. Checks also revealed Maguire was disqualified from driving and had no insurance. He was released under investigation. Weeks later, at around 9.45am on January 12, police attended Nantgarw Road in Caerphilly following reports of a man asleep inside a car with the engine running who couldn't be woken. Officers attended, and Maguire eventually woke up. However he was slurring his words and couldn't get out of the car. The defendant was slightly over the drink-drive limit in a roadside test, but was under the limit when he was breathalysed at the police station. He refused to take a drugs test, and told officers 'I don't care. I'm f***** anyway' before adding that he was an alcoholic. Due to his issues with cocaine, Maguire was referred to an assessment with the Gwent Drug and Alcohol Service on January 27. However, he failed to show up. Neo Maguire was driving under the influence in Caerphilly. (Image: Gwent Police) Maguire pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified, driving whilst unfit through drugs, being in charge of a vehicle whilst unfit through drink or drugs, driving without a licence, two offences of driving with no insurance, possession of cannabis, and failing to provide a specimen for analysis. He also admitted failing to attend a follow-up drug assessment. The court heard that Maguire, 24, of Keble Court in Graig-Y-Rhacca, had three previous convictions for six offences – including dangerous driving in 2021 and 2024 despite never passing his driving test. 'He's pragmatic about his position,' said Alice Sykes, mitigating. 'His relatively young life has been blighted by alcoholism.' Ms Sykes said Maguire had been working to address his issues with alcohol, and had completed a previous alcohol treatment requirement. The court heard the defendant was subject to a suspended sentence at the time of these latest offences. 'Within only five months of that sentence, you committed more driving offences,' said Judge Carl Harrison. Maguire was jailed for a total of 30 weeks.
South Wales Argus
12-07-2025
- South Wales Argus
Look who's just been jailed from Newport and Caerphilly
We look at their cases. (Image: Jackson Walker) A TEENAGER drug dealer was caught red-handed with dozens of wraps of heroin inside a sock during a police raid at his grandparents' home. Jackson Walker, 18, from Newport threw the package out of a window just before he was arrested earlier this year. There were 34 wraps of heroin inside the sock in total with an estimated street value of £1,360, Cardiff Crown Court heard. Walker was sent to a young offender institution for 21 months. (Image: Kieran O'Connor) A sex offender has been jailed for hiding his mobile phone from the police after installing dating apps on it. Convicted paedophile Kieran O'Connor, 23, has persistently breached a sexual harm prevention order imposed in September 2020 after he contacted an 11-year-old girl. He was locked up for 20 months in December 2023 after sending sexual messages to underage girls on Facebook. O'Connor's latest offences took when his flatmate tipped off the police, prosecutor Hannah Friedman told Newport Crown Court. He was jailed for 10 months. (Image: Robert Mellon) A paedophile asked a '14-year-old schoolgirl' to send him naked pictures of herself in the bath after contacting her online. Serial sex offender Robert Mellon thought he was speaking to an underage child called Ella. But he was in fact chatting to paedophile hunters Dank Dragon carrying out a sting operation. The 57-year-old from Newport has been in and out of prison for more than two decades after committing a string of crimes. His was locked up for 32 months. (Image: Sinead Sandell) A hairdresser punched a woman in the head before stealing her mobile phone. Sinead Sandell, aged 37, attacked Sade Hughes as she walked along the street on Francis Drive in the Pill area of Newport. The defendant was charged with robbery but her guilty pleas to theft and assault were accepted by the prosecution. Sandell, of Stow Hill, Newport has 36 previous convictions for 94 offences on her criminal record. She was jailed for 34 weeks. (Image: Liam Murphy) Liam Murphy, 33, from Caerphilly, was jailed for supplying cocaine and amphetamine. He was locked up for two years and nine months. (Image: Lewis Harvey) A teen branded a 'high risk to the public' has been locked up after he caused serious injury to another man by careless driving. Lewis Harvey, 19, pleaded guilty to committing the offence against victim Declan Nisbeck-Jefferies on Elm Drive in Risca on Thursday, March 20. He also admitted failing to stop after a road accident, driving a motor vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence and driving with no insurance. Newport Magistrates' Court heard the 'offence was committed whilst he was subject to a community order and the defendant poses a high risk to the public'. Harvey, of Newport Road, Cwmcarn, Caerphilly also pleaded guilty to being in breach of a restraining order on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 and Sunday April 6. The defendant was sent to a young offender institution for 42 weeks and disqualified from driving for 26 months.
South Wales Argus
12-07-2025
- South Wales Argus
Newport drink-driver seriously injured woman in Risca crash
Ieuan Bennett, prosecuting, told Newport Crown Court that Kelsey Kent had been drinking since the early afternoon on August 24 last year. CCTV footage showed him driving to one pub and drinking three pints, before getting back in his car at around 4.19pm and driving to his girlfriend's house. The court heard that he continued drinking beers at his partner's home, before then driving to another pub at around 9pm – where he had at least another two beers. Mr Bennett said Kent was 'unsteady on his feet' when he left the pub at around 10pm. The defendant later told police that he was driving back to his girlfriend's home some two to three miles away, and admitted he was doing 'about 40mph' in the 20mph limit. The victim, a woman in her eighties, was waiting at the bus stop at around 10.10pm after spending the evening at Risca Workmen's Club. She was 'thrown up in the air' by the impact, and suffered serious injuries to her legs. The bus stop was completely destroyed by the impact, and there was 'massive damage' to Kent's car. Kelsey Kent wiped out the bus stop outside Risca Workmens Club. (Image: Google Street View) Mr Bennett said she 'wouldn't have know what was coming' after Kent drifted across the road onto the pavement after going round a slight bend in the road, and drove along the pavement for 'many many yards before the collision'. The court heard the victim was taken to Morriston Hospital, where she underwent emergency skin graft surgery. She suffered serious leg injuries, injuries to her head and bruising to her face, muscle damage to her arm, and was required to wear a boot as her foot was no longer correctly aligned. In a statement read to the court by Mr Bennett, she said her life had been 'completely changed' by the incident. 'The incident always now plays on my mind,' she said. 'I have nightmares about the incident. 'I feel weak and broken. 'I don't think I realise how lucky I am to be alive.' Kent remained at the scene. When tested, he recorded having 193 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood – more than twice the legal limit of 80. The 30-year-old, of Swallow Way in Dyffryn, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and drink-driving. The court heard he had two previous convictions for three offences, but had a clean driving record. Kelsey Kent had been boozing since around 2pm when he decided to drive back from the pub. (Image: Gwent Police) 'Nothing I say on behalf of Mr Kent can undo what he did that day,' said Martha Smith-Higgins, mitigating. 'He knows he must face the consequences. 'This offending has been a wake-up call for him. 'He had taken steps to better himself.' Mr Smith-Higgins said the defendant was now sober and had voluntarily started attending weekly sessions to address his drinking. The defendant said it 'broke his heart' to hear the impact his actions had on the victim, she added. 'You had been drinking for many hours in the day when you made that decision to drive that night,' said Judge Celia Hughes. She added it was 'a wonder' the victim wasn't killed in the crash. Kent was jailed for two years and 10 months. He was banned from driving for 41 months, and must pass an extended re-test to regain his licence.
