Cardiff Crown Court Sentencing Results

On a night in May 2024, Jeffrey Warrington, aged 65, from Portland Street, Aberystwyth, approached a lone woman walking home along Llanbradach High Street after she had been out with friends. He was naked except for black sliders on his feet, crossed the road towards her while shouting 'Come here! Come here!', and held his erect penis in one hand and his boxer shorts in the other. The woman told him to go away, phoned her father for help, and a passing motorist intervened. Warrington was arrested and claimed he did not think walking naked was illegal and that it helped relieve his depression. The victim reported ongoing fear, impact on her work, social life, and mental health, feeling wary of her surroundings and unsure of his intentions.

On Sunday, August 10, 2024, at around 8pm, Mark McCarthy, 33, from Taffs Well, threatened another man with a large knife in the middle of Brook Street in the Riverside area of Cardiff during a street disturbance. Firearms officers were called following a 999 report. McCarthy fled but was traced and arrested within 30 minutes.

Daffron Williams, a 40-year-old former soldier from Tonypandy, south Wales, who served in Afghanistan and Iraq between 2004 and 2011, made public Facebook posts inciting racial hatred between July 19 and August 11, 2024. The posts, visible to anyone worldwide due to his open profile, included racist comments before and after the fatal stabbing of three girls at a dance class in Southport on July 29, 2024. Specific posts referenced 'civil war' and 'bullets' the day after the incident, praised Tommy Robinson as a 'f***ing hero' after attending his rally on July 27, 2024, and urged action with statements like 'Let’s just do something FFS' and 'Come on guys, it is time to stand up.' He also posted AI-generated images and admitted to being 'racist as f***' towards those he felt disrespected British culture. Williams was arrested on August 11, 2024, after complaints to South Wales Police on July 31, 2024, and has been in custody since. He apologised and expressed regret to police.

On November 20, 2023, Billy Dyer, 37, of Trealaw, Tonypandy, attacked his employee the victim by punching him multiple times in the face after complaining about noise at a B&B in Tonypandy following a night out at pubs. The assault split the victim's lip, requiring stitches, and caused pain to his elbow and lower back. Subsequently, on February 2, 2024, Dyer attempted to pervert the course of justice by offering an acquaintance £2,000 to threaten and scare the victim by warning of breaking his arms and legs if he testified, to avoid jail.

Zachery Griffiths, 32, of Llanelli, transmitted unauthorised images and sound from within HMP Parc on 31 May and sent offensive messages via public electronic communications on 1 August.

Brandon Hayden, 19, of Penyrheol, Caerphilly, became the owner of the 100lb American Bully or XL Bully dog called Beast on November 3, 2021, after answering a Facebook advert offering it free to a good home, knowing it had issues with other dogs. He asked a woman to look after the dog for a short period. Between November 4 and 7, 2023, the dog was aggressive, lunging at people including children outside the village shop Top Stores on Heol Aneurin, biting at least two people (a man and a woman, who was injured on November 7), and attacking a neighbour's dog on November 5. On November 8, 2023, the unrestrained dog mauled the 10-year-old victim to death while he was playing at a friend's house in Pentwyn, Penyrheol, Caerphilly, after school. Hayden arrived at the scene but failed to open the door and left as police arrived. The dog was later shot dead by armed police.

Amy Salter, 29, of Trethomas, Caerphilly, agreed to look after the 100lb American Bully or XL Bully dog called Beast for the dog's owner for a short period after he acquired it on November 3, 2021. She was present during incidents where the dog was aggressive, including lunging at people and children outside the village shop Top Stores on Heol Aneurin between November 4 and 7, 2023, and barking viciously at a young girl. On November 8, 2023, the unrestrained dog mauled 10-year-old the victim to death while he was playing at a friend's house in Pentwyn, Penyrheol, Caerphilly, after school, with Salter in charge of the dog at the time.

Guy Simmonds, 37, a horse-riding instructor, had sexual intercourse with both his partner Lauren Jarvis and a 15-year-old girl during a threesome in January 2024. He was the ringleader, self-obsessed and manipulative, and found guilty following a trial.

Ricky Perkins was driving a BMW on the A4063 Aberkenfig bypass just before 6am on 20 January 2021. He lost control on a wet road, mounted the grass verge before a layby, and collided with a man who was standing in the layby waiting for a lift to work. Collision investigators found water flowing across the carriageway due to a blocked drain, and vehicle data showed the BMW was travelling at 93mph in a 50mph speed limit at the point of impact.

Craig Anthony, 34, led a Porth-based organised crime group involved in the supply of a minimum of 65 kilograms of cocaine into the South Wales area, with an estimated street value of between £6 and £7 million. The investigation, Operation Montgomery, was conducted in 2019, with further evidence uncovered from Encrochat messages as part of Operation Venetic.

Christopher Murray, 63, from Risca and Caldicot, carried out a catalogue of sexual offences against four children during the 1990s, including indecent assault, indecency with a child, assault by penetration, and rape.

Carla Trace, 43 from Fairwater, collected five kilograms of cocaine from a London-based supplier during the height of the COVID lockdown. She hired a vehicle and disguised herself in a carer's uniform to legitimise her travel, and the group acquired forged COVID travel certificates issued to genuine NHS staff.

On June 2, 2022, Vasile Barbu, driving a Vauxhall Movano van on the A40 near Raglan in Monmouthshire, struck the victim from behind while she was participating in a time trial cycling event organized by Monmouthshire Wheelers. The road was straight, and the victim was visible for at least 500 metres, positioned half a metre from the edge with a clear lane for passing. The impact threw her from her bike, causing blunt chest injuries from which she died at the scene. Barbu remained at the roadside, tested negative for alcohol and drugs, and had no eyesight issues. The collision was witnessed by another driver who saw it in his rear-view mirror and called emergency services.

Billy Price, 46, from Newport, was arrested near his address in August 2023 after being spotted carrying a firearm in Bettws. Officers uncovered a collection of weapons including a firearm, explosives, sword, and a flail.

Jonathan Leonard, 58, from Caldicot, Monmouthshire, and Ann Bray, 62, from Newport, sexually abused a child from 2021 to 2024. Bray groomed the child to participate in sexual activity with the pair. Videos and images of the abuse were taken by Bray and shared to Leonard, who subsequently shared some online. Both were in possession of other indecent images of children and extreme pornography. They were arrested by the National Crime Agency in September 2024 following information from the FBI.

Jonathan Leonard, 58, from Caldicot, Monmouthshire, and Ann Bray, 62, from Newport, sexually abused a child from 2021 to 2024. Bray groomed the child to participate in sexual activity with the pair. Videos and images of the abuse were taken by Bray and shared to Leonard, who subsequently shared some online. Both were in possession of other indecent images of children and extreme pornography. They were arrested by the National Crime Agency in September 2024 following information from the FBI.

Matthew Cheshire engaged in predatory and manipulative grooming of who he believed to be a 12-year-old child between August and October 2023. He formed a close friendship, discussing Disney films and complimenting the child's appearance, before introducing sexual elements into the communication. The investigation by South Wales Police's Online Investigation Team and Tarian revealed further sexual communication with another child, who was safeguarded. Cheshire incited the second child to carry out penetrative sexual acts. He was previously unknown to law enforcement.

On April 6, 2024, in the early hours just after 1.24am, Matthew Woody-Jones, driving a silver Ford Transit van while disqualified, led Gwent Police on a 12-mile high-speed pursuit along the M4 towards Pontypool, Newport, and across the Prince of Wales Bridge in wet and dark conditions at speeds of 60-80 mph. He refused to stop despite multiple attempts by officers, weaved across lanes, abruptly stopped and reversed, attempted to drive the wrong way on the bridge, and collided with four police cars while trying to evade capture, causing £56,416.58 in damage. The pursuit was brought to an end through tactical manoeuvres by skilled officers. Woody-Jones claimed he panicked due to financial pressures from a rent increase and wanted to reach England to be closer to home if remanded.