Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court Sentencing Results

On 31 January, Ford entered the King Alfred pub in Maesteg swigging from a bottle of vodka, told a woman he was a 'dangerous man' and in a 'gang', rubbed her back, pushed her shoulder, tried to wrap his hand around her and leaned in for a kiss. After being taken to hospital, he grabbed a nurse’s right breast with force, causing immense pain. He picked up a fire extinguisher and brandished it at a nurse, threatened a security officer, and racially abused a police officer using slurs and death threats. He later told police he was an alcoholic and had no memory of the incidents.

Kieran Olden, 34, of Golwg Yr Afon, Aberdare, sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl by penetration after she had fallen asleep under the influence of MDMA and alcohol following a night out. He pulled up her dress and put his hands inside her underwear. She woke up during the attack but he continued. The victim confided in her mother about a year later. Olden also committed two counts of common assault by pushing a woman and throwing a scooter at another woman.

Byron Evans, of Banna Park Bungalows, Nantyglo, broke into a property in the Gurnos area of Merthyr Tydfil and stole a Ford Transit van, which he later crashed. He pleaded guilty to burglary and aggravated vehicle taking.

On January 1, 2026, Brandon Davidson assaulted the victim by punching him three times in the head outside the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant during an argument involving the victim and Davidson's sister, who was pregnant. Davidson snatched the victim's keys, demanded his sister leave the car, pursued the victim, struck him again, and drove away in the victim's silver Ford Fiesta. Later that day, Davidson phoned the victim's brother threatening to stab the victim if reported to police. On January 23, 2026, Davidson drove a woman's Honda Civic without permission after dropping her off, leading to a high-speed police pursuit in Bridgend where he overtook five vehicles at over 60mph in a 30mph zone, forced two drivers to swerve, and collided with a Vauxhall Mokka near Talbot Green. He fled but was identified by a passenger. Prior to the chase, he filled the car with £60 fuel at a Texaco garage and left without paying. Davidson was disqualified from driving at the time.

Craig Bray assaulted his former partner in January 2026 by throwing a can of Cherry Coke over her and slapping her during an argument at her home after accusing her of being unfaithful. He then bombarded her with around 140 phone calls over the following days, making threats including that he knew where she was, was following her, would cut her up, and stab her in the neck. In February 2026, he burgled Cartref Yn Y Coed care home in Newport by pretending to visit a grandparent and stealing a television from a communal area. The victim reported feeling anxious and unsafe in her own home.

Robert Devney broke into a house on Drinkwater Gardens in Newport on August 16, 2025, ransacking the property and stealing a gold necklace worth £1,500 of sentimental value along with several bank cards. The victim discovered the burglary upon returning home around 4pm. Devney used the stolen cards at nearby shops, successfully purchasing a bottle of HP sauce and a 30-gram pouch of Amber Leaf tobacco for £29 at Gaer Stores, with attempts at other shops declined. CCTV footage identified him, and his fingerprints were found on a jewellery box in the victim's bedroom. The necklace was never recovered. He has 29 previous convictions for 86 offences, including 31 for theft-related crimes, and was previously jailed in November 2025 for a separate burglary in Cardiff.

Daniel Batstone, 29, from Pentre, engaged in controlling and coercive behaviour and assaulted a woman over a three-year period starting from 2022. His violence included kicking the victim in the stomach while she was pregnant in 2022, and punching her in the face in August 2025. Police were called to an address in Pentre in August 2025 following a 999 call about a disturbance.

Khalid Miah, 36, of Heol Nant, Cilfynydd, assaulted his neighbour at the victim's home in Cilfynydd, Pontypridd, on December 29, 2025, following a dispute over a broadband box. Miah accused the victim of stealing his broadband box and swapping it for a broken one. When the victim denied it and told him to leave, Miah tried to force his way into the flat, leading to a scuffle where Miah threw punches and kicks, knocking out the victim's tooth and attempting to stomp on his head before the door was shut. Police were called, and Miah was arrested. He denied the assault in interview, claiming self-defence. The victim reported being terrified, shocked, and suffering ongoing fear and anxiety.

Jonathan Pike, along with Jason Colin and Matthew Winstone, was spotted acting suspiciously near Hong Kong Lane and Merthyr Tydfil law courts at around 7.30pm on Sunday, February 1, 2026. CCTV footage showed the three men approaching the victim and speaking with him for around 10 minutes before the assault began. Pike launched a violent attack, repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim in the head, while Colin rifled through the victim's jacket pockets and Winstone made off with a large suitcase belonging to the victim.

Jason Colin, along with Jonathan Pike and Matthew Winstone, was spotted acting suspiciously near Hong Kong Lane and Merthyr Tydfil law courts at around 7.30pm on Sunday, February 1, 2026. CCTV footage showed the three men approaching the victim and speaking with him for around 10 minutes before the assault began. While Pike launched a violent attack, repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim in the head, Colin rifled through the victim's jacket pockets, and Winstone made off with a large suitcase belonging to the victim.

Matthew Winstone, along with Jason Colin and Jonathan Pike, was spotted acting suspiciously near Hong Kong Lane and Merthyr Tydfil law courts at around 7.30pm on Sunday, February 1, 2026. CCTV footage showed the three men approaching the victim and speaking with him for around 10 minutes before the assault began. While Pike launched a violent attack, repeatedly punching and kneeing the victim in the head, and Colin rifled through the victim's jacket pockets, Winstone made off with a large suitcase belonging to the victim.

Paul Gurney, 33, formerly of Merlin’s Bridge but now of no fixed abode, broke into his ex-partner’s home on October 1, 2025, smashing a window on the door and forcing his way inside. He grabbed his former partner, spat in her face, and threw her to the ground where she landed on the broken glass, suffering cuts to her knees. On October 6, 2025, he turned up uninvited at her Haverfordwest home, grabbed her by the throat, pinned her against a wall, and punched the wall next to her head twice, causing damage to the property. The relationship, which began in 2024, was described as volatile and toxic, with Gurney exhibiting jealousy. He had 42 previous convictions from 30 court appearances and was subject to two suspended sentences at the time of the offences.

In early January 2026, three 11-year-old children were playing in Aberdare Park when they were approached by Luke Jancouski, who then attacked them. One child was poked in the eye and struck on the head, a second was punched with such force that he lost a tooth, and the third was punched in the nose. South Wales Police identified Jancouski as the attacker after reviewing CCTV footage from the park, which captured a distinctive tattoo on his hand linking him to the assault.

Richard Munkley, 48, from Merthyr Tydfil, committed a robbery at the Nisa Local convenience store on Brecon Road, initially reported as shoplifting but investigated as a more serious offence. He was tracked down by South Wales Police’s Safer Neighbourhood Team and identified through evidence.

Ieuan Crump, a healthcare worker, sexually assaulted two women during medical examinations while conducting scans at a hospital in Cwmbrân. The offences took place on 10 August 2021 and 13 August 2021. He denied the allegations but was convicted after trial.