Luke Jancouski, 39, of Trecynon, has been jailed for 18 months after assaulting three 11-year-old children who were playing in Aberdare Park in early January.

Majid Ali, 56, of Cedar Road, Newport, was found guilty of multiple rapes and sentenced to 12 years at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.

Rudinos Sojati was discovered tending 45 cannabis plants worth over £5,000 hidden in the attic of a terraced house in Penydarren.

Hannah O’Brien, 26, was sentenced to eight weeks in custody after breaching a Community Protection Notice banning her from shops in Merthyr Tydfil.

Richard Munkley, 48, from Merthyr Tydfil, was sentenced to two years and five months in prison after a shoplifting report turned out to be a robbery at the Nisa Local on Brecon Road.

An 88-year-old man said he “lost his independence” after Marian Barbu snatched £500 from him at a Lloyds Bank cash point in Merthyr Tydfil.

Lee Evans, 40, was jailed for two years and nine months after a judge at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court branded him “a habitual wife beater.”

Ricardo Spriggs was found with crack cocaine and heroin on three occasions after being reported missing while homeless.

Jamie Jessett, 48, sent over 2,800 texts offering cocaine, heroin and cannabis before being caught by South Wales Police.

Two men have been sentenced to 18 months in prison after police discovered over 1,500 cannabis plants growing inside a former Merthyr Tydfil bar following community intelligence.

Lewis Hill fled police twice during arrest but has now been ordered to hand over nearly £12,000 in criminal proceeds from cannabis dealing.

Huw Richards, 40, sentenced to one year and two months after attempting to engage in sexual communication with what he believed was a 13-year-old girl online.