Cwmbran man jailed for violent attack on friends

A Cwmbran thug who launched a violent attack on two friends during a social evening has been jailed for 21 months.

Macauley Mason, 27, of Perry Court in Thornhill, had been invited to a friend’s home in Cwmbran for drinks on March 21 when an argument erupted between him and his partner.

Newport Crown Court heard that when one of the hosts tried to intervene in the dispute, Mason swung his arm and hit her in the face. When the other host witnessed the attack and told Mason to leave, the situation escalated dramatically.

Prosecutor Paul Hewitt told the court that as the defendant was pushed out of the house, he grabbed “an implement” and used it to smash a window.

Once outside, Mason picked up another implement and hit his friend in the mouth – knocking out one of his teeth and causing a split lip.

But the violence didn’t stop there. Whilst the male victim’s back was turned as he grabbed Mason’s bike to take it inside, the defendant picked up a pole and “spears it” at him – hitting him in the back.

The male victim needed 15 stitches to his lip, whilst the female victim was left with an injury to her right eye and bruising.

“He’s an aggressive person and does not care about anyone,” the female victim said in a statement read to the court.

Mason pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm, assault, and criminal damage.

The court heard the defendant had a “substantial record for a man of his age” – with 20 previous convictions for 51 offences – although “very little” of these were for violence. He was subject to a community order at the time of the attacks.

David Pinnell, mitigating, acknowledged the offending marked an “escalation” of the defendant’s issues with drink and drugs. He said Mason turned to illicit substances as a “coping mechanism” after losing his father when he was 18.

The defendant was showing “positive steps” in prison, Mr Pinnell said, and had “decided to get off drink and drugs”.

“Had he not been arrested, he was in such a downward spiral he probably would have died,” he said.

Judge Shomon Khan told Mason: “It was a deeply unpleasant incident. I would hope you would be deeply ashamed.”

Mason was jailed for 21 months and was made the subject of a three-year restraining order.