Man found hiding behind wardrobe after restraining order breach

A Caerphilly man who breached a restraining order preventing him from contacting his ex-girlfriend was arrested by police after they found him hiding behind a wardrobe.

Lewis Harvey, 19, from Cwmcarn, was made the subject of a two-year restraining order not to contact her following his conviction for assault by beating against the victim in June 2024.

Newport Magistrates’ Court heard how the defendant spoke to her after he unexpectedly saw her at a friend’s house in Cwmcarn last Saturday night. He later returned to the property before he was arrested when police were called back and found him hiding behind the wardrobe there.

The defendant, of Newport Road, admitted being in breach of a restraining order but on the basis that he had no idea his former partner would be there and only spoke to her.

Janine Robinson, prosecuting, revealed that Harvey has three previous convictions for being in breach of the restraining order. She told the court: “This is a serious and persistent breach and he has a disregard for this restraining order.”

The defendant appeared in court from custody where he had been held by police over the weekend.

Oliver Jenkins, representing Harvey, asked the court to take into account his client’s guilty plea entered at the first available opportunity. He said that Harvey had told him his ex-girlfriend no longer wanted the restraining order to be in place, although the lawyer admitted he had no proof of that.

Presiding Justice Christine Farrington said to the defendant: “This is your fourth breach of this restraining order. This breach will be marked by a financial penalty. If the parties want the restraining order to end, they must come to court and request that it go away.”

Harvey was fined £200 and ordered to pay £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge. The restraining order remains in place until June next year.

After sentence was passed, the defendant thanked Presiding Justice Farrington and her two colleagues.