Man jailed after armed siege demanding crack pipe and teeth

A man who chased teenage boys with a machete before triggering a dramatic three-hour armed siege in Caerphilly has been jailed.

Ryan Masters, 33, had slashed neighbours’ tyres, threatened his ex-girlfriend with a knife and chased teenagers with a machete during a day-long rampage on Monday, 16 June.

The situation escalated when Masters climbed onto the roof of his friend’s apartment block, threatening to set fire to the building where an elderly infirm man also lived. He held a cigarette lighter to the felt roofing whilst a police negotiator, armed officers and firefighters gathered below.

During the siege, Masters hurled tiles at emergency services, exposed himself by touching his genitals, and made the road “completely impassible”.

Prosecuting, Tabitha Walker told Cardiff Crown Court: “The defendant demanded his crack pipe and his false teeth, which he had lost.”

Masters was only persuaded to surrender when his false teeth were found.

In a victim impact statement, his former partner said: “He was under the influence of something. I honestly thought he would kill me that day. He behaved liked an animal – I’m really scared of what he’s capable of.”

Masters admitted 12 offences including affray, threatening to destroy property, possession of a knife in public and criminal damage. He has 27 previous convictions for 49 offences including violence, burglary and criminal damage.

Judge Celia Hughes told Masters: “You stood on the roof while you were topless for three hours. You are described as being fine when you are off the drink but a Jekyll and Hyde character when you aren’t. You were out of control that day after taking a cocktail of class A drugs and drink. There was threat to burn down a block of flats.”

Masters, of no fixed abode, Caerphilly, was jailed for three years and four months.