Ryan Rankmore (Image: South Wales Police)
Last Updated: 1 minute ago
A 42-year-old man has been sentenced to 12 weeks in prison after he stole from a shop, attacked a member of staff and then leapt into a river in a desperate bid to avoid arrest.
Ryan Rankmore, of Llanrumney, pleaded guilty to theft from a shop and three counts of assault by beating.
The theft
On February 8, Rankmore walked into the Welcome Break Services at Cardiff Gate and started filling a bag with items including ready meals, alcohol and Lego.
When two members of staff challenged him and told him to pay for the goods, he became verbally abusive and aggressive towards them.
The assault
After leaving the shop, Rankmore struck one of the staff members in the face with a can of Red Bull.
The chase
Officers were called and carried out a search of the area. Rankmore was spotted nearby by the local Neighbourhood Policing team, but he ran off when they tried to stop him.
He then jumped into the river to try to evade arrest, before making threats to go further into the water.
Resources from South Wales Police, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, the Welsh Ambulance Service and NPAS all attended the scene. They were able to bring Rankmore from the river back up onto the banking, where he was arrested on suspicion of theft and assault by beating.
Previous charges
Following his arrest, it emerged that Rankmore had been on conditional bail after being charged with two counts of assault by beating in connection with an incident in June 2025. He changed his plea to guilty on February 10.
What police said
PC Jones said: “Rankmore’s actions on February 8 were inexcusable. No one should be subjected to violence for intimidation when they are just doing their jobs. His attempts to avoid arrest not only wasted emergency resources but were also pointless, as we were determined to hold him accountable for his actions.
“Rankmore’s additional assault charges highlight the aggression he poses, and I’m pleased to see him held accountable for all of his actions.”
