Newport man jailed for five years after street assault

A Newport man has been sentenced to five years in prison after assaulting another man in the street.

Jordan Rosser, 21, was found guilty by a jury of wounding with intent following the attack on Caerleon Road, Newport, at around 1am on 1 March.

He was cleared of attempted murder, possessing an offensive weapon in a private place, and being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Rosser was sentenced at Newport Crown Court on Friday 5 December, following an eight-day trial held in September.

His co-defendant, an 18-year-old man from Newport, was deemed unfit to plead or stand trial. He faced a trial of facts – also known as a finding of fact – to determine whether the accused committed an alleged act.

The man was proven to have carried out an act of attempted murder, possession of a knife blade/sharp pointed article in a public place, and being concerned in the supply of cocaine (two counts). He received a two-year supervision order.

The court heard that the victim was involved in an altercation with the two co-defendants and the injuries he sustained in the attack needed hospital treatment.

DC John-Paul Velasquez-Cripps, the officer in the case, said: “I hope the victim and his family can now start the process of moving on and rebuilding their lives after this ordeal.

“Fortunately, the victim’s injuries were not life-threatening during this attack with a knife, but it could have been significantly worse due to the brutality shown by the aggressors.

“As a service, we continue to speak with young people, in particular, to educate them on the consequences of carrying bladed articles.

“Carrying a knife doesn’t protect you – it can make a situation worse. If you know someone who is carrying a knife in your area, please report it to us immediately.

“I want to thank the support of the local community, some of whom submitted vital evidence to us, for their help in this complex investigation.

“We want our communities to know that this type of behaviour is unacceptable, and as shown by this case, we will take action against dangerous individuals to keep people safe.”