Newport Robber Jailed 5 Years for Pub Attack and Police Assault

A violent robber who mugged a football coach walking home from the pub has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Malakyi Thompson, 23, followed Alex Lock after he’d been drinking at Tiny Rebel in Rogerstone, Newport, before attacking him at the Wern Industrial Estate around 11.30pm on Saturday, 10th May.

The masked defendant hit Mr Lock to the ground, got on top of him and demanded: “What have you got?” before stealing his mobile phone and wallet containing £10 and two bank cards.

Mr Lock suffered facial cuts, nose grazing and bruising, plus two loose and chipped teeth. He was taken to hospital by a neighbour after arriving home “upset”.

Thompson then used one of the stolen bank cards to withdraw £400 from a cashpoint.

When police arrived to arrest him 11 days later, Thompson was “irate” and “screaming and shouting” from a window. He punched PC Martelle Wilson, kicked PC Caitlin Marsh, and tried spitting on her before being PAVA sprayed.

In his victim impact statement, Mr Lock revealed: “I felt embarrassment and shame.” He has undergone extensive and expensive dental treatment, whilst the Rogerstone community was “shocked” by the attack.

Thompson, of Park Avenue, Rogerstone, admitted robbery, fraud and two counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker. He had 14 previous convictions for 28 offences, including jailing last year for leaving a woman on a mobility scooter with a fractured eye socket.

Judge Paul Hobson told Thompson: “This was a serious street robbery and when police officers came to arrest you, you were violent to them. You already have a bad criminal record at the age of 23.”

⚖️ Thompson was sentenced to five years in prison at Cardiff Crown Court.