Tonypandy Man Jailed After Kidnapping Partner in Car Chase Drama

A harrowing incident in Tonypandy led to the imprisonment of Logan Harding, 31, who forcibly abducted his girlfriend and led police on a dangerous chase before crashing into a tree.

The incident occurred on December 1 when Harding confronted his partner of seven weeks outside the Pandy Inn pub. After she refused to get into his car, he dragged her across the road and forced her into the footwell of his Ford Focus.

“The victim felt upset, powerless and frightened,” prosecutor Marian Lewis told Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.

An hour-long ordeal followed, during which Harding drove up a mountain, claiming he wanted to “sort things out”. A concerned bystander alerted the police, leading to a pursuit on the A4119 in heavy rain. The chase ended when Harding’s vehicle spun out at the Colliers Way roundabout and struck a tree.

Defence barrister David Leathley stated that his client has shown “contrition” and noted the victim continues to “express her love” to the defendant.

Judge Eugene Egan sentenced Harding, of Gwern Heulog, to 41 months in prison and imposed a driving ban of three years and eight months.