Two jailed after hammer attack and robbery spree in Rhondda

A man was struck over the head with a hammer by someone he knew, while a second attacker wearing a balaclava emerged from a car and ordered him to hand over his belongings.

Kian Davies, 20, and Shay Jones, 21, were sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, February 9, after both pleaded guilty to a string of offences.

The hammer attack

The court heard that victim Dylan Walsh was an acquaintance of both men but knew Davies better. In August 2025, Mr Walsh had been on the phone to Davies when he turned up in a car with Jones.

Davies got out and hit Mr Walsh to the head with a hammer before striking his shoulder and arm as the victim tried to protect himself. Jones then emerged from the vehicle wearing a balaclava covering half his face and told Mr Walsh: “Give me all your stuff.”

When Mr Walsh refused, Davies threatened to hit him again – and he handed over his belongings.

Mr Walsh then tried to run away, but Davies got back out of the car with the hammer, saying he was going to “smash him up”. The court heard Jones tried to stop Davies from getting back out with the weapon.

In a video filmed on Jones’ phone that was shown to the court, Davies can be heard saying: “Shall I go and smash him up again.”

Prosecutor Alice Sykes told the court Mr Walsh sustained a head injury and attended the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, where his wound was glued before he was discharged the same day.

Using the victim’s phone to target his housemate

Later that day, Mr Walsh’s housemate Zach Born received a text from Mr Walsh’s number asking whether his money was in the flat and if he was home. The message had actually been sent by Davies and Jones.

Mr Born replied: “What money, yes I’m in the flat.” He thought the message was strange because there was no money belonging to Mr Walsh in the flat.

The pair then went to the address and demanded money, but there was none. They searched different parts of the flat but found nothing, with Davies punching the corridor wall before they left in frustration.

Attempted robbery at train station

The following day, the pair met Matthew Bray outside Porth train station to arrange the purchase of an e-bike. When a dispute arose over a £150 collection fee, Mr Bray refused to pay – and the pair followed him, demanding he hand over all his money.

Mr Bray managed to escape, though Davies and Jones ripped his t-shirt as they tried to stop him.

Mitigation

Rose Glanville, representing Davies, said her client had recently been released from custody at the time of the offending and had told her “his head had gone” when he re-entered the community. She outlined how he suffers with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of adverse childhood experiences and had once been a high-achieving pupil before disengaging with school around the age of 14.

Ross McQuillan-Johnson, representing Jones, told the court his client suffered with “clear emotional and developmental needs which are wholly apparent to everyone who spends even a small amount of time with this young man”. In mitigation, he highlighted Jones’ age and maturity, his guilty pleas, and the fact he was a man of previous good character.

Previous convictions and sentencing

Davies, of Ynyscynon Road, Tonypandy, has four previous convictions for 12 offences, including manslaughter and affray. Jones, of Summerfield Court, Tonypandy, has no previous convictions.

Both entered guilty pleas at the pre-trial review in January. Davies pleaded guilty to robbery, attempted robbery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and possession of an offensive weapon. Jones pleaded guilty to robbery and attempted robbery.

Davies was sentenced to five years and one month in prison. Jones was sentenced to four years and three months in prison. Both were also handed restraining orders in respect of Mr Walsh and Mr Bray.