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Courts across Wales have dealt with a wide range of serious cases this week, from a man jailed for 23 years for child rape to a driver who rammed police vehicles during multiple pursuits across Caerphilly. Between April 20th and April 26th, offenders were sentenced for violent assaults, drug dealing operations, sexual offences and persistent shoplifting.
Among the most serious cases was that of Michael Allen, 45, of Port Talbot, who was handed a 23-year prison sentence for raping two children. Elsewhere, a man was jailed after setting fire to the wrong house in a jealous rage, a former DVLA worker was convicted of running a cocaine operation from his home using a chapel as a pick-up point, and a teenager was sentenced for using an axe to break into an elderly couple’s home while they slept.
Sexual Offences
Michael Allen, 45, of Port Talbot, was sentenced to 23 years in prison after being convicted of four counts of rape against two children under 18. South Wales Police described him as “an incredibly dangerous man” and commended the victims for their bravery in coming forward.
Scott Mullen, 32, of Newport, a registered sex offender, amassed 136 indecent images and videos of children and possessed a childlike sex doll. He also attempted to pervert the course of justice by producing a fabricated report to withdraw his guilty pleas. Mullen was given an eight-year extended sentence at Swansea Crown Court.
Kieran Olden, 34, of Aberdare, has been jailed for seven years after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl while she slept. He was convicted of assault by penetration and two counts of common assault against two separate women. Olden was sentenced at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court and made subject to sex offender notification requirements for life.
Lee Grovell, 56, of Nantyglo, a previously convicted sex offender, was jailed for 32 months at Cardiff Crown Court after being caught by an online paedophile hunting group. He had sent sexualised messages to someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl. He pleaded guilty to attempting sexual communication with a child and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
Siobhan Webb, 37, of Aberdare, was sentenced to a further 34 weeks in prison at Caernarfon Crown Court after sexually assaulting a bus driver by grabbing his genitals and spitting at a police officer during a drunken incident in Abergele. She was also placed on the sex offenders register for seven years.
Christopher Norris, 73, of Raglan, Monmouthshire, was jailed for two years at Cardiff Crown Court after pleading guilty to breaching an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. Norris, who has previous convictions for serious sexual offences against children, used a private browser on his iPhone on 13 occasions to conceal his internet activity.
Mark Owen, 57, of Monmouth, a convicted child sex offender, was jailed for 27 months at Cardiff Crown Court after breaching a sexual harm prevention order. Owen had been released from a nine-and-a-half-year sentence just days earlier and was found using banned social media apps including Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook.
Rio Thomas, 19, of Swansea, was sentenced to 16 months in a young offenders institution at Swansea Crown Court after bombarding a woman with sexual messages and masturbation videos via Facebook. Thomas, who had previous convictions for sexual offences against a child, pleaded guilty to breaching a sexual harm prevention order and sending images to cause distress.
Luke Rogers, 40, of Wolfscastle, a registered sex offender, deceived an employer to secure work by lying about his criminal history and driving licence. He was exposed after making unprompted comments about paedophiles, prompting his boss to search his name online. Rogers pleaded guilty to breaching a sexual harm prevention order and was jailed for two years at Swansea Crown Court.
Domestic Abuse and Coercive Control
Daniel Rogers, 38, was jailed for 18 months at Swansea Crown Court after pleading guilty to intentionally strangling his partner until she lost consciousness. Rogers, who has 26 previous convictions, initially claimed the injuries were from consensual activity. The victim said she believed she was going to die during the attack.
Michael Jones, 41, of Belfast, was sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court to two years and ten months in prison after pleading guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour, two assaults causing actual bodily harm against his partner, and sending an indecent image to a second victim. He was also given lifetime restraining orders to protect both victims.
Christopher Haynes, 58, a former secondary school teacher from Bishopston, Gower, was sentenced to 21 months in prison at Swansea Crown Court after pleading guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour against his ex-wife. He dictated who she could see, isolated her from others, and made threats to kill. A lifelong restraining order was also imposed.
Aiden Jones, 29, of Gilfach, Caerphilly, was sentenced to two years in prison at Cardiff Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of intentionally strangling his former partner. He also admitted to controlling and coercive behaviour. A five-year restraining order was imposed.
Drug Offences
Former DVLA worker Sheridan Geen, 53, of Lower Cwmtwrch, was sentenced to three and a half years at Swansea Crown Court after being convicted of running a cocaine supply operation from his home, using a nearby chapel as a pick-up point for customers. Officers seized cash, scales, and 27g of cocaine during a raid.
Matthew Oliver, 39, from Swansea, was sentenced to 40 months at Swansea Crown Court after police found cocaine wraps and drug supply messages on his phone following a traffic stop. Co-defendant Carl Mitford, 45, received 27 months. Both pleaded guilty to cocaine supply offences.
Corey Baldwin, 23, from Blackwood, was jailed for two years and four months at Cardiff Crown Court after admitting running a cocaine supply operation. Police caught him dealing outside a pub on Blackwood High Street, and phone analysis revealed he was co-ordinating drug drops and using others to sell on his behalf.
Thomas Morgan, 22, of Winch Wen, Swansea, was jailed for 41 months at Swansea Crown Court after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possession of criminal property, and possession of an offensive weapon. Police linked him to drug dealing through Facebook messages and found nearly £9,300 in cash hidden around his home.
Alexander Creqama, 23, an Albanian national, was sentenced to 32 months’ imprisonment at Cardiff Crown Court after pleading guilty to producing cannabis. Police found him tending 249 plants across five converted rooms at a house in Ystradgynlais, with a potential street value of up to £214,000.
Gavin Bird, 34, from Wrexham, was sentenced to 32 months in prison at Mold Crown Court after admitting supplying heroin and cocaine as part of a county lines network, dangerous driving, including driving directly at a police officer’s vehicle, driving while disqualified, and possession of cannabis. He also received a 28-month driving ban.
Arson
Cameron Brown, 23, of Wick, Vale of Glamorgan, doused a stranger’s home in Llantwit Major with petrol and set it alight on New Year’s Day, believing his ex-partner was inside. He targeted the wrong house entirely. Brown pleaded guilty to arson, possession of a bladed article, and criminal damage at Cardiff Crown Court and was sentenced to four years and six months with an extended licence period of four years after being deemed a dangerous offender.
Matthew Draper, 40, was sentenced to 27 months in prison at Swansea Crown Court after admitting arson. Draper set fire to a supported accommodation hostel on The Strand in Swansea using an aerosol as an accelerant, shortly after telling staff he wanted to return to prison for regular meals and gym access. The blaze was quickly brought under control and no one was injured.
Violence and Assaults
Adam Paull, 27, of Tonyrefail, forced his way into a woman’s home in Cardiff, assaulted her and threatened to kill her unless she transferred £250 he claimed she owed him. He pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating at Cardiff Crown Court and was sentenced to 54 weeks’ imprisonment.
Brian Michael Nicol, 58, of Swansea, has been jailed for 16 months after arming himself with a tyre iron and attacking a woman at a car garage, accusing her of spiking his wife. Nicol pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon at Swansea Crown Court. A 10-year restraining order was also imposed.
Jake Flicker, 26, of Caerphilly, was jailed for 28 weeks after admitting grievous bodily harm at Cardiff Crown Court. He left a man with a broken jaw and fractured eye socket during a violent confrontation at his mother’s home in Bedwas. The victim had forced entry into the property looking for a fight.
Dangerous Driving
Thomas Harvey, 31, of no fixed address, was jailed for 32 months at Cardiff Crown Court after admitting dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and taking his mother’s vehicle without consent. Harvey led police on multiple pursuits across Caerphilly, ramming police vehicles and reaching speeds of over 50mph in a 20mph zone. He was also banned from driving for 46 months.
Theft and Burglary
Callum Junior Jones, 19, of Bangor, was sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court to three years and four months in prison after admitting two burglaries and theft. Jones used an axe to break into properties in Amlwch in November 2025, targeting an elderly couple’s home while they slept and cutting off their gas supply. A 10-year restraining order was imposed.
Calum Edwards, 35, from Newport, was jailed for 18 weeks after pleading guilty to 16 counts of theft from shops including Tesco, Spar and B&M, stealing goods worth over £900 between February and April. He was also given a two-year criminal behaviour order banning him from several Newport stores.
Ryan Price, 30, from Monmouth, was sentenced to eight months in prison at Newport Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to 13 counts of shoplifting across the town. He was also given a two-year criminal behaviour order banning him from five named businesses in Monmouth.
Leigh Dight, 44, of Newport, was jailed for 42 weeks after admitting four counts of shoplifting from Tesco, Sainsbury’s and B&M stores. He stole goods worth over £250, including gammon steaks, tuna and cheese. The offences also breached a suspended sentence for similar crimes. He was ordered to pay compensation.
Samuel Reardon, 37, of Newport, was sentenced to 40 weeks’ imprisonment at Newport Magistrates’ Court after admitting to shoplifting from Sainsbury’s and the Fragrance Shop, stealing goods worth over £350, and making a death threat against a member of staff. He was already subject to a suspended sentence at the time of the offences.
All of the individuals named in this round-up have been convicted or have pleaded guilty to their respective offences. If you have information about crime in your area, you can contact South Wales Police, North Wales Police, Dyfed-Powys Police or Gwent Police, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
