Weekly Round-up: Notable Court Cases (February 24 – March 2)

🧑‍⚖️ Serious offenders faced justice this week with sentences handed down for rape, sexual assault, drug dealing, violence and burglary across courts.

Nicholas McMurray, 38, former Great Western Railway train manager, has been jailed for seven years after sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman on a Cardiff to Swansea train. McMurray approached the victim as train manager, initially checking her ticket before later assaulting her in the vestibule as the train approached Swansea. He has been placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Robert Smith, 26, of Ammanford, was sentenced to five years and four months in prison for raping an intoxicated woman in her home. Smith took the heavily intoxicated victim home from a gathering, placed her on her bed, and returned later to assault her. The court noted “worryingly similar hallmarks” to a previous sexual assault Smith committed aged 13. He received a ten-year restraining order.

Ethan Owen, 30, a registered sex offender from Vale of Glamorgan, has been sentenced to five years extended custody for sending explicit sexual content to primary school-aged girls. Owen contacted victims through Fortnite before adding them to a WhatsApp group. He received 40 months custody with five years on licence and remains on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Neal Brown, 50, from Flintshire, was sentenced to four years and four months in prison for sexually assaulting a young girl while intoxicated. Brown made inappropriate comments, propositioned the victim, and touched her sexually. He received an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, sex offender registration, and a restraining order protecting the victim.

Keiran Bass, 28, of Blackwood, was sentenced to 28 months imprisonment at Newport Crown Court after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs. Police discovered Bass with cocaine, cash, and drug paraphernalia after responding to reports of an unconscious man in a parked car in Rhymney. His phone contained a tick list and messages advertising cocaine.

Billie Jo Kane, 27, was jailed for 30 months at Caernarfon Crown Court after burgling an elderly widow’s Anglesey home in October 2023. Kane stole irreplaceable family photographs, including one of the victim’s late husband and son. Her ex-partner, Ieuan Parry, 28, received a 16-month suspended sentence for burying the Toyota car used in the crime.

Craig McDermid, 55, of Rhyl, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for engaging in sexual communication with a child. He left a disturbing note for a schoolgirl at a Flintshire bus stop, telling her to “lift your skirt up.” McDermid was identified after the girl contacted her father, who confronted him. He has previous convictions for sexual offences.

Jaydon Finch-Coles, 24, jailed for 14 months after assaulting his ex-partner in her bathroom while her baby slept nearby. He pinned her down, beat her, threatened suicide with a knife, and damaged property. The attack occurred while he was already serving a suspended sentence for breaking a shopkeeper’s jaw during a theft in Cardiff.

Adrian Dadey, 38, sentenced to 14 months imprisonment for unprovoked attack on Cardiff’s Taff Embankment. Dadey assaulted cyclist Ibrahim Said on February 2, 2023, punching him and stealing his bike before throwing it into the River Taff. The victim suffered bruising and swelling to his gums and mouth. Dadey, who has 25 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm and theft.