A former captain at the Principality Stadium has been locked up for machete attack

North Wales Live

a day ago

A talented former rugby player has been sentenced for attacking a man with a machete and then stabbing his victim's father.
At the age of 14, Movado Hall captained Cardiff Schools at the home of Welsh rugby, while he also represented Cardiff Rugby's academy and attended a Wales team training camp. He once led his team out at the Principality Stadium.
But, just over three years on from stepping out onto the Principality turf, he has been sentenced for a horrifying attack, reports WalesOnline.
On Friday, Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard how Hall, now 18, threw a brick through the windscreen of Jason Talbot's car before stabbing him outside his home on March 30 this year. He then wounded the victim's father Jonathan Talbot when he tried to intervene and protect his son, leaving both men with injuries. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
Prosecutor Byron Broadstock told the court that shortly after 9pm on the day of the incident, Jonathan Talbot witnessed the defendant throwing a brick through the windscreen of his son's car before riding off on his bike, leading him and Jason Talbot to confront Hall in the street.
Hall then got off his bike and ran towards Jason Talbot, before pulling out a machete from his waistband and shouted "Come on then". While Jason Talbot then tried to grab Hall to stop him, he immediately felt pain to the side of his head as the weapon was swung at him, while he then felt several more blows to his body and back. When Jonathan Talbot tried to intervene, Hall swung the machete as his right shin, causing a deep cut, before the defendant left the scene on his bike.
Both victims were taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, where Jason Talbot was found to have suffered serious injuries, including a fracture and wound to the left side of his head which extended to the bone, and required staples. His other injuries included bleeding to the head, wounds to his chest wall, left thigh and abdomen.
The sentencing hearing heard that Hall and Jason Talbot were known to each other prior to the incident, but "took against him" after the victim had separated from his girlfriend who was friendly with the defendant.
After being arrested, Hall, of Plasturton Avenue, Pontcanna, denied the offences during his police interview, claiming he wasn't involved and providing a false alibi. However, he later pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, unlawful wounding, possession of a bladed article and criminal damage.
The teenager has now been sentenced to two years and nine months detention at a young offenders' institute, while he has been made subject to a restraining order for five years.
It comes just over three years since Hall spoke to WalesOnline ahead of captaining the Cardiff Schools A team in the Lawrence Miller Bowl final against Islwyn at the Principality Stadium. In that interview, playing rugby was credited with helping to keep him out of trouble, with his mother Marissa Spettie explaining at the time that he "went off the rails and put two fingers up to everyone" when the country was plunged into lockdown in 2020.
"He'd be out on the street, hanging out with the older boys and getting into lots of trouble and fights," she said in the 2022 interview.
"He doesn't always know how to control his emotions. It was police all the time, getting into fights, not listening to anyone and hanging around with the wrong people."
Ms Spettie added how the school system had "failed" her son before explaining how playing rugby had helped him into making "a total 180" and put him on a better path.
"I couldn't put it into words, the difference rugby has made on him," she said. "It's a total 180. We've all pushed him, but he's done it on his own. In the end, he just woke up, I think.
"I was glad he got back into rugby, not because of the effect it has on him, but because it's something he's good at. He stopped hanging around on the streets too. I just want him to keep on doing what he's doing. I always knew he could do it."
At the time, Hall, who fell in love with rugby from his first session with St Albans as a seven-year-old boy before being ripped away from it when the coronavirus lockdown hit, opened up on his behaviour and why he would prefer playing rugby to hanging around on the streets.
"At that point, you know it's never good," he said. "But in the moment, you feel you're big and tough. You're this and that. Then you realise you're small.
"I'd prefer to be out there playing rugby with 30 of my best mates, who I know will always be there for me. You'll never beat them. Every one of them is my brother and I'll do anything for them."
"You can't beat it," he added, having been handed the captaincy of the Cardiff Schools team. "The love everyone has for it, you can't beat playing for that badge.
"It's a massive achievement to be running out on that pitch. I didn't expect the captaincy. I was a bit starstruck when I was offered. To say I'm captain, it's unbelievable.
"Captaining boys from all over Cardiff, those schools are up there and you'd think they would be picked. There's something to it which the boys and the coaches see. Look where we are now. It's such a big thing.