Latest news with #CrownCourt
North Wales Live
11 minutes ago
- North Wales Live
Drug dealer caught with cocaine in Kinder Egg was paying off mum's debt
A drug dealer caught with cocaine in a Kinder Egg had been paying off his mum's debts. Kane Braisdell was selling cocaine from the family home in Wrexham. The 21-year-old admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and possession with intent to supply cocaine. A judge sentenced him to two years imprisonment suspended for two years. Prosecutor Myles Wilson told Caernarfon Crown Court the defendant was selling cocaine from his flat in Caia Park, Wrexham for about seven weeks in May and June this year. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here Braisdell would send out bulk messages advertising the sale of cocaine typically to 200 people at a time, and take their orders. During his spree he changed the number of his graft phone, said Mr Wilson. But police traced it and he was arrested on June 26. In a search at his home they found six wraps of crack cocaine in a Kinder Egg, £300 in cash, a dealer's list, scales and the graft phone. Braisdell gave no comment answers in interview. Alun Williams, defending, said the "naive and immature" defendant had been "young and incredibly foolish". He has struggled during his time on remand in prison and could be rehabilitated, he claimed. The judge Her Honour Nicola Jones told Braisdell, of Tryweryn Place, Wrexham, he had been under pressure, had been working off a drug debt "which was mainly as a result of your mother's addiction", and has not re-offended. Suspending the prison sentence she ordered the defendant to do 25 days of rehabilitation activity and go on a six-month drug rehabilitation programme.
South Wales Argus
11 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Cwmbran man assaulted man and headbutting police officer
Marcus Parry, 28, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court after committing a string of offences in Cwmbran on April 20 last year. Alice Sykes, prosecuting, told the court a man woke up in his own home in the middle of the night and went to the bathroom. But when he got to the bathroom, he was attacked by Parry. The defendant punched the man in the face and body, and then 'rained blows' down on the victim. The victim felt a palpitation in his chest, and the next thing he remembered was waking up to find the defendant was gone. Doorbell footage showed Parry had entered the man's home at around 2.30am and left at around 2.40am. The victim attended The Grange Hospital and was found to have 'no lasting injuries', but a number of cuts and bruises. In a statement read out to court, the victim said he was 'angry' that someone would break into his home and attack him. Police attended his address and the defendant was located nearby a short time later. A lone female officer came across Parry and noticed he was swaying on his feet – appearing to be under the influence, The defendant then headbutted the officer, connecting with the bridge of her nose. A struggle broke out, during which the officer punched Parry twice in an attempt to daze him. In a victim impact statement, the officer said she was 'alone', 'smaller' and 'at a physical disadvantage'. Parry surrendered after the officer warned she would use her PAVA spray. When searched in custody, Parry was found in possession of Benzodiazepine – a Class C drug. Ms Sykes said Parry was also identified damaging the front doors at Discount Pram Centre that night. The defendant was recorded on CCTV jumping over the gates, picking up a metal pole, and smashing the front doors at around 1am that night. The defendant, of Cardigan Crescent in Croesyceiliog, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assaulting an emergency worker, criminal damage, and possession of a Class C drug. The court heard Parry had no previous convictions. Judge Jeremy Jenkins told defence counsel Sol Hartley that he intended to follow the recommendations in the reports prepared on Parry. 'There is a bed available for Mr Parry,' Mr Hartley said. 'He is currently an inpatient.' Judge Jenkins said he was 'satisfied on the evidence' that Parry was suffering from schizophrenia. He sentenced the defendant to a hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983.
South Wales Guardian
12 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Carmarthenshire rogue builder conned victims out of £90,000
Craig Baker, 38, of Nantycaws, conned three victims in Carmarthenshire between November 2021 and January last year by overcharging them, charging them for work he didn't do, completing work to shoddy standards, and leaving jobs incomplete. Baker was sentenced to two years, suspended for two years, at Swansea Crown Court on May 2 after he pleaded guilty to fraudulent trading. On that occasion, Judge Paul Thomas KC said there were 'certain constraints' he was bound by after Baker was jailed last year to two years and eight months for like offences from the same time period. At a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing, it was agreed Baker benefitted from his offending by £92,117.70. Both parties agreed the defendant had £226.30 available, and a confiscation order was made for that amount. The defendant was disqualified from being a company director for five years. Baker, previously of Llanddarog, returned to Swansea Crown Court on July 22, where prosecutor Alexander Greenwood confirmed the Crown Prosecution Service were no longer pursuing costs and compensation. The court previously heard one of Baker's victims paid him £32,745.50, of which it was alleged he defrauded him out of £20,000. An assessment of the completed work found it was 'poor quality' and was done in a 'haphazard way'. A second victim was initially quoted £49,500 for works on her home, and said she felt 'pressured' into accepting this after Baker messaged her the next day saying that prices were going up. She paid the defendant half of this, as well as £12,400 to order a new kitchen, and a further £10,000 after Baker said he had 'underestimated' the costs. Whilst the works were ongoing, the victim received a message saying Baker had been imprisoned. She contacted the kitchen supplier to check on her order, but found the defendant hadn't ordered it. An assessment found 'serious issues' with the property's timber frames, and the works didn't comply with building regulations. The work Baker had completed should have been worth 'no more than £16,000', and remedial work would cost around £55,500. The third victim was quoted £1,500 to remove a chimney stack, but he then used the wrong type of tiles. 'You could see daylight between the tiles,' Mr Greenwood said. Baker quoted them a further £6,000 to replace the roof, but the victim challenged him after being quoted half of that by a different contractor. Baker's defence counsel acknowledged the defendant having already received a prison sentence for offending during this period was the only thing that would keep him from being jailed again. Sentencing Baker, Judge Thomas said: 'You are a rogue builder. You are a conman. You are a bully. You are a thoroughly dishonest man. 'I hope you will have the sense to never go anywhere near somebody's house again to do work.'
Western Telegraph
20 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
Neyland man accused of breaching restraining order
Declan Watt, 32, of Springfield Close of Honeyborough, appeared at Llanelli Magistrates' Court charged with two offences. Watt was alleged to have breached a restraining order that was put in place by Swansea Crown Court on December 16 last year. This banned him from contacting a woman. He was accused of being in contact with the woman and being at an address he knew she would be at on July 17. For the latest crime and court news for west Wales, you can join our Facebook group here. Watt was also charged with assault by beating of an emergency worker, after he was alleged to have assaulted a police officer on that same date. The case came before the court on July 18 and was sent on to Swansea Crown Court. Watt was remanded into custody, and will appear to enter his pleas on August 18.
ITV News
a day ago
- ITV News
Teen tells jury he ordered knife used to stab schoolboy Harvey Willgoose 'for protection'
A 15-year-old boy has told a jury he ordered the knife he used to kill a fellow pupil "for protection". The teenager was asked about the weapon as he gave evidence for a fifth day at Sheffield Crown Court, where he is on trial for the murder of Harvey Willgoose. Harvey, who was also 15, died after being stabbed at All Saints Catholic High School, in Sheffield, on 3 February. The defendant has admitted manslaughter and taking a knife to school but denies murder. On Wednesday, the boy was asked by Richard Thyne KC, prosecuting, whether it was 'days, weeks or months' before Harvey's death that he ordered the knife online. The boy said: 'Weeks or months. I'm pretty sure it was weeks.' He then said he thought it was 'after 16 January'. The jury has heard about an incident in the school on January 16, when the defendant was involved in a fight with another student and ended up repeatedly punching a wall in an inclusion room. Mr Thyne asked the boy why he ordered the knife, and he replied: 'For protection'. The boy admitted he had pictures of 'lots of different kinds of knives' on his phone. The prosecutor asked him why he chose that particular weapon. The defendant told the jury: 'Because it was a scary knife. 'Somebody would try and attack me and I would pull it out and they wouldn't try and attack me.' Mr Thyne asked him about a number of photos on his phone of showing him with the knife. The boy said he posted two of them on social media. The prosecutor asked: 'To send a message out you weren't to be messed with?' The boy agreed and said he wanted some people to believe he carried a knife. Asked by Mr Thyne if he wanted some people to believe he was prepared to use the knife, the defendant told the jury: 'No. Not really. But, if they saw I had a knife, they wouldn't really want to mess with me.' The jury at Sheffield Crown Court has been shown CCTV footage of Harvey being stabbed in a courtyard at the school at lunchtime on February 3. The court has heard that the defendant, who cannot be named, has admitted manslaughter but denies murder. He has also admitted possession of a knife on school premises. On Wednesday, the boy was asked by Mr Thyne: 'Had you tried to provoke him (Harvey)?' When the defendant said 'no', Mr Thyne asked him: 'Had you tried to wind him up earlier in the day?' The boy replied: 'No, it was the other way around.' Mr Thyne then asked: 'Were you trying to get Harvey to do something to you so you could let out your anger?' Again the boy replied 'no'. The defendant told the jury how he also bought another knife online, which was based on a design from the video game Assassin's Creed. Mr Thyne said: 'Did you have a reputation for having an interest in knives?' Th boy said: 'Not really.' He added: 'That's not what I'm known for.' The defendant has said he was subjected to racist bullying on social media and taunts about a medical condition while he was at a number of Sheffield schools. He said in evidence he could not "control" his anger. The trial continues.
