THREE men have been sentenced to eight years and one month each after luring a man to a remote location in west Wales, where they kidnapped and assaulted him in a carefully orchestrated scheme.

Mohammad Comrie, 22, of Leeds; Faiz Shah, 22, of Bradford; and Elijah Ogunnubi-Sime, 20, of Croydon, deceived a London-based music producer into travelling to Carmarthenshire on August 26, 2024, under the false pretense of attending a music recording camp. Once there, the victim was subjected to significant violence and restrained with handcuffs.

The perpetrators had arranged the trip using a fabricated music production and recording company, leading the victim to believe he was meeting fellow musicians for a legitimate session.

While his captors were out of the room, the victim managed to escape by lifting his handcuffed hands over a pole to free himself. He fled the property and was later taken to hospital with injuries to his face and head.

The three men attempted to evade capture but were found hiding in fields near the property in Brynteg, Llanybydder. Police responded swiftly, deploying significant resources, including a helicopter, to locate them following reports of an assault.

All three were arrested and later charged. They pleaded guilty to kidnapping on the first day of their trial at Swansea Crown Court on February 18. Additional charges of unlawful wounding and inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent were ordered to lie on file.

Inspector Gareth Jones, Deputy Senior Investigating Officer, said: “This offence has had a profound and lasting impact on the victim and his family. It was a meticulously planned crime, involving false identities and deception.

“Early messages between the defendants revealed their ultimate intention to kidnap the victim. Their motive appeared two-fold: to extort money from him and to act on political and racial motivations.

“I commend the investigative team for their determination and professionalism, as well as the officers who carried out an extensive and difficult search to locate the defendants and recover crucial evidence. Securing justice for the victim has remained our priority.

“I also extend my gratitude to the Community Security Trust (CST) for providing the victim with vital psychological and emotional support.

“Today’s sentences reflect the severity of this crime and the ordeal suffered by the victim. We hope this outcome brings him a sense of justice, and we thank him for his bravery and patience throughout this investigation.”

SOUTH WALES POLICE is facing growing scrutiny after refusing to disclose the identity of an officer who misused force computer systems over two years, leaking sensitive information to members of the public.

The officer, known only as ‘Officer F,’ received a criminal caution for illegally accessing police data but was not prosecuted. His identity was also kept secret during a misconduct hearing, despite similar cases in which officers have been publicly named and prosecuted. The force claims anonymity was granted due to concerns about the health and well-being of a child unrelated to the officer’s actions, but legal precedents suggest this does not justify withholding the name.

The Herald has pressed South Wales Police for further transparency, asking how the decision aligns with open justice principles. The force has cited Regulation 59 of the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 as the basis for its decision, stating that the misconduct hearing was held in public but with the officer’s identity protected. However, past legal rulings, including Khuja v Times Newspapers (2017), have reinforced that distress or reputational damage alone is not sufficient grounds for anonymity in such cases.

Other police officers guilty of similar misconduct have been named and prosecuted. Former South Wales Police Inspector Joseph Jones was jailed for two months for misusing police records, while ex-North Wales PC Andrew Nuttall was sentenced to unpaid work for similar offences. Unlike them, Officer F’s identity remains protected, raising concerns about consistency and transparency in the handling of police misconduct.

Paul Fisher, Head of News at South Wales Police, responded to The Herald’s request for Officer F’s identity, stating that no media challenges were made before or during the hearing. However, the force has not clarified whether press organisations were proactively informed that anonymity was being considered, ensuring they had a fair opportunity to challenge the decision.

The Herald, alongside Wales Online, has written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Emma Wools to challenge the decision. Both organisations believe in the right to report and the importance of holding those in authority accountable.

This case raises fundamental questions about public confidence in policing. Open justice ensures that those who misuse their positions of power can be scrutinised by the press and the public. Without proper transparency, the public cannot be assured that police officers who abuse their authority will face meaningful consequences.

A PEMBROKESHIRE man who was found with hundreds of indecent images of children on his phone has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Swansea Crown Court heard that police arrested Lawrence Lambert, 26, of Llandissilio, following an investigation by Dyfed-Powys Police’s online child abuse unit.

Officers searched his home on August 17, 2022, seizing his iPhone 13 Pro Max. A preliminary examination at the scene uncovered a URL in the phone’s notes app that linked to a website storing illegal images.

Further analysis revealed Lambert had 250 Category A images—the most serious level of abuse—comprising 207 videos and 43 photographs. In addition, officers found 115 Category B and 134 Category C images. The site was accessed using an account registered with an email and phone number linked to Lambert, and traced to his home IP address.

In his first police interview, Lambert answered “no comment” to most questions but insisted the pornography he watched was “18 plus.”

He initially denied three charges of making indecent images of children and was due to stand trial on February 19. However, he changed his plea on the morning of the trial, admitting to all charges.

Defence solicitor Jon Tarrant said Lambert had no previous convictions but struggled to accept responsibility for his offending. He described him as “isolated” and said the case had had a “considerable impact” on him.

Sentencing, Judge Catherine Richards told Lambert: “These are not just indecent images of children. These are images of children being sexually abused. By your actions, you supported that vile trade.”

Lambert was sentenced to 13 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He must complete 150 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation days.

He will remain on the sex offenders register for 10 years and is subject to a five-year sexual harm prevention order.