Long jail term justified for ‘jealous thug’

Published

7 years ago

July 3, 2017

A ‘JEALOUS’ Pembrokeshire thug who beat his victim with a dog lead in a ‘terrible and terrifying’ attack got the punishment he deserved, senior judges have ruled.

‘Controlling’ Kieran Lee Jones, 19, of Coronation Avenue, Haverfordwest, was locked up for six years at Swansea Crown Court on December 5 last year.

He admitted aggravated burglary, Sir Alan Wilkie told London’s Appeal Court.

Jones had been in a three-year relationship with Saffron Kopjas and, when it came to an end, she was pregnant with his child.

In October last year, Ms Kopjas and her friend, Joseph Jackson, 20, spent an evening in each other’s company.

Photos were posted on Facebook, which Jones saw.

He sent messages to Mr Jackson threatening to ‘kick his head in’ and beat him with a dog chain.

The victim took the threats seriously, wedging a chair underneath the door handle of his home before going to bed.

But the following morning he woke up to hear the front door being knocked down by Jones.

Jones made good his threat and attacked Mr Jackson with a dog lead, hitting him from all angles, before taking his mobile phone and leaving.

The victim was left with red marks and bruising.

In interview, Jones said he had seen the photos on Facebook and suspected Mr Jackson and his ex-girlfriend may have been in a relationship.

The judge who jailed him said his crime was triggered by his ‘bitterness at the break-up’ of his relationship with Ms Kopjas.

Despite still being a teenager, Jones had amassed a ‘significant number of convictions’, said Sir Alan.

He had 30 convictions for crimes including battery and burglary with intent to cause unlawful damage.

Jones’s previous offending included assaulting Ms Kopjas and slashing and ripping up 50 items of her clothing.

A prison report said he had started his sentence in ‘encouraging fashion’ and appeared ‘well-motivated, polite and respectful’.

James Hartson, for Jones, argued his jail term was far too tough and ought to be cut.

It was ‘wholly disproportionate’ to the seriousness of the crime, claimed the barrister.

He said it was ‘not a traditional offence of its type’ and had been ‘motivated by jealousy’.

Mr Hartson pointed to Jones’s youth and immaturity and said that that the crime was ‘short-lived’ and involved ‘minor injury’ and ‘minor theft’.

But Sir Alan said it was a ‘terrible and terrifying’ crime and that he had a ‘chilling feeling about this particular offending’.

It had been motivated by his ‘burning anger’ which had arisen out of a ‘sense of entitlement and feeling entitled to control and possess other people’.

“The sentence, severe as it is, cannot in the circumstances of this case be seen as other than appropriate and not manifestly excessive,” said the appeal judge.

He hoped Jones would use his time behind bars to ‘mature and allow his anger to cool so this destructive cycle of behaviour which has brought him to this point will be brought to an end’.

The judge, sitting with Lord Justice Irwin and Judge Gregory Dickinson QC, dismissed the appeal.

Police arrest suspects following vehicle interferences in Haverfordwest

Published

8 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Tom Sinclair

HAVERFORDWEST police responded swiftly after reports of multiple vehicle interferences in the Tasker Way area on Sunday night/early Monday morning (Nov 4).

Officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPPT) conducted extensive house-to-house enquiries, gathering evidence and reassuring the community. These efforts led to the identification of two suspects.

Both NPPT and Response teams acted promptly, locating and arresting the suspects, who are now in police custody.

News

Ancient Welsh hymns brought into 21st century with unique collaboration between Lleuwen Steffan and National Eisteddfod

Published

12 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Sarah Jane Absalom

Some of Wales’ long-forgotten hymn tunes are being brought vividly back to life this month, thanks to award-winning singer, songwriter and composer Lleuwen Steffan and her unique collaboration with the National Eisteddfod of Wales.

Performing as ‘Tafod Arian’ (Silver Tongue), the collaboration pays homage to the lost voices of the past, and infuses these timeless melodies with some highly contemporary electronic arrangements.

The project originated in 2012 when Lleuwen was working on a music project at St Fagan’s National History Museum where she came across some long-forgotten recordings of hymns which had been left in the sound archives. None of these hymns could be found in the official hymn books nor the older hymnal editions, possibly as the result of their informal, conversational lyrics, or because they often delved into the world of addiction, mental illness and the darker side of the psyche.

But now these unpublished and unknown hymns will be heard for the first time in over a hundred years when Tabernacl Chapel, Maenclochog, will be one of 50 Welsh chapels to be visited by Tafod Arian.

With translations and insights, the tour breathes new life into archive recordings, ensuring these cherished sacred songs rightfully claim their place in today’s spotlight. Lleuwen masterfully combines electronic and acoustic instrumentation, seamlessly blending the past with the present, and takes the stage alongside a dynamic quintet of international musicians including Sioned Webb and Gethin Elis from Wales, and Nolwenn Korbell and Brieg Guerveno from Brittany.

Despite the hymns’ long-distant past, the music is firmly in the present as Lleuwen uses various instruments to provide angular electronic accompaniment as well as her soulful vocals and guitar. She provides translations and explanations as she proudly puts the archive recordings of the lost |Welsh hymns on centre stage. As a result, these sacred songs are being passed on orally rather than via the hymn book which is precisely how Welsh folk music was conveyed.

The long-forgotten hymns will be heard once again in all their glory at Tabernacle Chapel, Maenclochog on Sunday, November 17 at 6.30pm.

Crime

Suspended sentence for Goodwick man who sent sexual messages to young girl

Published

12 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Court Reporter

THE FATHER of a young girl sent sexual messages to an individual he believed to be a 12-year-old girl online, Swansea Crown Court heard this week.

An undercover police officer posed as a 12-year-old girl on the website RandoChat, with the decoy’s profile stating they were 18.

James Roberts messaged the decoy on 9 August, stating he was “looking for a naughty girl”.

The decoy promptly informed him that she was 12 years old; however, the defendant continued to send messages referencing sexual acts and self-gratification.

Roberts added the decoy on Snapchat, claiming to be 19 and living in England.

He again sent sexualised messages and, referring to the decoy’s age, said they were “never too young to start sending pictures”.

The defendant also told the decoy that he was having similar sexual conversations with a 14-year-old, Mr Dickens said.

Police attended Roberts’ home in Goodwick on 17 August, and he was arrested. He denied having a mobile phone, claiming he “had sent it off to Samsung to be fixed” but was “extremely vague” when asked for further details. Mr Dickens said no phone was ever recovered by police.

The 28-year-old Roberts pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child. The court heard that he had no previous convictions.

Hannah George, in mitigation, said the defendant showed “some degree of remorse” and that there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

“In the 13 months since he was interviewed there have been no further offences,” she said.

Ms George said Roberts had suffered “significant” shame and embarrassment as a result of the offences, and it had led to him losing his job.

He had previously been diagnosed with PTSD and suffered “deep periods of depression”, Ms George said.

She added that his contact with his young daughter “has been diminished” following these offences.

“You were in contact online with who you firmly believed to be a 12-year-old girl,” said Judge Paul Thomas KC, addressing Roberts.

“You have a two-year-old daughter. Just think how you would feel if a man in his thirties tried to have that sort of conversation with her in 10 years’ time.”

Roberts was sentenced to 30 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for two years. He must complete 35 days of an accredited programme and 25 rehabilitation activity requirement programme days.

He must also register as a sex offender for 10 years and was made the subject of a three-year sexual harm prevention order.