Crime

Criminal gang locked up for a total of 45 years

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

FOUR men have been sent to prison for a total of 45 years after being convicted of burgling a house in the St Mellons area of Cardiff in June 2023.

On June 14 last year the four men and a 17-year-old boy travelled to Cardiff in two hire vehicles with altered registration numbers.

Charlie Seeney and Thomas Hagans broke into the address and stole a safe which was hidden inside.

Simon Seeney – Charlie’s father – and Ras Thomas were also present with the two vehicles.

Detectives investigating the burglary were able to identify the hire vehicles and tracked them travelling from Taunton on the same day.

Unknown to officers at the time the gang had just committed an aggravated burglary in Taunton where they forced entry to an address with crowbars and machetes, forced the occupants into a house and to lie face down. The occupants were also assaulted. They made off with approximately £50,000 worth of jewellery from this address.

Using CCTV, mobile phone data and vehicle tracking technology officers were able to identify the suspects at an early stage and traced them to addresses in Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff.

Charlie Seeney (18) and Simon Seeney (42), both from Birmingham, but with links to south and west Wales pled guilty to burglary, aggravated burglary and assault before the trial started.

On Wednesday February 21 following a trial Thomas Hagans (41) from Birmingham, Ras Thomas (41) from Cardiff and Craig Shaw (34) from Birmingham were found guilty by a jury. They were sentenced today (April 3) at Newport Crown Court.

Ras Thomas received a 13-year sentence.
Thomas Hagans received 13-year sentence.
Craig Shaw received 10-year sentence.
Simon Seeney received 9-year sentence.

Charlie Seeney is now aged 18 but was 17 at time of his sentence. He was dealt with at Birmingham Youth Court and received a 12-month youth referral.

Detective Constable Rhys Perrett said: “I want to pay tribute to the victims of both crimes for their strength and courage throughout the investigation.

“This was a complex investigation in which South Wales Police, Avon and Somerset Constabulary and the Crown Prosecution Service worked to together to achieve the guilty pleas and convictions we have seen in Court.

“The sentences handed down at Newport Crown Court reflect the serious nature of the crimes these men committed. These dangerous individuals are now in custody for a significant amount of time.”

“The joint efforts South Wales Police and our colleagues in Avon and Somerset shows the dedication to keeping our communities safe by taking dangerous offenders like these off the streets for a considerable amount of time.”

Crime

Woman suspected of carrying heroin arrested at Carmarthen train station

Published

2 hours ago

April 30, 2024

Court Reporter

A JOHNSTON woman has been remanded in custody by a District Judge on suspicion of concealing heroin inside her vagina, with intent to supply it to others.

Carrie Davidson was arrested by police officers on April 19 on suspicion that she had travelled to Cardiff to collect the Class A drug before travelling back to Pembrokeshire by train.

Officers apprehended her at Carmarthen train station and arrested her on suspicion of trafficking drugs.

She was subsequently charged with attempting to conceal a Class A drug on her person with intent to supply it to others.

Since her arrest, Davidson has been kept in police custody and supervised on a 24-hour basis, as officers believe the drugs have been concealed inside her vagina.

“Last Monday a food-type bag was discharged from her vagina that did not contain drugs and two days later a further piece of cling film was discharged from her vagina, again containing no drugs,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan informed District Judge Mark Layton when Davidson appeared before Llanelli magistrates on Tuesday morning.

Ms Vaughan went on to say that Davidson has declined to have an intimate search carried out by medics and has also refused to have both a scan and an x-ray of her lower body.

Since her arrest, Davidson has been remanded in police custody and subjected to 24-hour monitoring by officers.

This week the Crown requested that she be remanded in custody for a further eight days while officers continue to monitor her.

The request was granted by District Judge Mark Layton despite an application from her solicitor for her to be released.

“The police have reasonable grounds to believe that you have drugs inside your vagina, and two items have already been ejected,” he said.

“Your refusal to undergo any form of scans on your lower body will suggest to me that the police application is reasonable and correct.”

Davidson, who appeared in the dock in a wheelchair, has been remanded in custody for a further eight days.

“Thank you,” she commented following Judge Layton’s decision. “I’ll now stop eating and drinking.”

Crime

Llandissilio man accused of making hundreds of child abuse images

Published

4 hours ago

April 30, 2024

Court Reporter

A 25-YEAR-OLD Llandissilio man has appeared before a District Judge charged with making 258 Category A images of a child.

Lawrence Lambert is further charged with making 123 category B images of a child and 135 category C images of a child.

The Crown alleges that each offence was committed between August 5, 2019 and August 5, 2022.

Lambert appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday, April 30, where he pleaded not guilty to each offence.

Following a request from Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson, District Judge Mark Layton declined jurisdiction in the case and the matter was adjourned until May 31 when trial proceedings against Lambert will commence at Swansea Crown Court.

No representations were made by his solicitor, Mr Michael Kelleher.

Lawrence Lambert was released on unconditional bail.