A dad wielded a fake gun while breaking into vehicles and threatening to "blow off" one car owner's head. Beer keg maker Paul Thomas went on the spree of break-ins after struggling to cope with his child not recognising him, a court heard.
The 20-year-old appeared to be trying car doors in Rhiwglyn Road, Ogmore Vale, at around 6am on October 22 last year when Leah Spanswick saw him through her bedroom window. When she shouted at him to get away from the car and called him a "scumbag" he replied: "Oh sorry." She called him a scumbag again and he reached into his jacket pocket to pull out what Ms Spanswick and her partner believed to be a handgun. The couple shut their windows and Thomas left the scene.
Prosecutor Roger Griffiths told Cardiff Crown Court : "Around 20 minutes later Christopher Padget, who lives on another street in Ogmore Vale, was sitting on his settee and heard a noise he thought was the delivery of milk bottles. He then saw the defendant sat in the driver seat of his Vauxhall Viva leaning across as if looking at the glovebox on the passenger side. Mr Padget ran outside, opened the passenger door, and shouted: 'Get out'.
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"The defendant responded: 'Okay, I'm sorry.' He got out of the vehicle and as Mr Padget walked towards him he raised his right hand and pointed what Mr Padget described as a handgun at him. The defendant said: 'I've got a family to feed.' Mr Padget backed away and the defendant ran off in the direction of a footpath with nothing taken from inside the vehicle."
Thomas' next offences came at 2.45am on November 12 last year in Pentre Beili Terrace in Lewistown. Lindsey Griffiths was at home with his partner when he had a call from his neighbour Diane who said someone had broken into his Renault Twingo. Seeing Thomas rummaging around in the car Mr Griffiths pulled open the driver's door but the defendant tried to pull it shut.
The prosecutor told the court: "He saw the male inside holding a silver Stanley knife in his right hand. He pulled the male out of the car and the male said to him: 'What the f*** are you doing?' The knife swung towards him in a slashing movement and caught his jacket. Mr Griffiths knocked the knife to the pavement. Suddenly the defendant had a handgun in his hand which Mr Griffiths described as no more than eight inches from his face.
"The defendant said: 'I will blow your f***ing head off.' Mr Griffiths grabbed hold of the gun, wrestled with the male, and punched him a number of times to the face. The defendant then ran off, picking up a child's scooter and carrying it with him."
Shortly afterwards police entered Thomas' unlocked flat to arrest him for another matter. They found him asleep on a small makeshift bed with dried blood on his nose, which Thomas said was the result of a fight the day before. Police saw a black handgun sticking out from underneath his pillow. Thomas said: "It's a lighter. I should have told you about it."
Although it turned out to be an imitation firearm the victims spoke about their fear that it was real. They said their experiences had left them struggling to sleep or leave their home at night. Ms Spanswick revealed the incident had a "huge effect" on her and her partner.
Thomas, of St John Street, had at the time been working part-time producing beer kegs. He admitted three counts of an imitation firearm offence as well as attempting to steal from the cars. He has previous convictions for affray — in which he shot a BB gun — possessing drugs, destroying property, and malicious communications.
Andrew Kendall, mitigating, said his client had been hit hard when he was released from prison and his daughter did not recognise him. "He had broken up with his partner who had stopped him from seeing his child," said Mr Kendall. "What Mr Thomas tells me is he struggled with this situation and turned to drugs to cope. He told me he had given up and didn't care about himself anymore. He knows that in no way excused his behaviour. He feels awful for the victims of the offences He has put himself in the shoes of the victims and appreciates what they must have felt. He has been going over it in his cells.
"He has found solace in religion. His partner's grandfather is a chaplain who has helped greatly. He has been seeing a chaplain while in custody and is back with his partner who sits at the back of court."
Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said Thomas' actions were intended to "maximise fear" in his victims. She took into account his remorse and young age but told him: "You left a number of people in fear of their lives." The judge jailed Thomas for five years and three months. You can read more court stories here.
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