Gareth Jasons demanded one of his victims give him his phone, wallet and bank card and then forced him to go to the Co-Op cashpoint where he made him withdraw £200 and £250 later that day, not even letting him have time to put his shoes on
A man from Newport with an “extensive” antecedent history showed up with a man in a balaclava at the house where two people he knew were staying and made threats, punched them and stole money and belongings. Gareth Jasons, 45, stormed their home at 3am after threatening violence against them the day before and left one of them missing a tooth.
Jasons was charged with burglary, actual bodily harm, robbery, theft and possession of a bladed article and pleaded guilty on all counts.
Tom Roberts, prosecuting, told Newport Crown Court that on June 25, 2024, Jasons went to the house of two people he knew, Simon Hadfield and Kelly Becher – one of whom he had known since childhood.
When he went to the house they had a verbal disagreement and Jasons made threats of violence against them. He was asked to leave.
The court heard that on the following day, June 26, 2024, at 3am, Jasons went to the house and “carried out the threats”. Simon Hadfield was in his bedroom and Kelly Becher was asleep on the sofa.
Mr Hadfield opened the door to Jasons and another man in a balaclava who pushed their way into the house. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here.
The court heard Jasons knocked Ms Becher’s tooth out and left her with significant bruising to her face, which she said was “in agony” for the following days. He then picked up a knife and said he was going to kill her. The knife touched her arm causing a graze. Jasons also instructed his accomplice to punch Mr Hadfield.
Jasons took her handbag and demanded Mr Hadfield give him his phone, wallet and bank card and then forced him to go to the Co-Op cashpoint where he made him withdraw £200 and £250 later that day, not even letting him have time to put his shoes on.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Becher said the loss from her handbag had been “beyond the monetary value”. She said: “I thought Gareth was going to kill me and I have never been so scared in my life.”
Ms Becher now suffers nightmares every night as a result. She added: “This happened in my own home and I still live here which can be tough.”
The court heard that Jasons had “a string of previous convictions”, including for similar offences.
Jac Brown, defending, said Jasons had never had much hope as a child. He explained there had been domestic abuse in his family home, he was moved into care at the age of seven and had suffered with a “chronic drug addiction”.
During sentencing, Judge Matthew Porter-Bryant said the victims were at home and “entitled to feel safe”. He continued: “They both speak of the physical and emotional pain you caused them.”
The judge said Jasons had a “deplorable record” dating back to the 90s and this had been his third dwelling house burglary.
Jasons, of Monnow Way, Newport, was sentenced to 84 months in prison. Judge Porter-Bryant said robbery was the lead offence to which he was sentenced to 58 months, alongside concurrent sentences for burglary and theft, and 26 months consecutively for actual bodily harm.