'High risk and dangerous' man attacked four in Aberdare putting two in hospital

A "dangerous and frightening" man assaulted four men over two days and left two of them unconscious and needing treatment in hospital. His then partner also attacked a woman who tried to defend one of the men.

Aaron Lacy, 34, carried out his first assault at the New Market Tavern pub in Aberdare on May 6 last year when he smacked Anthony Pickard in the mouth, causing him to fall into a toilet cubicle. There had been some "history" between the two men but the assault came out of the blue. Mr Pickard needed five or six stitches inside his lip and pain to his back and ribs.

A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Monday heard Daniel and Bethan Trow were in Aberdare town centre on May 8 last year, where they attended a restaurant, bars and a nightclub. They were outside the club at around 2am when Daniel Trow was approached by Lacy and punched to the face in an unprovoked assault, which knocked him unconscious.

Prosecutor Jac Brown said Lacy had thrown four punches in quick succession as Bethan Trow tried to defend Daniel. She was pushed to the floor by Lacy but when she approached the defendant and his partner Natasha Williams, 27, she was assaulted by Williams who punched her to the side of the head.

Williams was restrained but broke free and got on top of Bethan Trow on the floor and hit her in the face several times. She went on to to hit the victim repeatedly again until she was dragged into a car by Lacy, which drove off. As a result of the assaults, Daniel Trow received swelling and bruising to the right side of his face and swelling to his elbow. Bethan Trow suffered bruising and swelling to her nose and forehead, had blood coming from scratch marks on her face and had a chipped tooth.

In a victim personal statement read to the court Daniel Trow said: "I don't feel myself a lot and I'm slow getting things done. I am more anxious and on edge a lot, it's put me off going out socialising. We were just out having a nice time and we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It makes you realise it can happen to anyone anywhere. It only takes one punch to end a life, you don't get back up and my daughter would have lost her father."

Bethan Trow said: "It's had a detrimental effect on me in more ways than one. I was physically unable to attend work due to headaches, swelling and struggling to stay awake. The first three days following the incident I did not leave bed, which caused strain on the family as I was not able to be a mother to my two children. I was shaken up and they were shaken up."

Following that incident, Lacy and Williams were driven to Aberaman but an argument broke out between the pair and Williams was struck and knocked to the floor by Lacy. Gareth Felton, Mark Harris and his brother Jamie Harris intervened but Mark Harris was punched by Lacy and knocked unconscious to the floor, causing his head to crack on the pavement.

Mr Felton tried to assist Mr Harris but he was struck to the right side of the face by Lacy. He threw three punches in retaliation but the two men recognised each other and Lacy left, leaving both of his victims lying on a zebra crossing.

Mr Felton suffered a cut to his right eye and a laceration to his eyelid, a cut to his head, bruises to the right side of his face, and a broken bone. Mr Harris had a wound to the left side of his head and swelling, and was unable to close his jaw. He suffered a bleed on the brain and there was blood on the left side of his skull.

In his victim personal statement, Mr Felton said: "I have found it difficult to accept what happened and it's caused me trouble sleeping and I wasn't eating... It caused me a lot of anxiety and continues to do so. I have lost confidence since the assault, I feel vulnerable and feel I need to prepare myself for when Lacy is released."

Lacy, Old Road, Neath, was arrested with Williams, of Lewis Street, Aberaman, at 3am, but Lacy had to be tasered twice after refusing to let officers into Williams' property. After he was tasered a second time, he continued to struggle and was pava sprayed.

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The defendant later pleaded guilty to charges of section 18 grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning ABH, assault by beating. The court heard he had nine previous convictions including wounding, assault occasioning AH and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Williams pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and the court heard she was of previous good character.

Nik Strobl, for Lacy, said his client had a "traumatic" childhood, and developed unresolved issues and PTSD. He said the defendant was willing to engage with counselling. Jenny Yeo, for Williams, said her client's offence was "completely out of character", for which she has lost her job, custody of her daughter and her good character. She said the defendant had been a victim of violence at the hands of her previous partner Lacy.

Sentencing, Judge Jeffrey Jenkins told Williams: "I hope you have nothing more to do with Aaron Lacy, a dangerous and frightening man." He told Lacy he was of a "high risk" of violence towards members of the public and of violence and harassment towards potential partners.

Lacy was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment and was made subject to a restraining order. Williams was sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a one-month tagged curfew.

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