Court: Six jailed after man stabbed in Rhyl attack

Ryan Tudor-Vincent, 22, the victim of the attack, suffered multiple stab wounds and was the target of “relentless” punches and kicks early on Crescent Road on Sunday, April 9.

At Caernarfon Crown Court today (October 12), Judge Nicola Saffman issued the following sentences:

• Llewelyn White, 18, of Maes Cwm, Rhyl, was jailed for nine years for possession of a bladed article in public, perverting the course of justice, and wounding with intent.
• Mother and daughter Sharon and Paige Roberts, 37 and 19 respectively and both of Y Berthlog, Trelogan, were each jailed for two years for affray.
• Callum Parker, 18, of St Davids Square, Rhyl, was jailed for one year for perverting the course of justice.
• Liam Babbs, 24, of Marsh Road, Rhyl, was jailed for 25 months for perverting the course of justice.
• Frederick White, 19, of Sandringham Avenue, Rhyl, was jailed for 16 months perverting the course of justice.

All of the defendants had previously admitted their respective charges.

Prosecuting, Siôn ap Mihangel told the court that, late on April 8, Mr Tudor-Vincent was at The Bodfor pub when his associate became involved in an argument with Paige Roberts.

Paige Roberts (Image: North Wales Police)

Paige Roberts was there with Llewelyn White, her partner, and she later punched Mr Tudor-Vincent.

After this incident, the parties went their separate ways, with CCTV footage showing Mr Tudor-Vincent making his way back to his supported accommodation on Crescent Road.

Mr Tudor-Vincent, who has autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, had been diagnosed with a fractured skull just days prior to this incident.

The two groups remained in contact via Facebook Messenger, and arrangements were made for them to meet later that evening in Rhyl.

At 11.38pm on April 8, Mr Tudor-Vincent told Llewelyn White: "All I tried to do was help your girlfriend... but you smashed my head on the floor."

Llewelyn White (Image: North Wales Police)

Llewelyn White replied: "You pulled her hair... come meet me now and we will smash your head in everywhere, you little woman-beater."

Sharon Roberts, who appeared to have booked into the Premier Inn hotel in Rhyl that night, later chased after Mr Tudor-Vincent along with her daughter Paige, and Llewelyn White.

Sharon Roberts (Image: North Wales Police)

Early on April 9, both females were seen to "repeatedly punch and kick him", while Paige Roberts appeared to record some of the incident on her phone.

Llewelyn White, using a knife, repeatedly stabbed Mr Tudor-Vincent, before later throwing away the victim’s mobile phone.

Closed circuit television footage played in court showed Mr Tudor-Vincent trying to return to his accommodation, but being prevented from doing so by Sharon Roberts, who kicks him to the floor.

Mr Tudor-Vincent is then seen being kicked in the middle of the road having fallen to the floor, before running away.

He then fell to the floor again, clutching his stomach.

A short time later, Llewelyn White and Parker left the scene together, and were walking along Elwy Street when Parker said: "f***ing drop that", before Llewelyn White drops an item into a grid.

That grid was later searched by police, and the 8.5cm knife used in the incident was recovered.

Llewelyn White then made his way to Babbs' address, where he spoke to him and, later, Frederick White, his brother.Liam Babbs (Image: North Wales Police)

His clothing worn during the incident was later set on fire by Babbs and Frederick White.

Police arrested Llewelyn White and Paige and Sharon Roberts later that evening; Llewelyn White having been found hiding in an archway underneath a bridge.

Sharon Roberts had stayed with Mr Tudor-Vincent at the scene until others arrived to help him; he was then transferred to the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

Crescent Road, Rhyl (Image: GoogleMaps)

Dr Brian Rodgers, a Home Office pathologist, found that he had stab wounds to his left anterior chest, his left shoulder, and to the front of his neck, extending to the left angle of his jawline.

One of the chest wounds had also caused interior injuries, with major bleeding in his left chest cavity.

Without prompt medical attention, Dr Rodgers said, Mr Tudor-Vincent’s injuries could have proved fatal.

In a victim statement, Mr Tudor-Vincent said he had told Llewelyn White that evening: "I've got a fractured skull. Can you not do this?"

He said he is "still very confused as to why I was stabbed that night," and denied pulling Paige Roberts' hair.

Mr Tudor-Vincent said he "tried to back off" from Llewelyn White, but that he was "still coming at me" and "punching me".

Having felt "really dizzy and sick" when walking back to his accommodation, he remembers shouting: "Please stop this," and seeing "blood dripping off my hands".

After realising he had been stabbed, he "just dropped on to the floor", lying on his back, shouting: "Help, I've been stabbed."

Mr Tudor-Vincent recalled being "in a state of panic", adding that his first thought was: "Oh my God; I'm going to die."

He was bleeding out on the floor, and felt "too scared to get back up".

Though he said his physical injuries have healed well, he added that, mentally, he is "not doing very well at all".

Mr Tudor-Vincent has experienced flashbacks, which have been "pretty hard to get past", and often occur when he looks at his hands.

He has had "lucid and vivid dreams of being chased with knives", and said he has suffered more nightmares in the last five months than in his entire life prior to the incident.

Mr Tudor-Vincent feels "anxious" when out of his accommodation and is "constantly looking over my shoulder".

"I don’t feel safe," he added. "I'm scared... I feel like I'm on thin ice.

"I don't know how to get rid of this trauma in my head. It makes me feel as though I don’t want to be around anymore.

"I'm happy to be alive, but I really didn’t want to come back to Rhyl (after being in hospital in Stoke)."

Defending Llewelyn White, who had 10 convictions for 32 offences, Simon Rogers said he has suffered from a "lack of positive role models" in his life.

A fractured relationship with his family led him to leave home aged 15, and move in with people with criminal records.

He was also subject to a youth rehabilitation order and conditional discharge at the time of the incident.

Representing Sharon and Paige Roberts, who had one and four previous convictions for one and six offences respectively, Ryan Rothwell asked if the court could consider a suspended custodial sentence in their cases, with a "stringent pack of conditions" attached.

Sharon Roberts, a mother-of-three, has "remorse" and "concern" for what transpired.

Mr Rothwell said this was perhaps evidenced by her staying with Mr Tudor-Vincent and rendering assistance to him at the scene, applying pressure to his wounds and body until police arrived.

Paige Roberts demonstrates a "level of immaturity", Mr Rothwell said, but also stayed at the scene and phoned for an ambulance for Mr Tudor-Vincent.

She is "embarrassed and ashamed by her behaviour”, he added.

Defending Parker, who had five previous convictions for six offences, John Wyn Williams said it is apparent from the CCTV that Parker "stands back from any violence" during the incident.

Callum Parker (Image: North Wales Police)

Mr Wyn Williams said: “Rather foolishly, he panicked, and rather foolishly, he used those words which meant that Mr White put the knife into the drain.”

Representing Babbs, a father-of-three who had nine previous convictions for 15 offences, Maria Masselis said it is "axiomatic", that the burning of the clothes was not his idea, given he had been "at home, minding his own business".

Babbs endured a "very traumatic childhood", Ms Masselis added, but has "clearly made concerted efforts as an adult to stay away from offending".

Defending Frederick White, who had one previous conviction for one offence, Simon Killeen said his client "stupidly, through loyalty to his younger brother," burnt Llewelyn White’s clothes.

Frederick White (Image: North Wales Police)

But he says that testimonials from his employer and family suggest that Frederick White, a labourer, is a “good, hard-working” individual.

Sentencing, Judge Nicola Saffman issued all six defendants with a 10-year restraining order, the terms of which are as follows:

• They cannot contact Mr Tudor-Vincent direct or indirectly.
• They cannot attend any premises, or grounds of any premises, which they know or believe to be occupied by Mr Tudor-Vincent as his usual place of residence.
• They cannot enter Crescent Road, Rhyl.
• They cannot refer to Mr Tudor-Vincent on any internet platform whatsoever, or encourage any third party to do so.

She told them: "In my judgement, it is essential and proportionate, given what has happened to him, that he feels he has protection in order to continue with his recovery."

Judge Saffman also now ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the knife used, the accelerant involved in the burning of the clothes, and Paige Roberts' mobile phone.

In addition, she described Llewelyn White as "very immature", told him he had a "leading role" in the incident, and said there was an "element of revenge" about his behaviour.

He had shown an "utter lack of remorse", she added.

To Sharon Roberts, Judge Saffman added: "Frankly, you were of an age and a maturity where you could have stopped this, and nipped it in the bud from the outset.

"But you continued to fuel the flames and became involved."