A MAN has been jailed after homelessness led him down a "spiral of offending" ending in his jumping into the sea to avoid capture by the police.

Cameron Jones, of no fixed abode, appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court to be sentenced on Tuesday morning.

The 22-year-old, formerly of Wrexham, had previously admitted stealing a motor vehicle, two of driving whilst disqualified - one in new Road in Wrexham and the other in Glan Hwfa road on Anglesey - and escaping from lawful custody.

Amy Edwards, prosecuting, told the court that on May 13 this year, Jones took a car from a man named Gary Mold and drove it away without permission.

He was captured on CCTV driving it at Llangefni Service Station on May 30.

When police spotted the stolen car on June 4 and approached it, Jones was "hiding under a blanket reclined in the driver's seat."

Officers attempted to arrest him but he ran away, resulting in dog and drone unite being deployed to find him - but to no avail.

Then on June 6, he took another vehicle, which was recovered in Pwllheli some days later.

On June 16, Jones was spotted by police walking over the Gateway Bridge at Holyhead.

He ran again, before climbing the bridge railing and jumping into the sea, attempting to swim away.

The RNLI and police attempted to help him but he refused to get out of the water for some 20 to 30 minutes, before finally giving himself up.

Ms Edwards told the court that despite being just 22, the defendant has 23 previous convictions for 52 offences; 30 of which are for theft and similar offences.

North Wales Chronicle: Cameron Jones (North Wales Police)Cameron Jones (North Wales Police) (Image: North Wales Police)

Dafydd Roberts, defending, told the court: "His record of offending is shocking. There's no other word for one so young.

"But this is not a young man without prospects; he was released from his last sentence in January 2023 and remained in the Wrexham area.

"He gained work in a warehouse and accommodation.

"But he lost that accommodation and so had no stability.

"He was not able to maintain the employment he'd gained and so became homeless - and then came this spiral of offending and stealing cars, being found sleeping rough in one of them.

"It was a terrible state of affairs. 

"I asked him of his ambitions and whether it troubles him that he's in Berwyn and, to use his response; it's doing his head in and he wants to be better than this."

Mr Roberts said his client is a qualified scaffolder and has already identified an area in North Wales, away from Anglesey, where he would aim to move to following his release.

He added the 22-year-old simply wants to "get his own place, live a quiet life and start behaving."

"The escape was immature," Mr Roberts added.

"It was a spur of the moment thing. He was told he was under arrest and ran before officers were able to handcuff him.

"He was at large for a few days and yes there was the incident at Holywell dock where he had to be captured, but that probably just shows his desperation."

Judge Nicola Saffman told the defendant his actions had used up "precious" police and RNLI resources, but she accepted his escape from officers had been "impulsive."

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In total, he was jailed for 18 months and received a two year ban, to run concurrent to his ongoing one.

"Don't let this sentence crush you," the Judge told him.

"You have come to the end of the line. This is the straw that broke the camel's back for you.

"But use your time inside to reflect on how you're going to change things when you come out.

"You're not a man without hope. You have just made some stupid decisions here."