A MAN who caused more than £20,000 worth of damage in an overnight rooftop standoff with police has been jailed.

Benjamin Evans, of no fixed abode, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Tuesday for sentence.

The 28-year-old had previously admitted a raft of offences - including causing a public nuisance, affray, two of common assault and four of criminal damage.

Catherine Elvin, prosecuting, told the court all of the offending arose out of one incident, which began in Blaenau Ffestiniog at around 10.45pm on September 9.

Police were called out after Evans was reported to have punched a man to the face three times after accusing him of sending messages to his girlfriend.

When officers arrived, Evans had climbed onto the roof of flats in Manod Road.
He initially said he was "taking part in a peaceful protest," but that changed very quickly.

Officers tried to engage with him and talk him down, but Evans became more and more abusive and hostile as the night went on.

He told the police: "I'm going to start ripping slates off - every single one of these cars is getting written off."

Evans made good on his threat, hurling down slates and a tirade of foul verbal abuse - some of which was homophobic and racist in nature.

Through the early hours of the following morning, a negotiator attempted to de-escalate the situation, but Evans threw a slate which just missed her.

"I don't give a f***," Evans told her, "I hope it hits you in the f****** face."

And he told an Inspector who had come to the scene: "I want to split your f****** head open."

Police closed the road as the defendant continued pulling tiles off the roof and flinging them towards the officers below.

In the process, numerous vehicles were damaged - including police cars.

One man was also hit on the arm by a slate, causing grazing.

The community was impacted by the road closure and one woman who had been discharged from hospital after giving birth was unable to return to her home with her new born baby for fear of the danger Evans posed to all in the street.

The defendant didn't leave the roof for 17 hours - with the incident reaching almost 5pm on September 10.

He was eventually apprehended by offices after moving through a skylight.

North Wales Chronicle: Benjamin Evans (NWP)Benjamin Evans (NWP) (Image: NWP)In all, 44 officers attended the incident through the night and day, with one describing the scene as "something like a warzone."

As well as constables, the incident was attended by Inspectors, Sergeants, drone officers, negotiators, PCSOs and dog handlers - all of which was estimated to have cost North Wales Police £8,917 and diverted significant resources away from other areas.

The total value of his criminal damage - taking into account the police and non-police vehicles, as well as the roof - came to more than £20,000.

John Wyn Williams, defending, told the court: "This was a serious piece of public nuisance and I have to accept that custody is inevitable."

He explained his client had paranoid schizophrenia and other mental health issues, adding: "Throwing those slates in the manner he did, it's very fortunate no one was seriously injured - more through luck than judgement.

"He had the good sense to plead guilty.

"I ask Your Honour to take into account his mental health and credit for his guilty pleas."

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Judge Nicola Saffman told the defendant: "I understand you are suffering from a long term chronic mental disorder of paranoid schizophrenia.

"I am in no doubt you're indeed someone who suffers from a mental disorder but it is your duty to take your medication and comply with treatment, which you were not - and still are not doing."

Judge Saffman handed down a custodial sentence of three years and nine months.

A five restraining order was handed down to protect one of his victims - which will also prevent him from entering Manod Road.

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Eifion Patchett said: “This incident caused a significant impact on both the local community and emergency services.

“Evans’ reckless behaviour put the residents of Penygwyndwn and Ffordd Manod at great risk of harm and caused the closure of a busy section of a main road for a number of hours, as well as causing significant damage to a number of police vehicles.

“I’d like to thank the local residents for their support during what must have been a frightening incident.

“We hope that the outcome today provides reassurance for those whose weekends were disrupted by Evan’s behaviour and thank them for their support during the investigation.”