Three men jailed after burglary and hammer attack

Three men have been jailed after breaking into a house and brutally attacking a man with a hammer and knife on New Year’s Eve.

Miles Bishop, Mohammed Ahmed and Timothy Bodell forced their way into a house in Lammas Street, Carmarthen, and beat the victim with a hammer and knife, before leaving him bleeding significantly as they fled the scene.

The three men, from Pembrey and Kidwelly, were arrested later that day, following a coordinated effort by Dyfed-Powys Police units.

Temporary Detective Sergeant Mathew Nelson said: “This was a particularly nasty incident, which saw the victim suffer significant physical injuries, and no doubt ongoing trauma.

“The three men thought up a plan to break into his home while disguised by balaclavas and using fake accents, before threatening to stab his housemate’s dog, and attacking him.

“The assault was so brutal that in his initial call to police, the victim’s housemate described there being ‘blood everywhere’ and feared his dog had been killed.

“What followed was a fast-moving operation across the Carmarthenshire division to locate and arrest them.”

An initial response identified a suspect vehicle leaving Carmarthen, and searches were carried out by armed response teams at houses in Burry Port and Llanelli.

Timothy Alun Bodell, aged 31, of Danlan Road in Pembrey, and Miles Bishop, aged 29, of Parc Pendre in Kidwelly, were arrested at a house in Burry Port.

Mohammed Ahmed, aged 19, of no fixed address, was arrested in Station Road, Llanelli.

Bodell and Ahmed admitted charges of aggravated burglary and were both sentenced to nine years in prison.

Bishop denied the offence and was found guilty following a three-day trial at Swansea Crown Court. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

T/DS Nelson said: “These offences were investigated thoroughly and expeditiously by Carmarthen CID, following a concerted effort to locate the three offenders by response teams in Carmarthen and Llanelli, as well as the firearms unit.

“Despite the victim withdrawing support of the investigation ahead of Bishop’s trial, he was found guilty by a jury.

“This result is testament to the quality of the investigation by the team, who gripped it and showed determination to present a strong evidential case, which led to a jury finding Bishop guilty of these serious offences.”