Two brothers jailed in golf club attack

Two brothers have been jailed for attacking two men with a golf club while the victims were asleep.

Graham Scott Phoenix Evans, aged 21, and Joshua Evans, aged 22, from Pontyates, left the victims with head and face injuries when they fled the blood-splattered scene.

Dyfed-Powys Police were able to track down the brothers, along with 23-year-old Rowan Stephens, through diligent CCTV and digital enquiries conducted during a two-month search for the suspects.

Officers were called to a house in Carmarthen at around 6.20am on September 23, 2020, following a report that three men had forced their way into a house in Carmarthen and assaulted two brothers while they slept.

OIC DC Jamie Pike said: “Officers immediately attended and spoke with the victims, who were visibly distressed by what they had been through.

“They explained that they had been asleep when the attack was launched, however one of the victims was able to identify who he believed was responsible.

“Information was swiftly sent to colleagues in the area to keep observations for the suspects, and the house was searched for any potential forensic evidence.”

Joshua Evans was the first suspect to be arrested after he was spotted in Llanelli two days after the incident.

His home was searched, with officers finding a set of golf clubs at the address. DC Pike identified the golf club used during the incident to be a part of this set.

His brother Scott Evans and friend Rowan Stephens, however, remained unaccounted for. Digital enquiries were carried out as it was apparent the pair were active on social media, a public appeal was circulated asking for information about their whereabouts, and all known associates were contacted for information.

DC Pike said: “A large number of enquiries were carried out to locate the pair, with inputs from officers in various departments across the Carmarthenshire division and headquarters.

“Evans found hiding under a bed at his home address on November 11 after posting on Snapchat that he was there having his hair cut. He continued to post on social media throughout the investigation, all the while knowing he was wanted by police. He was playing a game of cat and mouse, but eventually his game came to an end thanks to officers’ work.

“As he was wanted on recall to prison for a previous offence, he was charged and remanded to custody.”

Stephens was arrested five days later after eventually handing himself in following persistent police address checks. 

The three men were charged with assault causing actual bodily harm, which they admitted at court. The Evans brothers were sentenced to 21 months each in prison, while Stephens was handed a 32 week sentence suspended for 18 months.