A MAN accused of being a violent gang leader and whose presence in Newport caused a political furore after it was revealed has appeared in court charged with obstructing a police officer.

Joland Giwa, 25, of York Place, Newport, appeared at the city’s Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing a constable in execution of duty.

It relates to an incident in July this year, for which he is already serving a 12-month conditional discharge for possession of a class B drug. One count of assaulting a constable was dropped.

The court was told that on July 2, Giwa was sitting in a children’s play park alongside a friend when he was approached by PC Andrew Dabinette of Gwent Police, who thought Giwa’s presence there was “strange”, defence lawyer Paul Morris told the court.

The court heard how the officer asked: “All right? What are you up to?”.

Giwa then ran off and was chased by the officer who cornered him in a fenced area on Beaufort Terrace.

Mr Morris added Giwa tried to jump over the fence when he was taken down by the officer. Giwa’s shoe and jacket were taken off in the commotion and he ran off having left his bag at the scene. Officers later discovered the bag contained a quantity of cannabis, the court was told.

He was fined £55 and ordered to pay £20 victim surcharge.

Giwa, alleged to be general of Croydon’s largest criminal gang, Don’t Say Nothing, had been in immigration detention for more than four years after completing a 27-month prison term for two robbery convictions when he was relocated to Newport following a failed deportation attempt by the Home Office earlier this year.

Sergeant Darin Birmingham, who led a Metropolitan Police gangs unit, called him a “serious threat to the public and other young people”.

His relocation to Newport sparked outrage among local politicians and residents, prompting Newport West MP Paul Flynn to write to the Home Secretary demanding answers over why local politicians had not been consulted on the move.

In the letter Mr Flynn wrote: “If unpalatable decisions are unavoidable, London should be responsible for its own problems and not seek to dump them on Wales and Newport.”

But speaking to the Argus in January of this year, Giwa said he meant no harm to Newport.

He said: “I never think I’m perfect but I think the way I’ve been targeted is worse than a terrorist. I have never killed anyone. I’m not a violent person. Nobody is scared of me. I’m not a harm to the public.”