FIVE Newport men, including a police officer, conspired to blackmail a man they believed to be a drug dealer, a jury heard yesterday.

Anthony Holwell, 48, of Coedkernew, Allun Cole, 45, of Cae Brynton Road, and Simon Somers, 48, of Caerleon Road, appeared in Cardiff crown court accused of conspiring to demand amounts of money with menaces from Mark Griffiths in October 2008.

Prosecutor Huw Evans told the court, alleged co-conspirators Raymond Clarke, 40, of Western Avenue, and Mark Brogan, 37, of Malpas Road, had previously admitted the charge.

Mr Evans said Holwell and Cole, who are brothers-in-law, were both in financial difficulty and the pair met Cole’s life-long friend Clarke at a Castleton pub, to discuss a way of getting money.

Holwell told Cole and Clarke he knew two Newport drug dealers, Mark Griffiths and Paul Nutman, who owed him money, which he wanted back.

Clarke, a former Royal Marine, who was a member of South Wales Police’s tactical firearms unit at the time of the offences, was asked to use his surveillance skills to locate Mr Griffiths’ lock up where they believed he kept cannabis and money.

After several hours, the lock-up was found in the St Julians area of Newport, but when it was searched, the men found only building equipment.

They then decided to make Mr Griffiths believe he was under surveillance by Metropolitan police officers and offered to “make it all go away” in return for £20,000, the court heard.

Brogan, who was Mr Griffiths’ ex-brother-in-law, was seen at Mr Griffiths house and was known to Holwell as they were both in the scrap metal trade.

He agreed to tell Mr Griffiths and Mr Nutman they were being watched by police from London.

Over the next few weeks, Clarke sent several text messages to Mr Nutman, Mr Griffiths and his brother, Christopher, in an attempt to get them to pay the money.

Somers, a longtime friend of Holwell, helped to substantiate the story by saying he too had been visited by police who said they were watching Mr Griffiths.

Christopher Griffiths eventually went to the police after Holwell’s friend, Julie Buttigieg told him Holwell was behind the plot.

  • Holwell and Cole alsoare accused of conspiring to demand amounts of money from Ronald Hancock with menaces in October last year, a charge to which Clarke has also pleaded guilty.

The court heard Holwell had known Mr Hancock for around 11 years and was aware he was a vulnerable and nervous man, having been the victim of violent burglaries in the past.

Holwell knew Mr Hancock regularly kept large amounts of cash in a safe in his house from his gaming machine business.

Mr Evans told the court that Holwell, Cole and Clarke, conspired to convince Mr Hancock that he was going to be robbed by gypsies.

Holwell told Mr Hancock of the plot and when Hancock asked him to help, he told him he knew a former-SAS man who could assist, said Huw Evans, prosecuting.

They allegedly drove to a lane close to Mr Hancock’s Ponthir home, where Clarke emerged from the undergrowth and agreed to help protect Mr Hancock.

The next day, Mr Hancock received a message from Clarke saying the gypsies had been dealt with and asking for £24,000 for his services.

Mr Evans said Holwell had told Ms Buttigieg of the plot and she visited Mr Hancock and his partner and told them.

Proceeding