A JUDGE has urged a Caldicot man to "find his place in the community" after a turbulent few months that saw him stabbed, get caught with cocaine, and smash a woman's windscreen with a rock.

Cardiff Crown Court was told on Friday defendant David Wayne Samuel had "had his head in the sand" since the three separate incidents last year.

The court heard how Samuel had been caught with 13 grams of cocaine when police stopped his vehicle last February 16.

Officers initially arrested Samuel for breaching existing bail conditions but then found a quantity of the Class A drug.

He had "sought to conceal some in his mouth" and dropped some on the floor, Joshua Scouller, prosecuting, told the court.

Then, last July 30, Samuel was cycling in Caldicot when he began "taunting and shouting abuse" at a woman and her daughter before riding off.

He reappeared later, with a passenger on his bike, and shouted "nice car" to his victim who, upon returning home, found "a large chunk of flagstone" on her car's smashed windscreen.

Samuel, 30, earlier admitted criminal damage and possessing a Class A drug, and in doing so was found to have breached an active suspended sentence order from August 2020 for dangerous driving.

The court was told how, in that incident, a police officer near Magor recognised Samuel behind the wheel of a Mercedes, in queuing traffic.

He approached the car, but Samuel "spun the wheels, revved heavily" and drove off, "swerving dangerously into oncoming traffic".

Other officers witnessed the defendant speeding along the B4245 in a "reckless and dangerous" manner, and police then began searching for him in the grounds of Caldicot Castle.

The court heard how Samuel was "at one point seen wading in the mud" of one of the nearby reens.

Harry Baker, defending, told the court Samuel had himself been the victim of crime when he was "attacked" and "stabbed" by three people who went on to be convicted for the incident.

The court was told Samuel's injuries in the attack – on February 22 last year – were initially thought to be life-threatening.

Mr Baker said Samuel had spent seven weeks in custody since his arrest and had been "making good progress".

"The most significant person in his life is his girlfriend, who faithfully attends every hearing she can," he said. "She wants to get him sorted."

The judge, David Wynn Morgan, told Samuel his being stabbed had "understandable consequences in terms of your reluctance to move in the community".

"With the assistance of the probation service you could be encouraged to find your place in the community again," the judge said. "I'm going to take that chance."

But he warned Samuel: "It's no good going around saying 'I'm a victim of crime, therefore I can get away with things' – it doesn't work like that."

He handed Samuel, of Newport Road, Caldicot, a 12-month community order including 15 days of rehabilitation activity, and for breaching the suspended sentence a 12-month conditional discharge.