Faces of Newport and Caerphilly killers jailed in 2023

We look back at their cases.

Rebecca Press

A woman murdered her mother’s best friend after she plunged a knife into his chest.

Rebecca Press, 31, from Caerphilly killed 57-year-old Richard Marc Ash in New Tredegar when she was high on drink and drugs.

She murdered her victim after he tried to calm her down after she’d headbutted her mum during a family row.

Mr Ash suffered a heart attack after being stabbed.

Press, who changed her plea to guilty during her trial at Cardiff Crown Court, was jailed for life in January and told she will have to serve a minimum term of 20 years.

MORE NEWS: Woman stole teeth whitening products while working for dentist

Jamie Garwood

A man was killed after being punched unconscious by a single blow thrown by his friend.

Jamie Garwood, 34, from Newport knocked out Richard Thompson, 42, at the victim’s home in the city’s Tewkesbury Walk where cannabis was being smoked by the pair and others.

While unconscious those around him placed cigarette butts in his nose before an ambulance was called.

Mr Thompson died from a significant head injury in hospital six days later.

Garwood was previously charged with murder but later pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

He was jailed for six years.

READ MORE: Teenager threatened to chop up police officers and blow up his mother’s house

Darren Smith

A man who attacked a neighbour in his own caravan and then left him to die after setting it ablaze while he lay helpless inside was jailed for life.

Darren Smith, 43, murdered Richard Thomas, 52, at the caravan park where they lived in Magor, Monmouthshire.

The defendant claimed the two had been friends and Cardiff Crown Court heard how the pair had been drinking together during the early hours of December 20, 2021 before they fell out.

Smith was found guilty of murder by a jury after a trial.

He will have serve a minimum of 25 years behind bars after being sentenced in January.

Jay Webster

Jay Webster killed his best friend with a single punch after they had a “silly argument” during a night out.

He knocked Benjamin Lloyd, 27, to the floor in Caerphilly town centre with his victim hitting his head on the pavement.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how the pair were like brothers and that the defendant was “devastated” by his death.

The tragic alcohol-fuelled incident was captured by CCTV camera and the footage played by prosecutor James Wilson.

Webster, 28, from Caerphilly pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

He was jailed for five years and three months.

Carl Silcox

Carl Silcox was found guilty of brutally murdering his casual girlfriend with a broom handle.

It took a jury just over three hours to convict the 45-year-old alcoholic from Caerphilly of killing Adell Cowan.

The victim was found with horrific internal injuries in his bedroom at his flat in the town nearly following a savage assault.

Durin his trial at Cardiff Crown Court the jury heard how Silcox and Miss Cowan, 43, first met while they were employed at Poundland over a decade ago.

He was jailed for life with a minimum tariff to serve of 25 years.

Andrew Southwood

A convicted rapist and paedophile was brutally beaten to death with a plank of wood by his sister’s boyfriend.

Andrew Southwood from Newport was found guilty after a trial of the murder of 51-year-old sex offender Carl Ball following the assault outside his flat in the Duffryn area of the city.

Judge Mr Justice Martin Griffiths told the 39-year-old defendant: “The ferocity of your attack was terrible.

“Death was slow, painful and humiliating.”

He added: “There was cruelty in the attack. It was a public beating. It was a horrible death.”

Southwood was jailed for life and will have to serve a minimum tariff of 20 years.