Thug brutally attacked military veteran in Risca

Joshua Rhodes, 27, was so angry and ashamed after being put in a headlock by military serviceman Ryan Thomson after an argument in a local boozer that later that evening he roped in two friends to go to an address where Thomson was located, where he would stamp on his head until he lost consciousness.

Rhodes and his two cronies, wearing balaclavas, turned up at the flat on Tredegar Street, Risca, where Thomson was staying on September 30 at 2am.

After gaining access to the property, they found Mr Thomson hiding in the bathroom where they forced entered and brutally assaulted him.

Mr Thomson was stamped on and kicked in the ribs.

Rhodes had a knife with him and before he lost consciousness, Mr Thomson remembers someone saying to him “next time we will cut you up!”

On the same date, police found 300g of cannabis on Rhodes' possession.

In an emotional impact statement, Mr Thomson said he believed he was going to die during the assault.

He said the attack by Rhodes and his cronies was more frightening than anything he had ever experienced in the military.

Mr Thomson says after the attack he has been left with aches all over his body and pain in his ribs.

Rhodes, of Elm Drive, Ty Sign, Risca, has 20 previous convictions for 37 offences, including being in possession of a bladed article, a number of burglary charges and a racially aggravated harassment offence.

Rhodes was sent down for over seven years for the attack (Image: Gwent Police)

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In mitigation, it was said while in custody Rhodes, who has never lived independently, had undertaken courses to deal with his anger issues.

It was also said Rhodes had suffered with drug and alcohol abuse from a young age.

Despite this Recorder Bruce Gardiner, didn’t look lightly on the offences.

Having pleaded guilty to charges at an earlier pre-trial plea and prep hearing at crown court, today, February 2, at Newport Crown Court, Rhodes was sent down for seven and half years for the offences, for which he will serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody.

Rhodes got seven and half years for aggravated burglary, seven and half months for being in possession of a bladed article and nine months for being in possession of cannabis with intent to supply – all sentences to run concurrently.

Editor's note: The original version of this article wrongly stated the that victim, Ryan Thomson, was in possession of drugs and that the attack happened at his address. This was entirely wrong. Mr Thomson was not in possession of drugs and the address was not his. We apologise for the error and are happy to put it right.