A serving police officer from newport was part of a conspiracy to blackmail thousands of pounds out of two different victims, a court heard. Ray Clarke offered to provide security against a fictitious threat in return for a payment of £24,000 from one of the victims, who was a businessman. The 40-year-old has pleaded guilty to blackmail and been dismissed from the Police. He will now give evidence against three other people at Cardiff Crown Court. They are: Allan Cole, 45, Simon Somers, 48, and Anthony Holwell, also 48, who are all from Newport. Mr Holwell and Mr Cole deny two counts of blackmail against builder Mark Griffiths and gaming machine businessman Ronald Hancock. Mr Somers faces one count of blackmail against Mr Griffiths which he denies. The offences are alleged to have taken place last October. A fifth man, Mark Brogan, 37, has also admitted one count of conspiracy to blackmail Mr Griffiths. Prosecutor Huw Evans QC told the jury: "The prosecution say, ladies and gentlemen, that these defendants have involved themselves in quite a bizarre but quite determined plot to obtain money from the complainants in this case. "Firstly, Mark Griffiths, who these defendants seemed to believe to be dealing in drugs and in possession of a large amount of cannabis. "Secondly Ron Hancock, a local businessman who was known to keep a large quantity of cash at his home and was vulnerable to intimidation, being a very nervous individual and security-conscious, whose wife had not long given birth to their second child." Mr Evans said the motivation for trying to blackmail Mr Griffiths and Mr Hancock was because Mr Cole was in "financial difficulty and desperate for cash". The jury heard Mr Holwell, who ran a company called Lift and Shift, also had money problems. Mr Evans said Clarke, who had previously served with the Royal Marines and worked at HMP Cardiff prison before joining the police force, became involved in the conspiracy to help his friend Mr Somers.
'Crooked officers'
The prosecutor said Mr Holwell was the lynchpin of the conspiracy.
He added that Clarke, formerly a constable attached to the tactical firearms unit of South Wales Police, agreed to use his surveillance skills to track Mr Griffiths's movements.
Mr Evans said Brogan, a former brother-in-law of Mr Griffiths, was also enlisted to pass on to him a message that some crooked officers from the Metropolitan Police had photographic evidence of his drug dealing activity, together with an associate named Paul Nutman.
"Mark Brogan agreed to tell them it would cost £20,000 to £30,000 for those offences to go away and they should contact the Met officers on a mobile phone," said Mr Evans.
The prosecutor said Mr Somers was also later enlisted in the conspiracy to pass the same message on to Mr Griffiths.
'Local heavy'
The second complainant, Mr Hancock, owned a business supplying fruit machines to pubs.
The jury heard Mr Holwell had become a close friend of Mr Hancock over the last 10 years and would have been privy to information that large amounts of cash were sometimes kept in a safe at his house.
Mr Evans said that on 13 October Mr Holwell informed Mr Hancock that a "local heavy" had recruited a gang of "gypsies" to carry out a robbery at his house.
The following day Mr Holwell telephoned Mr Hancock to say he knew an ex-SAS officer who was part of a team of police officers who might be able to protect him.
A meeting was arranged that evening in a dark lane near Mr Hancock's home, where Clarke emerged from some bushes close to where they were parked.
He was posing as an ex-SAS soldier, armed with an imitation gun.
'Payment'
Mr Evans said: "He (Clarke) came to speak to Mr Hancock and said he could sort the problem."
At that point, the court heard Clarke produced a handgun which he later admitted to police officers was an imitation one.
"The effect, bearing in mind what was going through Ron Hancock's mind, of Clarke producing the gun literally reduced him to tears," said Mr Evans.
The following day Mr Hancock received a text to say a team of men were guarding his property and a payment of £24,000 in two instalments was required.
Mr Evans said the conspiracy was brought to an end when Julie Buttigieg, a close confidant of Mr Holwell's, told Mr Hancock that his friend was behind the supposed threat.
Newport Police officer in blackmail plot
Council U-turn over OAP allotment
Newport council which threatened to take away a pensioner's allotment because she was growing flowers has changed its mind. Edith Avery, of Rogerstone was told she may lose her plot because she must grow mostly vegetables. But after media coverage and pressure from her local MP, Mrs Avery, 89, said Rogerstone Community Council had had a change of heart. The community council said it had agreed to allow her to continue because of "special circumstances". Mrs Avery, of Cefn Road, Rogerstone, said: "I had a letter delivered by hand at 7.20am saying they've allowed me to stay and have given me my tenancy back." The widow, who was an RAF Coastal Command teleprinter operator during the World War II, added: "They said it was because of my age and my war record. Perhaps they felt a bit guilty. I'm very relieved and very pleased. It's looking great out there this morning in the sunshine." Earlier, nine MPs led by Newport West MP Paul Flynn signed a Commons motion criticising the community council for "petty, heartless, jobsworth stupidity". Mrs Avery previously said that she and her late husband had grown vegetables on the allotment for years, but she had gradually started growing flowers and shrubs because it was easier at her age. She spent two weeks worrying about losing her allotment as she was unable to get hold of the council and the deadline loomed for them to clear it away. Colin Atyeo, clerk to the community council, said: "The council had to terminate a number of allotment plots for non-compliance and the reason for that is that the council were of the view that allotments should be used for growing fruit and veg - and also to promote a healthy lifestyle for residents, which includes working the allotments. "However, when Mrs Avery's special circumstances emerged from correspondence, council agreed to allow her and another tenant to continue because of the special circumstances." He added the council had written to tenants a number of times regarding non-compliance and had advised it would terminate tenancies if people did not comply.
Coach fall fan opened door on purpose
A football fan deliberately opened the emergency door on a coach before falling to his death on the M5 motorway near West Bromwich, an inquest heard.
Daniel McFarlane, aged 22, from Newport died on January 31 after he opened the emergency door of the 49-seater vehicle while it was travelling south at more than 60mph near Junction 1 of the M5.
Daniel was part of a 37-strong coach party of fans returning to Newport after attending the Manchester United v Everton match at Old Trafford.
The inquest heard that before opening the door an argument had taken place after glass was broken on the coach.
At Smethwick Council House yesterday, trip organiser Darren Wallis told the hearing he had asked Daniel, who had been drinking all day, to clean up the glass but he refused.
The inquest also heard an argument broke out between Daniel and another passenger and as a result of this row Daniel had been told he would have to get off the coach at the next service station.
Mr Wallis said: “He walked down the stairs and I said “oi stupid, get off the door” and he said “you want me off the bus, I’ll get off here”.
Witness Lee Nicholas of Humber Road, said he saw Daniel jump out of the door and saw a car swerve to avoid hitting him, but he was then hit by a second car. A post mortem revealed Daniel, who worked as a shutter installer, died of serious multiple injuries, which included multiple fractures, haemorrhages in both lungs, his kidneys and his brain.
It also showed he had taken cocaine.
Pc Stephen Pearson said there was nothing the car driver or coach driver could have done to prevent the death and Daniel would have known he was opening the exit door and not the toilet door.
He said: “In order to open the door in the first place a concerted effort must have been made to do so.”
Black Country coroner Robin Balmain adjourned the inquest and issued two arrest warrants for two witnesses who had failed to attend the hearing.
Wyevale garden centre to become commercial nursery
The Wyevale garden centre in Castleston is to be convert into nursery to supply other centres in the chain. The company explained that the site on Newport Road will be turned into a nursery as it is just one mile from another garden centre in the Wyevale chain, Blooms Cardiff Garden Cente. The change also means that Castleton can supply plants to its other centres in Wales.
Wyevale chief executive Nicholas Marshall said: "Due to demand for British-grown plants and the fact we have another garden centre just down the road, we will be closing Wyevale Garden Centre - Castleton and converting it into a commercial nursery, so all of our garden centres in Wales can provide their customers with plants grown in Welsh soil."
Girl, 4, died from suffocation say police
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD girl found dead at her home in Maesglas appeared to have died of suffocation, police said today.
Gwent Police said they received early indications from a post mortem examination on the body of the girl named as Zoey Anne David.
She was found dead at her home on Bideford Close in Maesglas on Friday.
A 34-year-old woman, also named locally as Zoey David, was found nearby with serious injuries. She remained under arrest on suspicion of murder in hospital where she was being treated for her injuries.
Gwent Police said questioning of the woman would not begin until she was released from hospital.
A police spokeswoman said all relatives had been informed and Zoey’s grandparents would release a tribute.
Meanwhile, cuddly toys and bouquets have been left outside the home of the four-year-old which was being examined by police forensics experts.
Michael Schumacher is the Stig
Some say he is a greenkeeper at the Celtic manor others say he works at the civic centre one thing we now know he isn't from Newport in fact The Stig is former seven times formula one world champion Michael Schumacher or is he.
'Superhero' fathers climb cranes
Two men from the group New Fathers 4 Justice (NF4J) have staged a Father's Day protest by climbing cranes dressed as Banana Man and Captain America. David Hodge and Sean Wheeler scaled the cranes beside Newport Leisure Centre at 0700 BST on Sunday to highlight fathers' rights. Mr Hodge came back down at around 1000 BST and Mr Wheeler followed at 1045 BST and both were arrested by police. Matthew Starmore from NF4J said both wanted changes in the law. Mr Hodge, who was dressed as Captain America, had been apart from his three children for 15 years, said Mr Starmore. "He's not been a part of their growing up and he's gone through a great deal of psychological trauma because of it," he said. Mr Wheeler broke up with his partner last year and has full access to his son but decided to protest because he feels so strongly that the justice system is unfair, said Mr Starmore. He said he did not know what they had been arrested for but suspected it was for trespass. He said both men were taken to Newport central police station. Gwent Police sent officers to the scene to ensure the safety of the protestors and the public, they said. Traffic diversions were put into place.
Murder police wait to quiz mother
A woman, named locally as Zoe David, remains in hospital awaiting psychiatric tests after being arrested for killing her four-year-old daughter.
The 34-year-old from Newport, has not yet been questioned by police.
She was taken to hospital on Friday with serious but not life threatening injuries after officers found the body of her daughter Zoe-Anne in their home.
A post mortem examination is due to be carried out on Monday.
Neighbours have expressed shock at the death of Zoe-Anne and community leaders have urged people to remain calm in order to allow police to carry out their inquires.
Zoe-Anne's body was found in her bedroom by police after they were called by an ambulance crew who were treating her mother at a house in Bideford Close in Maesglas, on Friday lunchtime.
Ms David, who has an older son, was arrested and taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital.
Following the death, an emergency meeting was called by the governors at Maesglas Primary School where Zoe-Anne was understood to have been a pupil.
Police, who have carried out house-to-house inquiries, said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident and are informing family members.
Neighbours have described Zoe-Ann as a "lovely little girl" who was often outside playing with her friends.
Tributes have been left outside the family home.