A TEENAGER from Holyhead has been sentenced to detention at a Young Offender Institution (YOI) after his “drunken, violent behaviour” saw him rob one person and repeatedly assaulted another.

David Martin, 18, of Tan Yr Efail, was ordered to serve 15 months at a YOI at Caernarfon Crown Court today (June 6).

He had previously pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

READ MORE:

Bangor University quartet to help demand for Welsh language teachers

Coastguard crews in North Wales looking for new rescue officers

Man’s body discovered by police at beauty spot near Bangor

Prosecuting, Richard Edwards told the court that, in the early hours of August 29, 2022, Rowan Jones had agreed to drive Martin home from Bangor to Holyhead.

It was agreed that Martin would pay Mr Jones £40 for driving him home.

While being driven home by Mr Jones, Martin insisted on sitting in the front passenger seat, and his behaviour throughout the journey was described as “very odd”.

He repeatedly turned the volume of the music up to a particularly high level, before switching it off, and shouted at Mr Jones to “slow down”.

When they arrived at Martin’s home, he opened a car door before shouting at Mr Jones: “Give me my f***ing money”.

NEWSLETTER: Get the latest stories from Gwynedd and Anglesey sent straight to your inbox by signing up here.

Mr Jones gave Martin the £40 back, before the defendant later repeatedly punched Jack Evans-Bundy, a friend of Mr Jones who had been sat in a rear passenger seat.

After Martin left the car, Mr Evans-Bundy had also got out to move to the front seat, but was punched to the head and kicked to the ribs by Martin while on the ground.

The assault ended when residents nearby heard what was transpiring and shouted at Martin to stop.

Mr Evans-Bundy sustained bruised ribs and a cut head and left knee as a result.

Martin had also committed these offences while subject to a court order following a previous conviction.

Defending Martin, who had eight previous convictions for 17 offences, Dafydd Roberts conceded that, in this case, the custody threshold had been passed.

He had a “troubled upbringing”, Mr Roberts said, having placed into the care system in 2013 “through no fault of his own”.

Martin was supported in court by his mother and partner, both of whom he has reconciled with after previous difficulties.

Mr Roberts invited the court to suspend Martin’s custodial sentence and afford him “one last chance”.

He said: “At long last, the relationship between son and mother is in a positive place.

“His record in the past is not impressive… (but) there is now evidence that he is able to comply with orders, and that he’s maturing.”

Sentencing, Judge Rhys Rowlands told Martin that immediate custody was the only option following his display of “drunken, violent behaviour”.

Judge Rowlands said: “There is some hope for the future in your case.

“(But) I’m afraid the time has now come, as an adult, that you’re going to have to take responsibility for what you did. Life has consequences, I’m afraid.

“You’ve been given repeated chances by courts in the recent past which you simply haven’t taken.

“That being the case, I’m afraid it’s impossible to draw back from immediate custody in your case.”