A LLANDYSUL man has been jailed for his part in a violent incident in Aberystwyth in May last year.

Jamie Langridge, Lee Lawton, Lloyd Govier and Robert Thomas have all been sent to prison for their roles in the disturbance on the evening of May 13, 2022, outside the Vale of Rheidol pub, while Jo Lewis was also sentenced.

Prosecutor James Hartson said that witnesses described the incident as “carnage” and were “shocked” by the violent brawl.

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Swansea Crown Court heard that Lawton approached Govier and his brother, Joseph Govier, on the street outside the Vale of Rheidol shortly before 8pm.

Lloyd Govier punched Lawton, and a violent brawl erupted.

Langridge grappled with Joseph Govier, with the pair falling to the floor. There, Lawton kicked Govier three times to the head, before Langridge unleashed “a flurry of punches”, hitting Govier in the face four times.

Mr Hartson said Govier was believed to have been knocked out by the kicks, but the prosecution accepted Langridge’s basis of plea that he was unaware that Govier was unconscious when punching him.

“Lee Lawton then leaves Joseph Govier and engages in a fight with Lloyd Govier,” Mr Hartson said.

Govier took refuge inside the Yr Hen Orsaf pub, before re-emerging wielding a glass bottle and attacking Lawton.

Lewis, who at the time was herself a pub landlord, picked up a chair and threw it at Govier out on the pavement. Govier then re-entered the pub, and Thomas threw a second chair at him – but missed.

Lewis had pleaded guilty to affray on the basis that she intended to stop the confrontation, but accepted her actions “were not necessary”.

Thomas and Langridge claimed their actions were in self-defence, but later pleaded guilty. Mr Hartson said their basis of pleas had been accepted, but told the court that Thomas “was no shrinking violet when he approached the Goviers”.

Tivyside Advertiser: Lee Lawton has been jailed for affray.Lee Lawton has been jailed for affray. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)

Lawton, 46, of Corporation Street in Aberystwyth, has 24 previous convictions for 39 offences.

“He is ashamed of his actions that evening,” said Freddie Lewendon, defending.

Mr Lewendon said Lawton had been using heroin since the age of 11, and had come “some distance” in addressing this since this offence.

Lewis, 40, of Pwllhobi Terrace in Llanbadarn Fawr, has two previous convictions for three offences.

Hannah George, in mitigation, suggested the offence was “out of character” for Lewis.

She said Lewis had been “abusing” painkillers at the time and had also been drinking alcohol after the end of her shift that day.

Thomas, 42, has 10 convictions for 31 offences. He is currently serving a five and a half year sentence for drug offences in Parc Prison – which was the address he gave to the court.

Ashanti-Jade Walton said Thomas “panicked” when he saw Govier with the glass bottle and that’s why he threw the chair.

She said Thomas was “making use of his time in custody” and had been teaching prisoners Welsh.

36-year-old Langridge, of Lincoln Street in Llandysul, has 22 previous convictions for 42 offences.

Ian Ibrahim admitted it was an “ugly scene”, but said Langridge’s involvement was limited. He added Langridge had not offended since.

Joseph Govier had been charged alongside the five other defendants, but was found not guilty of affray after he was knocked out “very quickly”.

He sustained multiple fractures to his eye socket and check, and a fractured jaw.

 Judge Geraint Walters described the defendants as “a large group of individuals who behaved like animals”

“I saw nothing of this sort when I was there for three years,” he added – having been a student at the university’s law school.

Lawton was jailed for 12 months, while Langridge was sentenced to nine months.

Thomas was handed a four month sentence, to run consecutively to the sentence he is already serving.

Lewis received a six month sentence, suspended for a year. She must also complete 90 days of alcohol abstinence monitoring and 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirement.

Lloyd Govier, 27, of Coed-y-Gores in Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, was jailed in July for eight months.