R v Jonathan Rhys Davies

Facts

The appellant, Jonathan Rhys Davies, was sentenced in the Crown Court at Cardiff on 11 September 2025 by HHJ Rhys Rowlands for four offences. Shortly after his release from prison he stole from the same Boots store in Cardiff on three separate occasions: goods worth £628 on 5 August 2025, goods worth in excess of £1,500 on 6 August 2025, and goods worth about £1,055 on 7 August 2025. CCTV showed him entering with a large carrier bag, grabbing handfuls of goods with both hands and stuffing them into the bag before leaving. On the night of 5 August 2025 he went to the One Store in Cardiff and did much the same, but when a young shop assistant approached him he said "I've got a knife, stay back or I'll stab you", and shouted at another member of staff "Don't try to stop me, I have a knife" while grabbing at his pocket. Both assistants retreated behind a plastic screen. The goods taken were valued between £300 and £500. He was 35, with 39 convictions for 82 offences, including at least 49 offences of theft from shops. He pleaded guilty and received 3 years for the robbery, 8 months consecutive for one theft and 1 month and 4 months concurrent for the other two. He appealed against sentence with the leave of the Single Judge.