Nelli Bird

Former boxing world champion Joe Cordina pleaded not guilty at Cardiff Magistrates' Court to two charges of assault by beating arising from an alleged incident outside a petrol station in Pentwyn. Jamie O'Brien, also charged in connection with the incident, did not enter a plea. Cordina was granted unconditional bail, with his trial set for 13 October 2026, while O'Brien's case was adjourned to 26 August. Cordina had also been due to fight for the WBO lightweight title in the United States, but said his visa application was refused.

A 66-year-old man, Albert Williams, was charged with murdering Charlene Dowsell, who was fatally stabbed in the back on 18 July in Newport. Williams appeared at Newport Magistrates' Court and was remanded in custody ahead of a hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on 22 July. Gwent Police responded to reports of an altercation on the day of the attack.

A toddler who fell into a pond at Bryngarw Country Park was rescued by passer‑by Stefan Johnson, who pulled the unresponsive child from the water and began CPR before nurses Emma Brown and Kelsey Pirie took over. The boy regained signs of life as paramedics arrived and was taken to hospital in stable condition. The rescuers described the urgency and emotional impact of the incident, and Johnson urged wider uptake of lifesaving training. South Wales Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the near‑drowning.

A Newport man received a 12‑month suspended sentence, a driving ban and community penalties after admitting dangerous driving and fleeing the scene of a crash that left a pedestrian unconscious. Jordan Willetts had been riding an illegally modified electric motorbike the wrong way down a one-way street when he struck Sam Bevan and left him in the road. The court rejected Willetts’ account of events and highlighted the seriousness of leaving an injured victim behind. Additional penalties included unpaid work, a curfew and financial charges.