Man throws bike wheel at police, but it hits his friend instead. She was seriously injured and needed hospital care.
Police attempted an arrest. Reef Byfield, 25 and a resident of Rhosllanerchgrugog, threw a bike wheel with gears still attached, aiming at an officer. However, the wheel hit his friend instead, striking the side of her head.
The impact caused her to fall, covered in blood, and she required immediate hospital care. Byfield was jailed for wounding and received a sixteen-month sentence.
A 999 call prompted the police response that afternoon of September 21, 2023, after a woman reported feeling threatened by a group. Many people watched as the situation became heated, the court heard. Police tried to arrest someone, but another person interfered.
When police tried to arrest that person, Byfield threw the wheel and mistakenly hit Lauren Roberts, causing her to fall unconscious. She sustained head cuts and bruises. Judge Niclas Parry addressed Byfield, stating that his actions escalated the situation.
The judge emphasized that kids, including very young babies, were watching and screaming. He highlighted that Byfield used a weapon with the intent to harm an officer. The judge noted that police were greatly outnumbered and the situation constituted serious disorder.
People were yelling at police, preventing officers from driving and stopping arrests. Officers, including women, were punched and felt unsafe. Ms. Roberts, Byfield’s friend, ended up hurt on the ground, and police tried to assist her there.
Despite feeling scared, officers helped Ms. Roberts, who went to the hospital twice and experienced vomiting. She, however, refused to provide a statement, said the judge. The judge told Byfield he caused significant harm and that his actions warranted imprisonment. The judge concluded it was bad and sentenced Byfield to jail.