**Mountain Ash Man Sentenced for Series of Violent and Racist Offences in Cardiff Bay**
A 21-year-old man from Mountain Ash has been handed a two-year community order after a spate of aggressive incidents in Cardiff Bay, which included assaults on both his partner and a bystander, as well as racially abusing a police officer. The sequence of events culminated in his arrest and subsequent appearance at Cardiff Crown Court earlier this week.
The trouble began on 23 September last year, when members of the public in Cardiff Bay witnessed Cyle Kidner’s abusive behaviour towards his partner. Witnesses described Kidner as shouting aggressively at his visibly distressed partner, whose upset state prompted concern among onlookers. One witness reported the distressing sight of the young woman crying as Kidner’s shouts rang out, including instructions for her to leave him alone.
When Kidner’s partner reached out to him, hoping for comfort or resolution, he reportedly slapped her hand away. This action was noticed by a passerby, who intervened to check on the woman’s wellbeing. The defendant’s response was to confront the good Samaritan with hostility, issuing explicit verbal threats and physically pushing the man. Even as the concerned bystander tried to de-escalate the situation, Kidner’s aggressive behaviour only appeared to worsen, with threats directed not just at the individual but also at others nearby.
The matter escalated further later that same afternoon when the couple booked into a room at St David’s Hotel. The woman’s continued distress led hotel staff to alert the authorities. Upon arrival, police officers found Kidner’s partner in a state of agitation and distress. When they attempted to arrest Kidner, he resisted, refusing handcuffs and trying to prevent officers from taking his mobile phone. At one point, he exclaimed to the officers that they did not know who he was, expressing disdain for their authority.
During the ensuing struggle, Kidner attempted to flee and struck one of the officers on the arm in his efforts to escape. Once detained and transported to the Cardiff Bay custody suite, Kidner continued his aggressive conduct, directing racist abuse at one of the officers involved in his arrest.
The court heard in detail the impact of Kidner’s racist outburst. In a statement read aloud during the hearing, the officer targeted by the abuse described feeling “embarrassed, insulted and humiliated,” stating that, as a police officer, he should not be subject to personal attacks or derogatory language while on duty. The effect of the defendant’s words, he said, left him feeling harassed and angry.
Despite pleading guilty to charges including two counts of assault by beating, assaulting an emergency worker, and racially or religiously aggravated harassment, Kidner was described in court as previously of good character. His defence acknowledged that his time in custody had been difficult and claimed the experience had already had a profound effect on him, describing it as a “salutary experience” for the young defendant.
In passing sentence, Judge Shomon Khan did not mince words, labelling Kidner’s language as “vile racist language” and admonishing the defendant to feel shame for his actions. Alongside the community order, Kidner was also made subject to an alcohol abstinence requirement and a ten-day rehabilitation activity requirement, measures aimed at addressing some of the underlying causes of his behaviour.
This case comes amid ongoing concerns across Wales and beyond regarding the rates of domestic violence and the abuse faced by emergency service workers. Police representatives have repeatedly called for greater protection and support for officers and victims alike, highlighting cases such as this as evidence of the daily risks faced by those in the force.
As the city reflects on this incident, it serves as a stark reminder of the complex intersection between domestic abuse, public violence and hate crime. The hope remains that substantial community interventions, alongside individual sentencing, will help address the root causes of such disturbing behaviour in the future.