### Swansea Man Jailed for Falsely Accusing Friend of Armed Robbery
A man from Swansea has been handed a three-year prison sentence after fabricating an armed robbery allegation against a former friend, which resulted in a costly and time-consuming police investigation, and saw an innocent person spend 14 hours in custody.
Anthony Dean Merriman, aged 52, of Eiddwen Road, Penlan, appeared at Swansea Crown Court on charges of perverting the course of justice. The judge described his actions as “quite simply wicked” and condemned the deliberate “malicious lies” Merriman told in what was said to be a revenge attack against Adam Phillips, his friend and the falsely accused.
The court heard that the incident stemmed from a night on 8 January last year when Merriman and Mr Phillips, then on amicable terms, had spent the evening together socialising. However, events took a dark turn soon after, when Mr Phillips contacted police alleging Merriman had assaulted him. Merriman was arrested on 14 January and interviewed, but the case was quickly dropped, and he was informed that police would be taking no further action.
Seemingly not content with this outcome, Merriman then contacted emergency services a couple of days later, claiming that Mr Phillips and another, unknown individual had robbed him at screwdriver-point. He detailed the supposed attack, telling officers that Phillips had pointed the screwdriver at his eye and had even placed the tool inside his mouth, threatening him with serious harm. Merriman also claimed his wallet, keys and prescription medication had been stolen during the encounter.
Police responded to the complaint with concern, attending Merriman’s residence to take a full statement and collect the screwdriver he presented as evidence, alleging it had been discarded by his attackers. During this time, Merriman appeared visibly distressed, telling police he had been left badly shaken by the ordeal. According to officers, he claimed to have washed his face with bleach, making it impossible to retrieve any forensic evidence.
The following day, Merriman provided additional details to officers at Penlan Church. He replayed the story of being confronted and robbed while cycling home, with Mr Phillips once again at the centre of the allegations. According to Merriman, Phillips and the second individual had blocked his path, threatened him, and made away with his possessions, leaving him feeling fearful and traumatised.
As a direct consequence of these statements, Mr Phillips was detained on suspicion of robbery. He robustly denied any involvement, providing an alibi that, according to police investigations, checked out. CCTV footage obtained from Jeffreys Court flats demonstrated that Phillips had not left his property during the timeframe in question, casting significant doubt on Merriman’s claims.
Upon realising that the facts did not corroborate Merriman’s version of events, police moved to arrest him for making a false report. Initially, he remained elusive, but eventually, he contacted authorities to withdraw his allegation, citing concerns for his personal safety and describing it as “more hassle than it’s worth”. When formally questioned, Merriman persisted with his story but tried to excuse discrepancies by claiming to have suffered brain damage, which he suggested was responsible for his confusion and memory problems.
A check of his medical records, however, refuted this, further undermining his credibility as a witness and complainant. The investigation revealed that the wild goose chase initiated by Merriman’s falsehood consumed no less than 45 police hours, involving detailed interviews, evidence gathering, and CCTV analysis.
Tragically, Adam Phillips, who had spent 14 hours wrongfully detained, died before he was able to give a formal victim impact statement to the court.
Merriman pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice on the day of his trial. The court was informed of his 18 prior convictions for 23 offences, many relating to theft. His most recent conviction prior to this incident had been in 2021, for breaching a restraining order.
Sentencing him to three years in custody, Judge Paul Thomas KC underlined the gravity of the damage caused—not only in terms of resources squandered, but more importantly for the impact on an innocent man’s life. With credit given for his late guilty plea, Merriman is set to serve up to half of his sentence before being considered for release on licence.
The case starkly illustrates the significant consequences that can arise from making false allegations, and highlights the immense pressure such actions place on both the innocent accused and the justice system.