AN ARMED robber who attacked a driver with a hammer before later smashing his way out of a police station has been jailed.

Levi Gulwell also threw a plant pot through a woman’s window and tried to a headbutt a police officer during a crime spree in Newport.

The 37-year-old prolific offender appeared before the city’s crown court with 18 previous convictions for 64 offences already on his record, including 24 for burglary.

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Gulwell, formerly of Newport, admitted robbery, making threats with an offensive weapon, criminal damage, resisting arrest, escaping from lawful custody and stealing a car.

James Evans, prosecuting, said: “The robbery took place on March 7 on Caerleon Road, where the defendant was living at the time.

“He left his flat and approached a Ford Transit van and threatened the driver and demanded money and drugs.

“He produced a lump hammer and smashed the driver’s window and struck the driver about 10 times.

“The victim did not wish to make a complaint and it is believed he suffered a cut to his face.

“The driver got out, the defendant got in and drove off in the van which was later found two miles away.”

Three days later, Mr Evans said Gulwell got into an argument with a woman in Newport. He told the court: “He threatened he would come back and damage her property.

“He was as good as his word for he returned and threw a plant pot through her living room window, smashing it before riding off on his bicycle.”

The prosecutor said that Gulwell was arrested on April 17 when police found him at home.

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He told the court: “The defendant ran past them and then climbed on to a wall. He was pulled down and then started flailing his arms around violently.

“He attempted to headbutt an officer and tried to grab their PAVA spray. They were forced to use the spray on him and had to threaten him with a Taser before he became cooperative. The officers suffered cuts and scrapes.”

Judge Daniel Williams heard how Gulwell then escaped the next day whilst in police custody.

Mr Evans said: “The defendant was in the custody suite at Newport Central police station and was being seen by a nurse.

“He ran across the custody suite and smashed through a set of secure double doors and then went through another set of secure double doors, climbed over a wall and got away.

“He was at large for a relatively short period of time. He was back in custody 40 minutes after he got away.”

The court heard how it is believed he smashed his way through the doors by dipping his shoulder into them.

The defendant, of no fixed abode, also pleaded guilty to the theft of a Ford Fiesta in Newport on December 1, 2018.

Mr Evans said Gulwell also has two previous convictions for escaping from custody in 2012 and 2014.

Scott Bowen, mitigating, asked Judge Williams to take his client’s guilty pleas into consideration.

Gulwell’s barrister added: “The defendant has spent the best part of his adult life in custody. Drugs were the driving force for his offending.”

He was jailed for a total of three years and 10 months and ordered to pay a victim surcharge upon his release from prison.