A SHOPPER was slashed with a machete by a thug during a trip to a busy town centre.

Luke Phillips was subjected to the horrific attack by Joshua Jones when he was with his family in Cwmbran in the middle of the day.

He could have died from blood loss had he not received immediate hospital treatment, Cardiff Crown Court was told.

Emma Harris, prosecuting, said: “The complainant Luke Phillips had been in the shopping centre in Cwmbran town centre.

South Wales Argus:

Gwent Police issued a public appeal to find Joshua Jones following the attack last autumn

“He was in the company of various family members, including his mother, his two sisters and the boyfriend of one of his sisters.

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“It was a busy area and at 2.30 in the afternoon, the group had been into various shops, including the Primark store.

“They were walking when they saw this defendant arguing with another male.

“A member of the group was able to identify the other male as being someone called Ryan.

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“There appeared to be an issue between the defendant and Ryan with the defendant asking for a lighter and accusing Ryan of grassing him up.

“There was shouting, there was swearing and there was clearly an altercation between the two males.”

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Joshua Jones

Miss Harris added: “Mr Phillips and his various family members walked around the corner of the shopping centre.

“As Mr Phillips got around the corner, the defendant got a knife, which he described as being a machete-type knife, from his bag and he swung it at Luke Phillips.

“He slashed Mr Phillips’ lower left leg. Mr Phillips fell to the floor.

“The knife had cut his trousers and his leg.

“At first he was not quite sure what had happened to him but could later see that blood was coming from a wound.”

Miss Harris said the victim was taken to the Grange University Hospital where he was treated for a 7cm x 4cm cut.

Mr Phillips needed an operation but was released the same day.

Jones, 28, of Maesglas Crescent, Newport, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article in public.

The offences were committed on November 10, 2021.

The court heard the defendant has a number of serious convictions, including possession of a firearm and robbery.

He was also jailed for 64 months in 2018 for an ammonia and knife attack in Newport.

Stephen Thomas, representing Jones, said: “There was no planning or premeditation.

“It was a single blow with the knife.

“The best mitigation is the guilty plea.”

Judge Neil Bidder QC told Jones: “This was the use of a highly dangerous weapon.

“It resulted in a permanent scar and in considerable blood loss.”

He added: “This was a very frightening incident.

“If this had not been treated, the victim would have died of blood loss.

“It was committed in broad daylight in front of members of the public and when you were on licence for another offence of wounding with intent.”

Jones was jailed for 10 years.

The judge passed an extended sentence for the protection of the public.

The defendant was handed a custodial term of six years with an added period of four years on licence.