A man described by a judge as a "one man crime machine" with one of the worst criminal records he had ever seen is back behind bars after his latest offending. Wayne Rogers, 43, appeared at Swansea Crown Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to handling stolen goods.
Burglary on Tontine Street
The court heard that in the early hours of April 11 this year, a resident returned home to his flat on Tontine Street in Swansea city centre after a night out with his brother to find a window open, suitcases outside the property, and clothing strewn on the pavement. Inside, the flat had been ransacked, with cupboards and drawers opened and searched. Missing items included four pairs of Nike trainers, Vans shoes, necklaces, clothes, aftershave, and food from the fridge.
The homeowner called police on 101 to report the burglary but could not get through. Later that day, the victim and his brother went to the nearby Nisa store on High Street, where they saw two men wearing some of the stolen trainers and clothes. When the victim's sibling approached them, both men made off.
Arrest and sentencing
Police were notified and began a search of the area. Rogers was located and arrested on nearby Matthew Street. A search of his home found the victim's white Nike trainers, identifiable by a distinctive red mark. CCTV footage from his accommodation showed him leaving at 9.38pm on April 10 and returning just after 2am the following morning with a pair of trainers under his jacket. In interview, Rogers "mostly answered no comment or remained silent".
In an impact statement read to the court, the victim said he had only lived in the Tontine Street flat for a short while and no longer wished to live in the city centre, asking the council to move him. He said his flat had been "trashed" and that until ill-health forced him to give up his job, he had always worked hard to buy the things he wanted.
Extensive criminal record
Rogers, formerly of Clas yr Onnen, Waunarlwydd, Swansea, but now of Alexandra Road, Swansea city centre, has 71 previous convictions for 184 offences including thefts, burglaries, handling stolen goods, going equipped for theft, affray, robbery, and aggravated vehicle taking.
In 2018 he was sentenced to 12 months in prison for taking a friend's car and "joy riding" around the country lanes of Gower while three times over the legal drink-drive limit. In 2021 he was sentenced to 16 months in prison for assault occasioning actual bodily harm for his part in an unprovoked attack on a man outside a shop on St Helen's Road, which saw Rogers and a co-defendant repeatedly punching and kicking their victim. His last conviction was in April this year when he was jailed for 12 weeks for three counts of shoplifting, including stealing more than £130-worth of basques and other lingerie from the Ann Summers shop in Swansea.
Andrew Evans, for Rogers, said his client had indicated from an early stage that he would be prepared to plead to handling stolen goods as an alternative to burglary, and asked the judge to take into account the time spent on remand.
Judge Geraint Walters told Rogers he had one of the worst records he had seen, with 71 previous court appearances, and wondered whether the defendant ever reflected on how much money he had cost the state over the years. He described the record as "shameful" and said: "You are a one man crime machine, and what you particularly like is dishonesty - you are a thoroughly dishonest and habitual offender. It is nothing to be proud of".
With a one-third discount for his guilty plea, Rogers was sentenced to four months in prison. The court heard that given the length of time he had been held on remand, his release is likely to be imminent.
