A TikTok prankster with tens of thousands of followers has been sentenced to prison after launching a frenzied attack on a shopper, which a judge described as behaving "like a wild animal".
Drunken Rampage Following Prison Release
Gavin Davies, 38, from Aberfan, Merthyr Tydfil, barged into a corner shop in the town on August 14 while not wearing a top. Cardiff Crown Court heard he had been celebrating his release from prison earlier that day and his recent engagement, leaving him heavily intoxicated.
Upon entering the shop on Merthyr Tydfil's high street, Davies immediately began pulling down boxes and causing extensive damage. He shouted, "I want to go back to prison," before attempting to swing at the shopkeeper.
"Fighting For My Life": Victim's Harrowing Ordeal
A customer who was in the store with his stepdaughter approached Davies and asked him to leave. In response, the defendant charged at the man, punching him repeatedly in the face and head. The assault escalated horrifically when Davies bit the victim on the nose.
The pair fell to the floor, where Davies continued to punch and bite the shopper as further stock was damaged in the struggle. The victim, who suffered multiple injuries and continues to experience pain in his wrist and thumb, said he believed he was going to die.
In a powerful personal statement, the man said his "world has turned upside-down" and he will never forget the look on his stepdaughter's face. He described Davies as a "monster" and stated he was "fighting for his life" during the sustained attack.
Social Media Persona Versus Courtroom Reality
The court was told Davies operates under the TikTok username "Ruthless Roofers" and has amassed over 31,000 followers. His social media feed frequently features prank and stunt content, including videos of him pretending to collapse in restaurants and diving into canals.
In mitigation, defence solicitor Jeffrey Jones said his client had been assaulted by another person before entering the shop and was in a "bad mood" due to drink. He noted Davies had a good work ethic and had participated in charity events.
However, Judge Paul Hobson condemned the "utterly disgraceful behaviour." Sentencing Davies, he said: "First you go in that shop and start to deliberately trash it. When verbally challenged you launched a ferocious attack on him, punched him, and bit him... This was you behaving like a wild animal."
Davies, of Ynys y Gored Road, Aberfan, had previously pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, affray, and criminal damage. On December 4, he was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment and made subject to a five-year restraining order against his victim.
