Man jailed after brandishing gun in Tonypandy McDonald’s

A man who brandished a gun in a McDonald’s before threatening a police officer with it has been jailed.

Jacob Jenkins, 29, Holly Street, Rhydyfelin, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was in McDonald’s restaurant in Tonypandy on 2 May when a group of youths spotted he was wearing stab-proof vest under his coat.

One of the group asked Jenkins if he was a police officer, to which he replied “marines” before showing them a pistol he was carrying.

The group then left the restaurant before reporting the incident to the police.

After leaving the restaurant, Jenkins was stopped by an officer on Gelli Road, but instead of surrendering, he pulled out the weapon and pointed it directly at the officer while shouting at him, before fleeing the scene.

Jenkins was arrested after he was found leaving a nearby construction site having removed his coat.

A search of the site recovered the coat along with two guns, which had been hidden under pallets, and which were found to be gas-powered ball-bearing (BB) guns.

A further search of the address where Jenkins had been staying also recovered another stab-vest and a tub of BB pellets.

At Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Monday, Jenkins pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, possession of an imitation firearm in a public place, and two counts of possession of a bladed article in public.

He was sentenced to four years and one month, with an extended period of three years.