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Drunk Welshman scales 98ft bridge over the Menai Straits to escape police

A pub-goer who climbed to the top of a 98ft suspension bridge to escape police after being refused a drink in a pub has been jailed.

Video footage captures Craig Lee Jones, 31, walking along the railings to the highest point of the Menai Suspension Bridge, where he remained for an hour.

The clip, from Sunday September 15, shows him climbing up to the highest point, with his arms outstretched, then wandering around on the top with his hands in his pockets.

Bangor resident Jones can be seen sitting down on the stone plinth in Anglesey, Wales, taking his shirt off, and then jogging down the sloped bridge support.

The closure of the bridge resulted in additional pressure on the nearby Britannia Bridge causing long traffic queues that delayed drivers by more than two hours.

When Jones climbed back down after an hour he smashed a bottle and put the glass to his throat but police used a Taser to arrest him.

Craig Lee Jones
Craig Lee Jones

According to a report in The North Wales Chronicle, Judge Huw Rees told Jones that his actions were "unbelievable, crassly stupid. I have never come across anything so recklessly stupid in my life".

Jones, who had previous convictions including for violence, was sentenced to eight months in prison at Caernarfon crown court.