Wannabe gangster poses with group of masked friends holding weapons

This is the moment a teenager whose "aspiration" in life is to join a gang posed for a photo with a group of masked mates. After pictures - some of which showed the youngsters holding weapons - were shared on social media a member of the public who saw them was so alarmed they alerted the police, a court heard.

Despite wearing face coverings 18-year-old Sergiu Stanciu and the other youths in the pictures were identified and tracked down by police, and when officers went to arrest the defendant he tried to escape by climbing out of a window onto the roof of a house. Swansea Crown Court heard Stanciu has a string of previous offences on his record including threatening with a bladed article, affray, burglary and sexual assault - and has been assessed as being a dangerous offender.

Ashanti-Jade Walton, prosecuting, said on December 11 last year a member of the public contacted South Wales Police to raise concerns about photos on social media showing five masked males with weapons apparently standing in an underpass or tunnel in Port Talbot. The youngsters were making an "M" symbol with their hands. The court heard that despite the face coverings police were able to identify the people in the pictures, and one was the defendant Stanciu who in some of the photos was seen holding an extendable baton known as an asp.

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On January 23 this year police went to Stanciu's home address to arrest him. The prosecutor said the front door to the property was opened by the defendant's mother who told officers he was in his bedroom. Officers found the door locked and their calls to open it went unanswered. Police then heard footsteps above them and Stanciu was seen by officers outside walking on the roof of the property. Officers told him to come down and the teenager complied. He was arrested and interviewed and denied being one of the males in the photo and denied possessing a weapon. The court heard he denied the "M" hand gesture the people in the photograph were making meant anything.

Sergiu Stanciu, of Sandfields Road, Port Talbot, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon in a public place when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has seven previous convictions for 12 offences including threatening with a bladed article, affray, burglary, sexual assault, public order matters, criminal damage, and possession of a knife. All his previous offences have been dealt with by community-based sentences including youth referral orders and an intensive supervision and surveillance programme. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter here.

Kate Williams, for Stanciu, said it may be that the photo arose from "youth bravado and posturing" and said the incident only came to light after the fact when a picture was posted online. She asked the court to take the defendant's immaturity into account and said it was her client's wish going forward to set a better example to his child.

Judge Geraint Walters said the pre-sentence report into the defendant made for "depressing" reading. He noted the teenager told the author of the report he carried weapons to protect himself and his family and said gang membership was his "aspiration". The judge said it was his suspicion that the "M" hand gesture seen in the photo was in some way a gang reference.

The judge said it was clear from the report hat Stanciu had struggled to adapt to life in the UK after arriving in 2018 and concerns had been raised about his "sexualised behaviour towards young girls". The judge said an experienced probation officer had concluded the teenager was at a high risk of committing further offences which would involve serious harm to the public and he should be classed as a dangerous offender, but he said given the sentencing powers available to the court for the offence of possession of an offensive weapon he was not able to pass an extended sentence.

With a 20% discount for his guilty plea Stanciu, was sentenced to five months detention in a young offender institution. He will serve up to half that sentence in custody before being released to serve the remainder in the community. The court heard the asp, which was apparently a gift to the defendant from family members in Romania, has not been found by the police. The other youths in the photo, who cannot be named due to their ages, have been dealt with separately.

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