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WHEN THE POLICE REACHED THE HOME AND ASKED GARETH NEALE WHAT HE WAS DOING, NEALE SAID HE “JUST WANTED SOME FOOD AND A FEW BITS” 02:00, 31 May 2025 A woman hid under her bed covers fearing

for her life while a man ransacked her house. The horrifying incident happened at Waungron Road in the Fairwater area of Cardiff on February 17 this year when a woman woke at quarter to four

in the morning to loud banging downstairs, Cardiff Crown Court heard on Thursday. The woman was in the property alone save for her vulnerable elderly father-in-law who she was caring for

while her husband was away. In a statement, the woman told the court she did not know whether what was happening downstairs in her home was a very loud burglary or whether it was someone who

was targeting the house or her and her family in a potentially deliberate act. Terrified, the woman said she decided to hide under her covers and remain as silent as possible while she

called the police. Officers from South Wales Police arrived within minutes, during which time serial burglar Gareth Neale, 47, who is homeless, rummaged through her property without even

caring about doing so quietly. Ben Jones, prosecuting, told the court police reached the home and asked Neale what he was doing. Neale said he “just wanted some food and a few bits”. The

officers arrested Neale and found in his possession a jewellery box, some earphones, a purse with cash in and, oddly, a box of tweezers, all belonging to the woman. They found he had also

arrived at the property equipped with tools consistent with burglary. The woman told the court she has regular panic attacks as a result of what happened and often cannot stop thinking about

it. “This incident will take me a long time to recover from,” she said. She added: “The officers were there within minutes and they were so professional and supportive during what was the

scariest experience of my life. They should be very proud.” The court heard Neale, who is known to police for similar incidents across the region, had been released from prison in June 2024

and was subject to licence conditions when he burgled the woman’s home in February. He has 57 previous convictions for 132 offences. 76 of them are theft or dishonesty offences and 17 of

them for drug offences. Harry Baker, for Neale, said his client didn’t plead guilty until shortly before a trial was due to begin but that was because Neale wanted to get onto a wing in

prison where he’d be prioritised for a specific drug rehabilitation programme. The defendant claimed he could only get onto that wing in the prison if he pleaded not guilty. “He has been

addicted to various substances all of his life,” said Mr Baker. “He wanted to change. But it appears that has not been successful.” The writer of the pre-sentence report informed the court

that after assessing Neale he did not believe the defendant was ready to be dealt with via a drug rehabilitation programme due to a “decline in his behaviour”. Mr Baker continued: “It is

with disappointment on his part that he is now before you having messed that up. I would add that it is also in the pre-sentence report that there is a possibility he could be dealt with

without immediate custody although I understand if you would consider that a risk. He is clearly a man with huge drug problems.” Judge David Payne told Neale in the dock: “You’ve been

subject to every conceivable sentence available to the criminal justice system. Bluntly you have the record of a man who steals to feed an addiction.” Article continues below Judge Payne

sentenced Neale to 30 months immediate custody, 40% of which he’ll serve in custody and the rest on licence. The judge also imposed a restraining order preventing the defendant from

approaching the victims in any way for five years. _DON’T MISS A COURT REPORT BY SIGNING UP__ __TO OUR CRIME NEWSLETTER HERE_