A woman raised concerns about potential dangers in her home, leading to the evacuation of residences due to fears of explosives. Maximin Carter, 51, faced sentencing at Swansea Crown Court following an incident in Abergwynfi, Neath Port Talbot. Despite no explosives being discovered, Carter was found to possess various weapons at his ex-partner’s residence, including an air rifle, ammunition, a knuckleduster, telescopic truncheons, and a ninja sword.
The court was informed that Carter had a keen interest in weaponry, prompting his former partner to alert authorities on Valentine’s Day about the suspicious items in her house, including plastic bottles she believed could be bombs. Carter had been staying at her property without permission, violating a non-molestation order.
A thorough search involving military resources was conducted at the property, resulting in the evacuation of neighboring homes. The prosecution revealed that the house was in disarray, with Carter’s ex-partner describing it as potentially rigged with booby traps. Although no explosives were found, the search uncovered offensive weapons and a significant amount of ammunition.
During police questioning, Carter initially admitted to owning the seized items but later declined to comment. His criminal history includes previous convictions for possession of cannabis and an offensive weapon. Carter, without a fixed address, pleaded guilty to charges related to possession of prohibited and offensive weapons, receiving a five and a half-year prison sentence with a 40% custody term.
Sergeant Kristian Burt of South Wales Police expressed gratitude to the community for their cooperation during the investigation, emphasizing the increased safety in Abergwynfi following the seizure of Carter’s weapons.