Dangerous pursuit around Newport ends with arrest and drugs charges
A 19-year-old Newport man was apprehended after a prolonged and dangerous police pursuit through the city, during which an officer at the scene tackled him to the ground, a court has heard.
Connor Sims was followed by neighbourhood officers and a National Police Air Service (NPAS) aircraft on 5 April as he rode a heavy-duty Sur-Ron e-bike around Newport. Prosecutors told Newport Crown Court the pursuit lasted for almost an hour and featured a series of hazardous driving incidents.
Witnesses in the footage from the operation heard an NPAS operator say "Good work" after an officer brought Sims to the ground. When detained, police discovered evidence linking the defendant to the supply of cocaine, including bulk text messages to a substantial customer base offering a delivery service, the court was told.
- Defendant: Connor Sims, 19, from Newport
- Vehicle: Sur-Ron electric bike
- Date of pursuit: 5 April (year stated in court)
- Court: Newport Crown Court
- Outcome: Guilty plea to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and to driving a motor vehicle dangerously; suspended sentence imposed
Prosecutor William Bebb told the court that Sims had been sighted by officers riding the e-bike dangerously on Beaufort Road before he sped away from police units. During the pursuit, the court heard, he was seen travelling at excessive speeds, using footpaths, riding on the wrong side of the road, and going the wrong way around roundabouts. On one occasion he narrowly avoided a collision with a van and was observed using a mobile phone while riding.
Eventually an officer stepped in and tackled Sims to the ground. Video and audio from the NPAS aircraft monitored the arrest, capturing the moment colleagues confirmed the intervention from above.
At the time of his arrest officers discovered messages and other evidence which led to charges relating to the supply of crack cocaine. The court heard that Sims had been sending out hundreds of bulk text messages to a large network of customers, offering a delivery service.
"Adults who have nothing but regret for how they have wasted their lives,"
The sentencing judge warned Sims that he faced a clear choice about the direction of his life, telling him the courts frequently see people in their 30s, 40s and 50s who began offending as teenagers and who are left with regret. The judge handed down a suspended sentence, noting the trajectory that persistent offending can create.
Local impact and policing response
The case underlines two recurring concerns for Newport communities: the dangers posed by high-powered off-road vehicles on public roads and pavements, and the links between those vehicles and the supply of class A drugs. The presence of NPAS in the operation highlighted how air support can play a role in tracking and apprehending riders who attempt to evade ground units.
Residents in areas where off-road and high-powered e-bikes are used illegally have repeatedly raised fears about safety, noise and the risk of collisions. This incident — involving pavement use and near-misses with other road users — is likely to renew calls for targeted policing activity and community partnerships to tackle the problem.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Length of pursuit | Almost an hour |
| Dangerous behaviours recorded | Excessive speed, pavement riding, wrong-side riding, wrong way on roundabouts, mobile phone use |
| Police support | Neighbourhood officers and NPAS aircraft |
The sentence and the details given at court are likely to form part of ongoing discussions between neighbourhood teams and residents about how best to curb the illegal use of powered off-road bikes in the city. For now, the case remains a reminder of the harm such behaviour can bring — both in immediate risk to other road users and in the broader social consequences when illegal drug supply is involved.
Local volunteers and community groups have previously urged increased enforcement and local education to deter young people from taking to powerful off-road bikes on public streets. Police operations that combine ground patrols with aerial support have been used elsewhere in Gwent to identify high-risk riders and to disrupt the vehicles’ involvement in wider criminal activity.
Those concerned about similar incidents in their neighbourhood are encouraged to report them to Gwent Police so that patterns of offending can be identified and resources targeted accordingly.
