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EditorSwansea man jailed for making false armed robbery allegation
Anthony Dean Merriman, 52, of Eiddwen Road in Penlan, reported to South Wales Police in January 2024 that he had been robbed at knifepoint by Adam Phillips, a man who had previously reported Merriman for assault.
Merriman claimed that Phillips and another man had threatened him with a screwdriver, put the tool in his mouth, and stolen his wallet, medication and keys. He provided officers with the alleged weapon and stated he had washed his face with bleach to remove evidence.
Police launched a major investigation involving forensic work, CCTV checks and interviews. Phillips was arrested and spent 14 hours in custody. However, CCTV later proved he had not left his home on the night of the alleged incident. When questioned again, Merriman maintained his account and claimed to suffer from brain damage affecting his memory — a condition not supported by his medical records.
Merriman was arrested in February 2024 on suspicion of perverting the course of justice, and later pleaded guilty on the day his trial was due to begin.
At Swansea Crown Court, Judge Paul Thomas KC described Merriman’s actions as “malicious lies” intended to smear his friend’s name and waste police time. Judge Thomas said:
“What you did was quite simply wicked. You lied about being the victim of a serious crime and maintained that lie even when confronted with the evidence. You wasted hours of police time and caused an innocent man to be arrested.”
Detective Sergeant Samuel Lewis, South Wales Police, added:
“When a report is demonstrably false, we treat this very seriously. That sort of behaviour cannot be tolerated.”
Police said the investigation consumed at least 45 hours of officer time. Mr Phillips died in April last year, before a victim impact statement could be recorded.
Merriman was sentenced to three years in prison, serving up to half the sentence in custody before being released on licence.
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