Dramatic moment armed police use stun grenades, Taser and chainsaw to free four hostages in siege
THIS is the dramatic moment armed police throw stun grenades and fire Tasers to dramatically free four young hostages taken in a siege.
Bodycam footage showed officers using chainsaws to cut their way through a door before throwing stun grenades into a room.
Cops then charged through the doors firing Tasers to subdue hostage-taker Shane Thomas, 23, and his father.
Officers could be heard screaming “get down on the floor” as they apprehended the suspect.
A court heard Thomas was wanted by police and had gone on the run after attacking two customers in a pub.
He was later tracked to his dad’s home – and barricaded himself inside with four teenagers in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire.
‘GET ON THE FLOOR’
One of the youths raised the alarm by messaging a friend on Snapchat saying he was being “held against his will and frightened”.
A court heard Thomas was in an “alcohol and drug haze” when he blocked the front door with a fridge, settee, and cooker in November last year.
Prosecutor Dean Pulling said that when officers arrived Thomas shouted threats through the door and a “siege” developed.
After 90 minutes police smashed their way in through the front door and then cut their way into the bedroom using a chainsaw.
£31,000 SIEGE
Mr Pulling said the grenades were thrown as “distraction devices” before Thomas was Tasered, sprayed with pepper spray and restrained.
Swansea Crown Court heard both Thomas and his father were arrested at the house.
Mr Pulling said the siege had cost police around £31,000 as it involved 30 officers and a force helicopter.
Thomas, of Fishguard, later admitted two counts of actual bodily harm, obstructing police, malicious communications, and a public order offence.
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Jon Tarrant, defending, said dad-to-be Thomas had been kicked out of home last year but now wanted to grow up.
He added: “2020 was not perhaps one of his best years”.
Judge, Recorder John Philpotts, told Thomas he was “hell bent on trouble” and jailed him for 27 months.
