Facing justice (From Barry And District News)

Facing justice

THE MOTHER of a Barry man who went on the run after trying to strangle his girlfriend with a television cable has told the Barry and District News how her son has totally turned his life around.

David Rogers fled to Holland in 2001 just before he was due to be sentenced for attacking Melanie Allan - the mother of two of his children - at their home in Phyllis Street, Barry.

He had admitted causing actual bodily harm, and was due to appear at Newport Crown Court for sentencing that September.

But he absconded, and after four years, he was tracked down and arrested on his return to South Wales last week.

While abroad, the 33-year-old had built himself a whole new life - which included a wife and four-month-old baby daughter called Julie.

At Cardiff Crown Court last week, Rogers pleaded guilty to failing to surrender to his bail on October 23, 2001, and was remanded in custody for 14 days.

His mother Hazel Rogers, of Butt Lee Court, Barry, said: "All he wants to do now is put all of this behind him and serve his sentence.

"He knows that what he did was wrong and that running away was not the answer.

"The David of today is completely different to the David of four years ago. Four years ago he was unemployed and addicted to drink and drugs - he was not a nice person at all.

"He was mad, bolshy, erratic and felt the world owed him a living.

"Since settling in Holland and meeting his wife Mirjam, he has totally changed.

"He is completely free of drink, drugs and cigarettes and has made something of himself - he had a job as a roofer and his own home."

Hazel continued: "David told Mirjam everything from the very beginning and she is standing by him.

"She is hoping that he will be able to serve his sentence in Holland, but if he can"t, she has said that she will come over each month to visit him.

"Her family are also 100 per cent behind David, in fact her parents have even provided him with character references."

While David was on the run, his former girlfriend Melanie Allan moved to Kent with their two children Abbey, aged six, and James, aged five.

David also has a 15-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.

When about David"s sentence,Hazel said: "I think he will be able to handle it much better now than he would have four years ago."