A Crown Court jury has heard how Shaunagh Downing, the Ammanford woman charged with stabbing Dan Jonas following an altercation in the early hours of Sunday, July 3, gave on an-duty police officer a false name when he began questioning her.

Police Sergeant Stuart Davies was on mobile patrol in an unmarked vehicle when he saw a young woman standing on the grass near Station Road, Ammanford.

In a statement read out at Swansea Crown Court on the second day of her trial, PS Davies said he became curious about her presence given that it was soon after 7am on a Sunday morning. Minutes earlier he had received notification from fellow officers that Dan Jonas had been airlifted to Morriston Hospital following an alleged stabbing incident adjacent to his property near Dol y Dderwen, Ammanford.

As the officer drove past, he could see Downing heading towards the Great Western Hotel whilst speaking into her mobile phone.

“She wasn’t acting in any way that was suspicious,” he said.

As he drove past her, he slowed down his vehicle to get her attention and Downing walked towards his car. When the officer asked her her name, she replied ‘Cerys Williams’.

“Her manner was very calm and polite, she was smiling, and she gave me no reason to doubt her story,” he said.

PS Davies then watched Downing walk behind the Great Western Hotel.

A few minutes later, the officer received notification over his radio that Downing’s mother, Melanie Griffith, had made contact with her daughter and was driving her back to their home in Station Road.

When the officer approached the vehicle, he saw Downing seated in the back seat, behind her mother. And according to PS Davies, it was the same person who had claimed to be Cerys Williams a few minutes earlier.

“But now she was hysterical and mentioned that she had been strangled,” he said.

“But at no time when I spoke to her earlier did she ask me for help nor mention that she had been in an earlier disturbance.”

As a result, Downing was arrested and subsequently charged with wounding Daniel Jonas with intent by stabbing and an additional charge of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

Downing denies both charges.

Yesterday (Wednesday) the Prosecution concluded their evidence.  Shaunagh Downing is expected to enter the dock this morning to begin giving her evidence. The trial is expected to last for four days.