When we asked why his takeaways had shut, Sam Ransom claimed he had just sold them for £850,000. Papa Johns told us a different story
Pizza chain Papa Johns has cut ties with a man who owned several of its takeaways in south Wales. The shops closed after our court report from last weekend revealed the franchisee, Sam Ransom, had terrorised his ex-girlfriend and her family after she dumped him.
Ransom, 35, was handed a community order after repeatedly sneaking onto the family’s property at night to damage their cars, security lights and other items. We understand he was already on a final warning from Papa Johns following our 2022 report on how he sent vile messages calling one of his teenage employees a “loser”.
The franchisee said he owned Papa Johns shops in Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Newport, and two in Bristol.
After we published the court report, Ransom’s branches were shuttered and barricaded with steel screens by a firm that secures vacant properties.
When we contacted Ransom for comment, he vehemently denied the closures had anything to do with his court case or with how the Papa Johns head office felt about his offences. The shops happened to be shut that week because he had just sold them for a total of £850,000, he told us, in what he claimed to be purely coincidental timing.
Ransom initially offered to provide us with proof of the supposed sale, but none materialised. And when we ran his claims by Papa Johns, the business gave a rather different version of events.
A spokesman for Papa Johns said: “Mr Ransom’s conduct fell far short of the standards and values we expect of our franchise owners and, as a result, we have terminated his franchise agreement and ended our association with him. The restaurants are temporarily closed as we actively seek new ownership.”
Last week Ransom was sentenced at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court after he was found guilty of a theft and criminal damage spree targeting his ex-partner. He was furious about the end of their long-term relationship and decided to cause havoc at her family’s Bridgend home on three consecutive weekends.
One of the victims, the father of Ransom’s ex, watched the sentencing from the public gallery. When Ransom entered the courtroom at the start of the hearing, he gave the dad a long stare and smirk.
Prosecutor Laura Thomas said the woman had been in a relationship with Ransom for around 10 years. After their breakup Ransom turned up at the home on each of the first three weekends of January 2025.
The spree started with him ripping down a house sign that had been screwed onto the entrance to the property’s driveway. “A replacement sign was put up a few days later and that, again, was taken down and thrown into a river near the house,” said Ms Thomas.
“The defendant and another person entered the driveway multiple times on the evening of January 11. They damaged the lights that edged the driveway leading to the house, and again caused damage to the house sign.”
In that incident, Ransom and his accomplice threw stones at the property, causing damage to a downpipe and dents to the paintwork of a Kia Niro belonging to his ex-girlfriend’s brother.
The following weekend Ransom returned and again ripped off the house sign before turning his attention to his ex-partner’s Toyota Aygo.
It was night-time and the family were in bed when they heard an “almighty bang and smashing noise”, said the prosecutor. “They called police, petrified, and a neighbour came out to check what was going on. They could see the rear window of the Toyota had been completely smashed. The two bricks that caused the damage were still lying on the driveway.”
Ransom, of Station Road in Nantybwch, Tredegar, pleaded not guilty to three counts of criminal damage and one of stealing house signs and security lights, but the magistrates found him guilty of all offences. The victims made an application for £4,043 in compensation for damage.
The court heard Ransom had previous convictions, dating back to 2024, for assaulting an emergency worker and obstructing police. In that case he had received a community order.
Ransom’s solicitor Declan McSorley said: “My client is particularly hardworking, running a series of businesses from multiple locations across south Wales. He fits his relationships into his work, which is excessive in hours, as opposed to working on relationships.”
Mr McSorley said he agreed with the probation service’s recommendation of a community order. The magistrates decided to follow that recommendation, imposing a 24-month order with rehabilitation activity, 150 hours of unpaid work, and restraining orders protecting the victims for two years each. No compensation was ordered because a civil case is anticipated.
When we approached Ransom for comment, he messaged us from a WhatsApp account with a profile picture that showed US President Donald Trump alongside the words “fake news”.
After he answered our call, we asked if he would like to express any remorse for his actions. He replied: “I can’t because I’m gonna go for a retrial.”
Ransom claimed he was somewhere else at the time of the crimes. When we asked if he had anything to say on his previous conviction, for assaulting an emergency worker and obstructing police, he said: “I’ve got nothing to say about that one.”
In our 2022 report on Ransom’s previous controversy, we revealed one of his staff – a 17-year-old earning minimum wage – had asked for a free pizza while working an overtime shift only for Ransom to brand him a “loser”, order him to “stop looking for handouts”, brag about his own wealth, and then sack the teen.
If you would like to contact us about a story we should be investigating, email us at conor.gogarty@walesonline.co.uk
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