News

Milford Haven: Warrant issued after struck-off solicitor failed to attend court

Published

11 years ago

January 23, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Eaves Solicitors: Closed in December 2012

A WARRANT was issued on Thursday (Jan 22) for the arrest of a solicitor who used money from a dead woman’s estate to bulk up his company accounts.

Simon Griffiths, 52, who ran Eaves Solicitors in Milford Haven was struck-off the roll by a Solicitor’s Disciplinary Tribunal in October 2013. Griffiths failed to attend Llanelli Magistrates’ Court to answer a charge of false accounting, and one further charge of abuse of position.

The chairman of the bench at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court issued a warrant for the immediate arrest of the former lawyer, and the police were informed.

Griffiths, from Pembroke, was arrested and appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court today (Jan 23) to confirm his name and address.

Griffiths’ case will now be dealt with at Swansea Crown Court on Jan 30.

Griffiths was hauled before the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal fifteen months ago, after concerns were raised about his practice at Eaves Solicitors in Milford Haven.

Facing charges: Simon Griffiths

He faced a number of allegations, including failing to fulfill and undertaking and misleading another firm of solicitors, which were found proved. At the beginning of 2011, Griffiths was instructed in the sale of house and undertook the duty to discharge the mortgage before the completion of the sale in April 2011.

However, despite giving repeated assurances to the purchasers’ solicitors, he failed to do so, the tribunal found. “On April 5, a day before completion, Eaves solicitors Mr Griffiths, gave a written undertaking to redeem the Bank of Scotland charge, to provide confirmation of discharge, as the sale was received by the mortgagees,” said Geoff Hudson for the SRA.

He said Eaves Solicitors had received around £100,000 from the sale of another property, but that it would not have been enough to discharge the Bank of Scotland mortgage.

“What sums that had been received were taken for the benefit of the company of which Griffiths was sole director,” Mr Hudson said. He added that one of the accounts ledgers at Eaves did not “meet the required standards” in terms of the information that it contained, and showed money being transferred into the accounts of companies for which Griffiths was the director. The panel was also told that during the sale of the house, Griffiths had twice “misleadingly” wrote to the solicitors of the purchasers to say that he had fulfilled his duty when he had not.

Mr Hudson said: “We say he knew when he wrote those letters because of the pressure and the threat to report to the SRA and to deflect the pressure in misleading them that the mortgage had been redeemed and that the problem was the mortgagee. “We say for a solicitor to mislead another in that way would be seen by reasonable and honest people as being dishonest behaviour.”

The tribunal heard that up until Monday (October 21) the mortgage had still not been discharged. In August 2012 a forensic financial investigation into the running of Eaves solicitors was launched after an allegation surfaced about the transfer of £30,000 from a client’s estate into a company account for which Griffiths was director. The woman, known only as Mrs Ward-Jones, had died and left an estate worth around £150,000 to her two sisters, one of whom, Christine Sheridan, was in a care home. Eaves accounts showed an entry in the July 31 ledger that £30,000 had been paid out as an “interim distribution” to Ms Sheridan’s account.

Financial investigator for the SRA, Oliver Baker, told the hearing that Griffiths’ book-keeper had first raised concerns about practice at the firm. “The firm’s book-keeper pulled me to one side and asked me to look at it as he had not seen supported documentation in relation to the transfer, and I believe he had some concerns about the state of the firm and Griffiths at the time.”

He added that the book-maker was also concerned because he had seen some documentation suggesting the firm might have to close down, but that this was not communicated to him. Mr Baker eventually discovered that although Griffiths had tried to hide the transaction in a paper trail, the sum of £30,000 had in fact gone to an account for Harwood Court Ltd, a company at which Griffiths was the director. “We say for a solicitor to use client monies for his own purposes is seen by reasonable and honest people to be dishonest behaviour,” Mr Hudson said.

Griffiths, who did not attend the central London hearing and was not represented, admitted all of the allegations apart from those relating to account issues. He claimed that at the time of his misconduct he has been suffering from a personality disorder, but the panel found there was not enough evidence to support this. He was found guilty of all the allegations and struck off. Griffiths was also ordered to pay £31,200 in costs.

Finding that Griffith had acted dishonestly, panel chair Dominic Green said: “We have considered this matter carefully on the respondent’s absence.

The seriousness of the misconduct was of the highest level and that a lesser sanction than striking off is not appropriate. “The decision today is that the first respondent is struck off. We have decided that, for protection of the public, and the protection of the reputation of the profession.” Griffiths’ wife, Sarah, and partner firm was initially named as a respondent in the proceedings, but parties reached an agreement with relation to her involvement.

Have you been affected by Eaves Solicitors closure? Please contact The Herald on 01646 45 45 45.

Charity

Salvation Army worker shares Easter message of hope after turning life around

Published

2 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Former offender now helping homeless in Newport outreach programme

A SALVATION Army support worker who spent years caught up in crime and prison has shared a powerful message of hope this Easter — urging others never to give up.

Ray Faulkner, now working on a daily breakfast outreach in Newport, says his life has been transformed after decades of hardship, racism and time behind bars.

Born in London in 1962, Ray was sent to Jamaica as a child due to severe asthma and raised by his grandparents. He returned to the UK aged sixteen, settling in Bristol — where he says he experienced racism for the first time.

Speaking about his early years, Ray said: “I arrived in the city a week after the 1980 riots. It was a volatile place. Getting a job was not easy for a young black lad fresh into the UK from the West Indies.

“It was a culture shock as I’d never experienced racism back in Jamaica. I rebelled and pushed back against life. My anger and aggression got worse. I felt harassed by the police. I was drawn into gangs and street crime and started getting into trouble.”

Despite developing a passion for food while working at a sandwich bar in Bristol market, Ray’s life spiralled into repeated offending, leading to a lengthy prison sentence — which he describes as feeling like a “life sentence”.

He was eventually released in 2018.

After leaving prison, Ray began volunteering, cooking meals for people experiencing homelessness during the Covid lockdown. He later secured a role with The Salvation Army, working on its Breakfast Run — part of The Open Door Project in Newport.

His role involves early morning outreach, providing food and support to people sleeping rough across the city.

“When I came out of prison, I was volunteering and cooking food for people experiencing homelessness,” he said.

“This job was like the heavens opened. My message is don’t give up — there is always hope.

“I go out early in the morning to meet people wherever they are — in tents, alleyways or under bridges. I offer breakfast and a hot drink, but more importantly I try to build trust. My goal is to help people into accommodation and proper support.”

Newport’s Outreach Programme Manager Zoë Mathias said Ray’s journey had made him a vital part of the team.

“Ray’s story is one of new beginnings,” she said.

“After facing racism, hardship and more than 20 years in prison, he chose hope instead of anger. He now uses his own experiences to support people who feel forgotten. He has flourished here and become a valued colleague.”

The outreach programme operates seven days a week and supports around seventy people at any one time. Over the past year, 263 individuals have received help, with around three-quarters moving on to more stable situations.

Latest Welsh Government figures show Newport has one of the highest homelessness rates in Wales. In 2024–25, around 187.9 households per 10,000 were assessed as homeless — roughly one in every 53 households.

Business

Ivy Bush Inn crowned best local pub 2026

Published

7 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Narberth favourite retains title after overwhelming public support

THE IVY BUSH Inn has been crowned Best Local Pub 2026, retaining its title after receiving an overwhelming show of support from the community.

The popular Narberth venue dominated this year’s competition, attracting more than 150 nominations—far surpassing all other entrants and cementing its place at the heart of local life.

The annual competition, organised by Conservative Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz MS and supported by Templeton Beer Wine and Spirit Co, celebrates the vital role pubs play across Pembrokeshire. Now in its second year, the initiative highlights how pubs continue to bring communities together.

More than 1,000 nominations were submitted by the public this year, with over 70 pubs across the county taking part.

In second place was the Highgate Inn in Hundleton, followed by the Watermans Arms in Pembroke, both praised for their strong community focus and welcoming atmosphere.

Other highly commended venues included The Bunker, The Cross Saws and The Cresselly Arms, showcasing the strength and diversity of Pembrokeshire’s pub scene.

The Ivy Bush Inn was presented with a free keg of beer and a winner’s certificate on Tuesday (Mar 31).

Voters were quick to praise the Narberth pub for its atmosphere and inclusivity.

“It’s the heart of Narberth—always something going on and everyone is welcome,” said one.

Another added: “From the moment you walk in, you feel like family,” while others described it as having a “brilliant atmosphere, great staff and the best nights out around.”

The strength of feeling extended across the competition, with many highlighting the wider role pubs play in their communities.

“Not just a pub—it’s the hub of the village,” one voter said of the Highgate Inn, while the Watermans Arms was described as “a place where everyone feels welcome and supported.”

The Cresselly Arms also received praise, with one nomination stating: “Always a warm welcome from Steve and his staff in this unspoilt, special pub.”

Samuel Kurtz MS said: “This competition has once again shown just how important our local pubs are to communities across Pembrokeshire. The response has been incredible.

“The Ivy Bush Inn’s level of support was exceptional and a testament to the role it plays in Narberth. But every single pub nominated should be proud. They are the backbone of our communities, and the comments about each establishment have been a joy to read.”

Jason Vaughan, owner of The Ivy Bush Inn, added: “We’re absolutely thrilled to win again. This means so much because it comes directly from our customers and community. Thank you to everyone who voted—we’re incredibly grateful for your support.”

Lyndon Belt of Templeton Beer Wine and Spirit Co said: “It’s fantastic to see so many people getting behind their local pubs. They are such an important part of our communities and deserve to be recognised.”

Crime

Driver given interim ban after A478 crash

Published

7 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

Motorist fled scene after colliding with fence and hedge near Clunderwen

A LLANDISSILIO motorist has been handed an interim driving disqualification after failing to stop following a collision on the A478.

Haverfordwest magistrates heard this week that Dean Duffy, 31, collided with a fence and hedge while driving his Ford Puma at Clunderwen on Tuesday (Mar 4). His failure to stop and report the incident led to his court appearance.

Duffy, of Maesybryn, Llandissilio, pleaded guilty to failing to stop after a road traffic collision, failing to report the accident, driving without third party insurance and driving while disqualified.

Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told the court: “A vehicle collided with a fence and hedge and the bumper came off. The vehicle was abandoned, but correspondence on the seat identified the defendant as possibly being the person responsible.”

Magistrates adjourned sentencing until Tuesday (Apr 28) to allow for the preparation of a pre-sentence report by the probation service.

Duffy was disqualified from driving on an interim basis pending sentence.