BOSSES at Haverfordwest County AFC have confirmed the club is in the final stages of talks over what has been described as “significant investment” from United States-based backers.

Chairman Rob Edwards has previously made no secret of his ambition to take the Cymru Premier side to “the next level”, with a move towards full-time football and regular European qualification firmly on the agenda.

In a statement issued this week, the club said it was currently in an exclusivity period with a US investment fund and that negotiations were at an advanced stage.

The statement said: “The club is in the latter stages of an agreement during an exclusivity period regarding significant investment in the club from a US-based investment fund.

“The club has been clear about its desire to raise investment to fulfil its ambition to move towards full-time football and to compete in the latter stages of qualifying for UEFA competition. Talks have been ongoing with a party that buys into the same vision.

“The club hopes to make further announcements in due course.”

Since Edwards took over as chairman in the summer of 2020, Haverfordwest have enjoyed a remarkable rise. Now established in the Cymru Premier, the Bluebirds have qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League twice in the past three seasons, while the club’s academy side has also represented Wales in Europe.

Haverfordwest have also developed a reputation as one of the most progressive clubs in Welsh domestic football. Among those to have passed through the club is current Club Brugge head coach Nicky Hayen, who was in charge during the 2021–22 season.

However, with the Cymru Premier set to expand from 12 to 16 teams next season, Edwards has acknowledged that further investment — or potentially a full takeover — will be needed if the club is to remain competitive and continue challenging for European qualification.

Away from Pembrokeshire, Edwards’ company, Morley Sports Management Group, recently completed a takeover of Scottish League 1 side Hamilton Academical. Following that move, Edwards said the Scottish club remained at risk of administration but expressed confidence that insolvency could be avoided.

For Haverfordwest, the proposed US investment could mark a pivotal moment as the club looks to build on recent success and secure its long-term future at the top end of Welsh football.

IMMIGRATION enforcement activity across Wales more than doubled last year, according to UK Government figures, with a sharp rise in workplace raids and arrests — although no confirmed illegal working operations have been publicly identified in Pembrokeshire.

Data released by the Home Office shows that 1,320 workplace raids were carried out across Wales in 2025, resulting in 649 arrests, representing increases of 103% and 85% respectively compared with 2024.

The activity forms part of a wider UK crackdown on illegal working, with officers targeting sectors such as nail bars, car washes, barbers, construction sites and takeaways — industries the government says can be vulnerable to exploitation and unlawful employment practices.

However, the figures are published at an all-Wales level, and the Home Office has not released a county-by-county breakdown. As a result, it remains unclear whether any enforcement operations took place in Pembrokeshire during the period covered.

West Wales examples

While Pembrokeshire has not been named, enforcement activity has been confirmed elsewhere in West and north Wales.

In October, seven Chinese nationals were arrested during a visit to a commercial construction site in Gower, Swansea, with four detained for removal from the UK.

In September, officers visited Star Barbers in Porthmadog, resulting in three arrests for illegal working. Two individuals were placed on immigration bail, while a third agreed to leave the UK voluntarily.

Separate visits to packaging and distribution warehouses in Caldicot also resulted in arrests earlier in the year.

What the figures do — and do not — show

While the government says the increase reflects improved enforcement capacity following a £5m funding boost, immigration specialists note that raids and arrests do not necessarily equate to removals, and that outcomes can include bail, voluntary departure or ongoing legal proceedings.

The Home Office has stated that around 50,000 people were removed from the UK in the past year, a figure which includes voluntary returns as well as enforced removals.

Civil liberties groups have previously raised concerns that high-visibility raids can create fear in migrant communities, particularly where workers may later be found to have lawful status or unresolved immigration claims. The Home Office says the introduction of body-worn cameras is intended to improve accountability and evidence-gathering during operations.

Impact on Welsh businesses

The Secretary of State for Wales said illegal working “fuels the black economy and hurts law-abiding Welsh businesses”, while the Home Secretary described the crackdown as necessary to restore control of the immigration system.

Business groups have broadly supported enforcement against exploitative practices, but have also warned that complex immigration rules and labour shortages continue to place pressure on sectors such as hospitality, food processing and construction — particularly in rural and coastal areas of Wales.

The government has also announced plans to introduce mandatory digital ID to prove the right to work by the end of the current Parliament — a change expected to affect employers across Wales, including small businesses.

With enforcement activity rising elsewhere, questions remain about whether operations have taken place in Pembrokeshire without public disclosure, or whether the county has so far avoided targeted action.

Further clarity would require Freedom of Information requests or direct confirmation from Immigration Enforcement teams covering the Dyfed-Powys area.

Court hears infant suffered catastrophic, life-changing injuries after violent attack in Ceredigion home

A COURT has heard how a two-month-old baby was hurled with force at a television screen by their own father, causing multiple life-threatening injuries.

Rhidian Jamieson, 29, had been left in sole care of the infant at a property in Y Verwig, near Cardigan, on the afternoon of January 15, 2025. When the baby’s mother returned to the address a short time later, she found the child concealed beneath a duvet and fighting for life.

Sentencing Jamieson at Swansea Crown Court on Monday, Judge Paul Thomas KC said: “The mother entrusted you with the care of her child and could not, in her worst nightmares, have imagined what you would do to that baby.

“For reasons you have never explained and have never had the courage to explain, you threw the baby with great force at a television.

“It would have been totally obvious to you that the baby had potentially been fatally injured, yet you didn’t even bother to check whether the child was alive. Instead, like the coward you are, you left the baby concealed under a duvet.”

Judge Thomas went on to say that attempts by the probation service to prepare a report prior to Jamieson’s sentencing failed, following his refusal to attend an interview with a probation officer whilst on prison remand.

“You refused to co-operate with probation, saying you weren’t going to attend the interview because you’d rather use the prison gym,” said Judge Thomas. “That was an opportunity for you to express your regret for what you did and explain why you acted the way you did.

“You will now have opportunities to take advantage of the free prison gym facilities for many years to come.”

The court was told that shortly after the attack, Jamieson contacted his gaming associates online, telling them that he had “snapped, lost it and thrown the baby at the television”.

Later that evening, Jamieson was arrested in Cardigan town centre. Whilst detained, he made unsolicited comments to police officers stating that he believed he had killed the child. He later attempted to blame another individual for the injuries, but police investigations confirmed that this person had not been present at the property at the time.

Emergency services arrived at the Y Ferwig address at around 10:15pm where they found the two-month-old baby lying beneath a duvet. The infant was rushed to West Wales General Hospital before being transferred to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff due to the severity of the injuries.

There doctors identified a brain bleed, a fractured skull, bleeding to both eyes, extensive bruising and swelling to the face and limbs.

“These injuries are totally life-changing,” Judge Thomas said. “They include irreversible brain damage, loss of vision and the possibility of epilepsy for the rest of the child’s life.

“The baby will never have anything like the normal life that would have been expected had you not catastrophically lost your temper that day.”

Members of the child’s family described Jamieson as “a monster”, “a pathetic man-child” and “a disgusting person” in victim impact statements read out to the court.

Jamieson pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of the child in April 2025 but later applied to vacate his plea. That application was refused by Judge Thomas, who adjourned sentencing until Monday (January 12).

The judge said he was appalled by Jamieson’s conduct since the offence.

“You haven’t shown a scintilla of remorse for the appalling, life-changing injuries inflicted on a helpless two-month-old baby,” he said. “Instead, you have wallowed in self-pity and did not even have the strength to attend court today to hear your sentence.”

At the start of proceedings, the court was handed a note stating that Jamieson would not attend as he believed he had been “wrongfully charged” and had “suffered enough mentally”.

Jamieson was sentenced to 35 years in prison, with two-thirds of the term to be served in custody and the remainder on licence.

Judge Thomas also imposed a lifelong restriction preventing Jamieson from ever having unsupervised contact with children.

“This will apply long after your release from prison, which will be many years from now,” he concluded.

Speaking about the impact of the incident, the baby’s mother said: “What has happened has completely changed my life and my daughter’s life forever, as well as having a huge impact on my whole family.

“You have caused us all an unimaginable amount of pain and suffering.”

She explained that her baby had suffered ‘serious injuries’, the long-term effects of which medical experts have not yet been able to determine.

“I live every day not knowing whether she will be able to walk, talk, learn properly or live an independent life,” the mother added. “The uncertainty is unbearable.

“Instead of enjoying my daughter’s first year of life, I now spend every day worrying about what the future holds. I feel robbed of the chance to just be a normal young mum.

“Instead of building a happy and safe life with my daughter, I am left to pick up the pieces of something I never imagined would happen.”

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Williams, of Dyfed-Powys Police, said: “This was an appalling act of violence towards a defenceless baby – his own daughter – who had been left in Jamieson’s care.

“We still do not know what made him act in this way – what made him ‘snap’, to use his own word – but even if he had revealed the catalyst for this vile behaviour, it would in no way make it excusable.

“The baby’s family has been thrown into turmoil since the despicable attack on January 15, spending a significant amount of time in hospital, and suffering months of anxiety as they waited to find out what the long-lasting impact of her injuries will be.

“I would like to commend them for their strength and cooperation through the police investigation, as well as the numerous officers and staff who have worked tirelessly to bring Jamieson to justice.”