Driver told court he believed he was insured but checks showed no cover in place

A FATHER-of-two has been sentenced after driving a company van through Pembroke while over the drink-drive limit.

Billy Riley, 23, of Broadmoor, Kilgetty, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

The court heard Riley was stopped by officers as he drove a Fiat panel van through Pembroke town centre on Sunday, December 22. A roadside breath test proved positive and further tests at the police station showed the lowest reading was 55 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Checks later showed Riley was also driving without third party insurance.

“He’d been assured by his boss that he was insured to drive the van, but unfortunately this wasn’t the case,” his solicitor, Liam Francis, told magistrates.

“As a result of this offence, the defendant has now lost his job, so his punishment has already started.”

Magistrates disqualified Riley from driving for 15 months. He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.

For driving without third party insurance, his licence was endorsed.

Paranoid schizophrenic released on bail with strict conditions ahead of sentencing in February

A MAN described in court as a paranoid schizophrenic has pleaded guilty to sending threats to kill his sister, including claims he would hack her head off with a Samurai sword.

Charles Bianchy, 37, of Pembroke Street, Pembroke Dock, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

Crown Prosecutor Charlotte Thomas said Bianchy was arrested on September 16 after posting a series of Facebook stories while walking through Pembroke Dock.

“He’d posted a series of Facebook stories as he walked through Pembroke Dock, claiming that his mother had refused to give him money, but had given some money to his sister,” she said.

“He then went on to say that he would hack his sister’s head off with a Samurai sword, throw a grenade bomb at her, smack her head on the pavement and use her head as a target.

“Naturally this left her feeling very scared to leave her home.”

The court heard that when interviewed by police, Bianchy said he had no intention of carrying out the threats.

He pleaded guilty to sending messages threatening death or serious harm to his sister, Daisy Bianchi.

Bianchy was represented by solicitor Michael Kelleher, who told magistrates his client suffers from paranoid schizophrenia.

Magistrates adjourned sentencing for an all-options probation report. Bianchy was released on conditional bail, with conditions that he must not contact Daisy Bianchi, must not attend her address at Cuckoo Wood, Pembroke Dock, and must not refer to her on any electronic device.

He is due to be sentenced on February 3.

Police said 20-year-old admitted drinking shortly before being pulled over near midnight

A 20-YEAR-OLD drink-driver has been banned from the roads for 15 months after being caught behind the wheel in Haverfordwest town centre.

Samuel Davies was stopped by officers just before midnight on Saturday, December 21 as he drove a black Mini along Freemans Way with a passenger.

Prosecutor Charlotte Thomas told Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court that officers could smell alcohol inside the vehicle. A roadside breath test proved positive and further tests at the police station showed Davies had 52 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

“When spoken to by the officers, he said he’d had a bottle of VK some 20 minutes prior to being stopped,” she said.

Davies, of Begelly, Pembrokeshire, pleaded guilty to drink driving.

His solicitor, Liam Francis, said Davies had been out with friends in Haverfordwest and had not planned to drive home.

“He had no intention of driving home and had spent over an hour trying to contact a taxi service,” he said. “When this failed, he made the incredibly foolish decision to drive home.”

Magistrates disqualified Davies from driving for 15 months. He was fined £250 and ordered to pay a £100 surcharge and £85 costs.