News
Giant African ‘elephant’ roams into Lawrenny
A ROAMING elephant has appeared overnight in the middle of Lawrenny.
Locals woke up at the weekend to find the nine-foot African elephant painted on the side of a building in the heart of Lawrenny.
Christened ‘Beatrice’, the beautiful mural was painted in just a few hours by LA artist Matt Shapira, and is the latest of his works that can be found across the world, from the Far East to the United States.
Matt travelled to Pembrokeshire in search of inspiration for his latest work, brought by Cardiff entrepreneur and friend Giovanni Malacrino.
“Wherever I travel and paint, I am inspired by the landscape, the people and the spirit that exceptional places like Pembrokeshire seem to have,” said Matt.
“Lawrenny is definitely one of those special places and Beatrice, whom we named after a little girl who helped me with the painting, is a one-of-a-kind reflection of where she stands.”
Matt used the giant doors of an old boatbuilders shed as his canvas. Lawrenny was once a busy boat-building and fishing village.
“I am still relatively new to Pembrokeshire,” said Giovanni Malacrino, who happily admits he had never travelled further west than Swansea in all his years as a leading restaurateur in Cardiff.
“I became an Ambassador for a new festival The Big Retreat Wales, here in the village last year and have completely fallen for the place. It’s amore! So, I knew Matt would be inspired.”
“Beatrice is absolutely beautiful and we have already fallen in love with her,” said festival director Amber Lort-Phillips.
“Festival goers will be able to come and see her at next year’s Big Retreat Wales as she is right by the village shop. She may be a roaming elephant but she’s not going anywhere for now!”
Crime
Uxbridge motorist banned after Pembrokeshire drug-drive stop
Driver was heading home after visiting former girlfriend when police stopped him on the A477
A WEST London motorist has been banned after being caught driving on the A477 in Broadmoor with a cocaine metabolite and cannabis in his system.
Danny Small, 32, was stopped by police carrying out routine checks at around 11:30am on January 28.
After providing a positive roadside drug swipe, Small was taken to a police station, where blood tests showed he had 157mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system. The legal limit is 50mcg.
He also had 2.9mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system. The legal limit is 2mcg.
Small, of Little London Close, Uxbridge, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week, where he pleaded guilty to two drug-driving offences.
Probation officer Julie Norman told the bench that Small had been visiting his former girlfriend in Pembrokeshire and was driving home to Uxbridge at the time of the offence.
Ms Norman said Small was a regular cannabis and cocaine user.
“This helps treat his undiagnosed ADHD,” she said.
“He didn’t think the drugs would still have been in his system, as he’d consumed the drugs several days earlier. But drugs can often remain in the system for several weeks.”
Small was sentenced to a 12-month community order, during which he must complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
He was fined £80 and ordered to pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 costs. He was disqualified from driving for 15 months.
News
Uxbridge motorist banned after Pembrokeshire drug-drive stop
Driver was heading home after visiting former girlfriend when police stopped him on the A477
A WEST London motorist has been banned after being caught driving on the A477 in Broadmoor with a cocaine metabolite and cannabis in his system.
Danny Small, 32, was stopped by police carrying out routine checks at around 11:30am on January 28.
After providing a positive roadside drug swipe, Small was taken to a police station, where blood tests showed he had 157mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system. The legal limit is 50mcg.
He also had 2.9mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system. The legal limit is 2mcg.
Small, of Little London Close, Uxbridge, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week, where he pleaded guilty to two drug-driving offences.
Probation officer Julie Norman told the bench that Small had been visiting his former girlfriend in Pembrokeshire and was driving home to Uxbridge at the time of the offence.
Ms Norman said Small was a regular cannabis and cocaine user.
“This helps treat his undiagnosed ADHD,” she said.
“He didn’t think the drugs would still have been in his system, as he’d consumed the drugs several days earlier. But drugs can often remain in the system for several weeks.”
Small was sentenced to a 12-month community order, during which he must complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
He was fined £80 and ordered to pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 costs. He was disqualified from driving for 15 months.
Crime
Carpenter banned after drug-driving in camper van
Pembroke Dock man was five times over the cannabis limit
A PEMBROKESHIRE carpenter has been banned from driving after being caught behind the wheel of his camper van while five times over the drug-drive limit.
James Toulouse, 35, was stopped by police shortly before midnight on December 20, 2025, as he drove his white Mercedes Vito along Buttermilk Lane in Pembroke.
“There was a strong smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle and the driver, who was James Toulouse, appeared glazed, as his eyes were red and bleary,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court.
A roadside drug swipe proved positive. Further tests showed Toulouse had 11mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system. The legal limit is 2mcg.
The court heard this was Toulouse’s second drug-driving offence in ten years.
Toulouse, of Clarence Street, Pembroke Dock, pleaded guilty to drug-driving.
He was represented by solicitor Michael Kelleher, who said the defendant works as a carpenter.
“Obviously it’s not going to be easy for him to carry on with his work, but he’s fully intending to do so,” he said.
Toulouse was disqualified from driving for 36 months. He was fined £350 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £140 surcharge.
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