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17-year-old sentenced to 15 year minimum term after brutal axe and sword murder

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A 16-YEAR-OLD schoolboy sipped tea with his stepmother at their home near St Clears and then slaughtered her with an axe and a samurai sword.

Reuben Brathwaite – who can be named for the first time today – even took photographs of the injured and then dead Mrs Scourfield and tried to upload them to the internet.

Brathwaite, now 17, admitted the murder and was today ordered by a judge to be detained at her majesty’s pleasure. He will be held in custody for a minimum of 15 years.

Brathwaite could not receive a life sentence because of his age but the sentence is effectively the same.

Swansea Crown Court heard how Brathwaite lived in a log cabin within the 14 acres of Broadmoor Farm with his father, a tree surgeon and landscape gardener, and his step mother, a keen animal lover.

Brathwaite moved into the cabin after his relationship with his step mother deteriorated.

The High Court judge, Mr Justice Picken, said he developed an interest in murder and constantly researched it on the internet, studying graphic images of executions and mass murder. He also began to feel isolated, depressed and “fed up with life,” but psychiatrists later confirmed he had not been mentally ill.

Brathwaite developed the idea that he would commit suicide but if he killed someone instead it would ‘somehow get him out of it’.

After returning home after a ‘regular, matter of fact’ day at school he put his plan into action.

Brathwaite chatted with his stepmother over a cup of tea and then indicated that there was something wrong with a cat she was looking after.

As she left the farmhouse to attend to the animal Brathwaite hit her over her head with the blunt side of an axe ‘eight or nine times’ until he could see her brain.

He took a photograph of her as she lay on the floor and tried unsuccessfully to post it on the internet.

Then he retrieved a samurai sword from under his father’s bed and cut her throat with it.

Brathwaite telephoned the police and told then what he had done and said he would put the sword into a caravan, not to hide it, he said, but to put it out of the way.

After his arrest he said he had used the axe in the hope of knocking Mrs Scourfield unconscious so she would not suffer when he cut her throat.

Mr Justice Picken said he found Brathwaite’s internet activity – and the attempt to post images of the murder as he committed it – to be ‘most disturbing’.

He told Brathwaite: “You made a clear decision to to go to find those weapons and to use them to kill your stepmother.

“This was an attack of savagery against someone who cared for you.

“This was not a spur of the moment attack. It was clearly pre-planned.”

Mr Justice Picken said if Brathwaite had been 18 the starting point would have been life with a minimum of 25 years.

But he had to have regard for his age to discount the sentence in return for his plea of guilty.

Brathwaite displayed no reaction as he was led away.

Mr Justice Picken then ruled that the court order protecting Brathwaite’s identity should be lifted because of the seriousness of his offending and because people in the area had the right to know who had murdered Fiona Scourfield.

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Police ask motorists to avoid A44 trunk road due to heavy snowfall

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DYFED-POWYS POLICE have issued an appeal to motorists to avoid a 25 mile section of the A44 trunk road between Aberystwyth and Llangurig due to it being impassable due to heavy snowfall.

In a warning issued at 4am on their social media accounts the police said: “Please avoid the area and find alternative routes for your journey.”

Meanwhile, last night The Nags Head in Lampeter uploaded pictures of the snowy scenes in the area, and were encouraging customers to come in and sit next to their ‘nice warm fire’.

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Egg and farm shop to open at award-winning west Wales farm

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A SCHEME for a self-serve egg and farm shop at an award-winning 32,000-chicken Ceredigion farm, to allow it to receive a UK Shared Prosperity fund grant, has been approved by county planners.

Ben Edkins, of Edkins Eggs, Coed Farm, Cilcennin sought permission to site a self-serve farm shop on an existing yard area at the site.

A supporting letter submitted through agent Morgan & Flynn Architectural Services described it as “a more advanced version of an egg stand, with honesty box, which has been a staple for people producing eggs for centuries”.

It added: “This method of selling eggs has already proven to be a hit with communities in Ceredigion, given the success of the already established egg dispenser located in Aberystwyth town centre.”

Family-owned Edkins Eggs, which supplies multiple businesses across the area with eggs, including Aberaeron’s Y Seler, Hive, Harbourmaster, and Costcutters, has been awarded a grant to cover the cost of part of the proposal, on the condition that planning approval is granted, the statement added.

“The grant, which is a UK shared prosperity fund for the Mid Wales region as part of the ‘Cynnal Y Cardi Fund’ provided by Ceredigion County Council was granted in December 2023.

“For this grant to be claimed, it is required that planning permission is granted, the construction is completed and also the egg dispensers are implemented by December 2024. This gives the applicants a 12-month window from the point of the grant awarded to completion of proposal.”
The building itself will include a solar panel array providing the power for the egg dispensing unit and lighting, and it is hoped to create one extra job at 227-acre Coed Farm, home to 32,000 chickens producing free range eggs, 90 beef cattle and 200 sheep.

A green infrastructure statement by the agent added: “The creation of this building to house the self-serve farm shop to enhance the established family-owned business ‘Edkins Eggs’, which also has provisions to allow for other local companies producing items such as vegetables and honey to sell their products, will provide a facility for the local community to purchase locally produced goods directly from the supplier.

“This will not only provide an enhanced shopping experience in terms of being able to purchase directly from the farm, which could act as an educational benefit especially for children, but also provide the additional facility of a small-scale shop to the local area, whereas currently the community would either have to travel to the service centres of either Aberaeron or Felinfach.”

The application was conditionally approved under delegated powers.

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Entertainment

John Singer Sargent’s ‘Fashion & Swagger’ to light up the Torch

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IN an unparalleled celebration of one of the late 19th century’s most revered portrait artists, the Torch Theatre is set to host “John Singer Sargent – Fashion & Swagger” on Tuesday, 16 April, at 7:30 pm. This innovative exhibition, brought to life by Exhibition on Screen, delves into the remarkable artistry of John Singer Sargent, whose portraits are celebrated for their intricate depiction of his subjects’ persona, attire, and the subtleties of their presentation.

The event promises an insightful exploration of Sargent’s influence on modern art, culture, and fashion, featuring interviews with a diverse group of curators, contemporary fashion icons, and style influencers. Filmed at prestigious venues like the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and Tate Britain in London, the exhibition unveils Sargent’s extraordinary ability to capture the essence of his subjects’ identities, social standings, and the complexities of gender through his art during a pivotal time of cultural transformation.

Phil Grabsky, one of the producers behind this compelling film, shared his enthusiasm for spotlighting Sargent’s genius, stating, “As filmmakers, both director David Bickerstaff and I have been thrilled to make this film about Sargent, someone I consider a truly astounding artist.” Grabsky further reflected on the curious case of Sargent’s fading recognition despite his once-celebrated status and affirmed Exhibition on Screen’s commitment to revitalizing interest in artists who deserve renewed attention.

The exhibition promises a fascinating juxtaposition of over 50 of Sargent’s paintings with authentic items of clothing and accessories donned by his subjects, offering audiences a unique passage into the artist’s creative realm. It underscores how Sargent’s subjects, often hailing from affluent backgrounds, entrusted him with their public images — a theme that resonates with the ongoing dialogue around the construction of identity in the public eye.

Tickets for “John Singer Sargent – Fashion & Swagger” are available for £13. Those interested can secure their spots by visiting www.torchtheatre.co.uk or contacting the Box Office at 01646 695267.

For further details and imagery, or to arrange press inquiries, please reach out to Anwen Francis (Marketing, Press & Communications) via email at [email protected] or phone at 07854 772640.

ENDS

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