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The fast and the furriest: Milford mechanic’s secret rabbit life

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A MILFORD MAN who found himself on furlough from his day-job as a mechanic has been indulging in his favourite pastime: being a rabbit.

Father-of-three Adrian James, who’s spent over £12,000 on his hobby, has swapped his oily overall’s for a rabbit costume and, when a rabbit, goes by the name of ‘Keel’.

Keel regularly joins up with other ‘furries’ for meets, but lockdown has put an end to that for the time being.

That paws in socialising has given Adrian the time to perfect his own ‘creature creation station’ that contains his seven full-sized rabbit costumes, he’s also been using lockdown to meet more ‘furries’ online and discuss their interest.

Talking to the Daily Mail, Adrian said: ‘I have always had a soft spot for rabbits. I had a rabbit teddy when I was younger which I rediscovered as teen and have been obsessed ever since,’

‘I converted my attic into a sort of studio where I can create the outfits, and tend to find that I’m enjoying myself the most when sewing together my latest designs.’

Adrian, who has been interested in rabbits since he was a child, has found great comfort in the extensive network of like-minded people he has found online.

Adrian James, from Milford Haven

‘People are into furries for different reasons, for me it’s the community feel within it and the artistry in the outfits. I love seeing new outfits when they’re made.’My new suit, who I called Chiral, was originally supposed to be sold on. But I liked him so much I decided to keep him for myself.

‘It can take months to finish a suit so being able to stay at home for such a long time gave me plenty of it to start making new furry outfits.

‘It was a continuous process so I would go into my little space at home and work on him, it’s really intense work that takes a lot of patience.

‘I understand that it’s an unusual hobby but we’re not hurting anyone, so I don’t see why it’s seen as strange. Some people like football and rugby but I like rabbits and the furry community is full of great people.

‘It was difficult when the lockdowns happened because as a result, furry meets stopped and I didn’t have many people to enjoy my time as Keel.
‘I started making suits as something to do while I couldn’t meet up with anyone, and I realised I was quite good at it, so I kept going.

‘My new suit is great, it hooks up to an app on my phone and I can change all the lighting while I’m in the suit. The next thing I want to make is a voice and eyes that open and close.

‘For me it’s all about expression, the community are a very active bunch and rabbits are just the animal that I attached myself to.

‘I have met some of my closest friends through the furry community so I’m looking forward to being able to meet them all again in the future.’

Adrian wishes more people wouldn’t judge him for his hobby and try to understand the great ‘furry’ movement in general.

‘There are some not very family-friendly sub communities in my community, like the fetish guys who have a sexual interest in furries, but I do not judge them for that.

‘But that’s not me, for me it’s all about the creative side of the suits and the way it lights up faces when I walk past.

‘Of course I get teenagers being cheeky, but mostly its kids loving the outfit and smiling when they walk past and parents asking how I made the outfit.

‘All in all it’s a great community to be a part of, but like anything there are bad eggs.’

Adrian, who has now returned to his day job and packs his suit away for the day, puts it back on when he gets home.

Adrian said: ‘I work hard and support my family so I don’t ever feel bad for spending time as Keel, it’s a harmless interest and one I aim to keep up.’

Community

3 Amigos toy bike run under way across Pembrokeshire

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Castle Inn fun runners back festive charity event

THE ANNUAL 3 Amigos Christmas toy bike run is under way this afternoon (Saturday), with hundreds of motorcyclists setting off from Pembroke to raise funds for children’s services.

Riders gathered at The Commons car park in Pembroke from around midday before departing shortly after 1:00pm. The festive convoy is travelling along its traditional route, taking in Pembroke Dock and continuing through parts of the county including Neyland, Milford Haven and Haverfordwest.

The event is organised by the 3 Amigos and Dollies Motorcycle Group and has become a much-anticipated Christmas tradition in west Wales, with toys and donations collected for children receiving care within the Hywel Dda University Health Board area.

Also supporting the event are fun runners from the Castle Inn in Pembroke, who have been fundraising in aid of the 3 Amigos. The group are pictured alongside participants from today’s run.

The 3 Amigos have been raising funds for children’s wards and health charities for more than twenty-five years, with their Easter and Christmas events continuing to make a positive difference to young patients and their families.

Organisers have thanked the public for their support and asked road users to be mindful of the large convoy as it passes through towns and villages this afternoon.

Photo caption:
Festive fundraising: Fun runners from the Castle Inn, Pembroke, pictured supporting the 3 Amigos Christmas toy bike run (Pic: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

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Crime

Rogue roofing traders had millions pass through accounts, court told

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Sentencing delayed as judge considers scale of long-running Pembrokeshire scam

A PAIR of rogue Pembrokeshire traders had more than £2.7 million pass through their bank accounts while operating what a judge described as a sophisticated fraudulent roofing business.

Thomas James, aged 38, and Jim Janes, aged 55, appeared at Swansea Crown Court on Friday (Dec 12) in connection with a Narberth-based roofing scam which spanned several years.

The court heard that over a five-year period the men ran a business which prosecutors said was fundamentally dishonest, with more than £500,000 believed to have been taken from customers through fraudulent work.

In remarks made during the hearing, the judge said the case went beyond dishonest trading, describing the defendants as builders who were not only dishonest but also incapable of carrying out the work they claimed to offer.

Expert evidence presented to the court showed the pair were unable to deliver the standard of work promised, with no credible evidence of satisfied customers. Large sums of money were seen flowing through their accounts, which the judge said demonstrated unlawful trading rather than legitimate business activity.

“This was not a case of people trying and failing to run an honest business,” the judge said. “It was a sophisticated operation set up to defraud customers.”

It was agreed that more than £500,000 had been generated from dishonest elements of the work carried out.

In mitigation, defence counsel said there had been some legitimate trading and that personal circumstances had contributed to a decline in standards. The court was told that not every job undertaken was fraudulent and that both men had accepted responsibility.

However, the judge raised concerns about how best to sentence the defendants given there are two separate indictments relating to the proceeds of the scam. Apologising to victims, the judge said the case could not be concluded on the day.

Sentencing was adjourned to Wednesday (Dec 17) at 2:00pm.

The Pembrokeshire Herald has been following this case for several months. It has been before the courts on several occasions this year.

At an earlier hearing at Swansea Crown Court in August, the court was told that the investigation into James and Janes had identified dozens of alleged victims across Pembrokeshire and west Wales.

Prosecutors said homeowners were persuaded to pay large sums upfront for roofing and construction work which was either left incomplete or carried out to a dangerously poor standard, in some cases leaving properties damaged.

During those proceedings, it was alleged that around forty victims had already been identified, with investigators warning the true number could be significantly higher as enquiries continued.

A separate but linked case could bring the total number of alleged victims to 140, making this the largest case of its type in Wales.

The prosecutions have been led by National Trading Standards Investigations Team (Wales) based at Newport City Council

The court previously heard that the men had handled criminal proceeds running into tens of thousands of pounds and that further victims could yet come forward.

The Herald understands that the scale of the operation, the movement of money through multiple accounts, and the long duration of the offending are all factors being considered ahead of sentencing later this month.

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Crime

Rural cannabis factory exposed after five-year operation in Carmarthenshire

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Family-run drugs enterprise brought in millions before police raid during lockdown

A FAMILY who relocated from England to a remote Carmarthenshire farm ran a highly organised cannabis production operation worth millions of pounds before it was uncovered by police.

Edward McCann, aged 66, his wife Linda, aged 63, and their son Daniel, aged 41, were jailed after admitting their roles in what prosecutors described as one of the most sophisticated cannabis factories ever uncovered in Wales.

The court heard that the McCann family made over £3.5m over five years

The operation was based at Blaenllain Farm, near Whitland, where the family had moved from Portsmouth. Although the property appeared to be an ordinary agricultural holding, locals became suspicious after extensive security fencing, CCTV systems and a lack of any livestock raised questions.

Police eventually raided the site during the Covid lockdown in October 2020, discovering a large-scale drugs factory operating from a converted barn.

Inside, officers found six purpose-built growing rooms containing cannabis plants at different stages of development. Upstairs areas were being used to dry harvested plants, while ovens were used to process cannabis resin and manufacture cannabis-infused products, including chocolate bars.

Investigators later estimated that the operation had generated around £3.5 million over a five-year period.

Two men had also been recruited to help maintain the crop. Justin Liles, aged 22, from St Clears, and Jack Whittock, aged 30, from Narberth, were found working on the site at the time of the raid and were later jailed for their involvement.

Jack Whittock and Justin Liles were two worked in the cannabis factory

Edward McCann was arrested at the farmhouse, while Daniel McCann — who owned the property but was living in Hampshire — was later arrested in Portsmouth in February 2021.

During sentencing at Swansea Crown Court, the judge rejected Edward McCann’s earlier claim that the cannabis was largely for personal medical use following a leukaemia diagnosis. The court heard that electricity had been illegally drawn from the National Grid to power high-intensity lighting and ventilation systems required for large-scale cultivation.

Judge Geraint Walters said the operation had been so extensive that it was unlikely to escape notice indefinitely, noting that the unusual security measures and lack of farming activity would have drawn attention in an agricultural area.

The cannabis plants seized during the raid were valued at up to £460,000, with finished products weighing around 80 kilograms and worth as much as £1.5 million.

Edward McCann was sentenced to seven years and seven months in prison, Daniel McCann received eight and a half years, and Linda McCann was jailed for six years and seven months. Liles was sentenced to 22 months, while Whittock received two years and ten months.

At a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing, the court heard that Edward McCann had personally benefited by almost £1.8 million. He was ordered to repay £340,000 within three months or face an additional four years in prison. Daniel McCann was given the same repayment order and penalty.

Linda McCann, said to have profited by £1.45 million, was ordered to repay £335,000 or face a further three years behind bars.

The court was told that failure to pay would not cancel the financial obligations, even if additional prison sentences were served. Further hearings are continuing to determine confiscation orders for the two hired workers.

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