MS raises concerns about draft UK guidance on abortion clinic protests

Published

2 years ago

January 28, 2024

DRAFT UK guidance which allows protestors to approach women attending abortion clinics shows why policing and justice needs to be devolved to Wales, the Senedd heard.

Jenny Rathbone, a Labour backbencher, raised concerns about the UK Government issuing watered down draft guidance on safe zones around abortion clinics.

Ms Rathbone, who represents Cardiff Central, told MSs that most people in Wales support a woman’s right to choose to take on the difficult lifelong commitment of having a child.

“Women who attend these clinics are at their most vulnerable making that difficult decision,” she said during first minister’s questions on Tuesday January 23.

“And it is quite appalling that we are winding back the clock to enable people to be harassed at that most difficult moment.”

Last year, MPs backed proposals to enforce 150-metre buffer zones around abortion clinics to stop women being harassed as they enter.

Ms Rathbone said: “It is seriously disappointing that this draft guidance has already been given to police forces and local authorities despite this vote in the UK Parliament….

“How on earth can we trust the UK Government to obey the wishes of its own Parliament? Is this not a prime example of why policing and justice need to be devolved to Wales?”

Mark Drakeford told the Senedd that Home Secretary James Cleverly has said the guidance was drafted before he came into post following Suella Braverman’s sacking.

The first minister said Mr Cleverly has agreed to meet MPs to discuss their concerns ahead of publishing the final version of the guidance.

Prof Drakeford highlighted that Sir Bernard Jenkin, a Conservative MP, wrote to the home secretary saying the guidance discounts the experiences of women accessing services.

Sir Bernard, along with a Labour MP, raised concerns that women are being instructed not to feel harassed, alarmed or distressed by behaviour which has exactly that effect.

Prof Drakeford agreed with their assessment that the draft guidance would do nothing to address the ongoing issue of anti-abortion harassment outside clinics.

He said: ”If these decisions were in the hands of this Senedd, we would have acted differently and acted already to put an end to that harassment.

“It’s not too late for the UK Government to listen to Sir Bernard Jenkin and others – and I really hope that they do.”

Uxbridge motorist banned after Pembrokeshire drug-drive stop

Published

59 minutes ago

June 24, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

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.

Uxbridge motorist banned after Pembrokeshire drug-drive stop

Published

1 hour ago

June 24, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

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.

Carpenter banned after drug-driving in camper van

Published

1 hour ago

June 24, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

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.