Crime

Banned from driving for being twice over the limit

Published

2 years ago

July 31, 2024

A MOTORIST has appeared before magistrates after being caught driving when he was over twice the drink-drive limit on two separate occasions within three weeks.

Stephen William Mabe, 52, was first stopped on June 23 after police officers received a report of the manner of his driving at Dwrbach, Fishguard.

“He had been seen driving erratically all over the road, he was driving on the wrong side, he nearly drove into bushes and he almost had an accident,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

Dyfed-Powys Police then received an additional call from a member of the public who had welfare concerns for the driver.

Mabe was seen sitting in the driver’s seat of his vehicle. A roadside breath test proved positive, while further breath tests carried out at the police station revealed he had 95 mcg of alcohol in his system. The specified legal limit is 35.

On July 9, Mabe was listed to attend Haverfordwest magistrates court for the first hearing for his drink-drive offence. When he failed to surrender to court bail at the appointed time, officers spotted his vehicle, a Kia Sportage, in a car park at Plas y Gamil, Road, Goodwick.

“He was quiet and softly spoken and admitted that he’d been drinking the night before,” said Ms Jackson.

Once again he was conveyed to a police custody suite for further breath tests to be carried out, and these showed he had 94 mcg of alcohol in his system.

Mabe, of Ty Croes, Plas y Gamil, Road, Goodwick pleaded guilty to two charges of drink driving and a third charge of failing to surrender to court bail at the appointed time.

He was legally represented by Fenn Richards who said her client has alcohol dependency problems.

She said that his decline began with the closure of the Laura Ashely store in Haverfordwest, where Mabe had been employed as the store manager for 14 years.

“This had a devastating impact on his mental health,” she said. “Things got worse and led to severe depression, when he began self-medicating with alcohol.”

Ms Richards said that Mabe has recently been referred to the Dyfed Drugs and Alcohol Service and has begun reducing his alcohol intake.

Mabe was disqualified from driving for 36 months. He was sentenced to a 12 month community order during which he must carry out ten rehabilitation activity requirement days. He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £48 surcharge.

Crime

Dock woman given mental health treatment order after supermarket thefts

Published

7 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A PEMBROKE DOCK woman has been placed on a mental health treatment requirement after repeatedly stealing meat, cheese and other grocery items from local supermarkets.

Lisa Stewart, 45, admitted three theft offences when she appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

The first offence took place on March 11, when Stewart stole Vanish, Lenor and three packs of Persil capsules from Home Bargains in Pembroke Dock, with a total value of £58.41.

The following month, she stole four small beef joints, four steaks and three blocks of cheese from Asda in Pembroke Dock, worth £55.68.

Seven days later, she stole four legs of lamb from Farmfoods in Pembroke Dock, valued at £99.96.

Stewart, of Truscott House, London Road, Pembroke Dock, also pleaded guilty to failing to surrender to police bail on or around May 26.

She was represented in court by solicitor Alaw Harries, who told magistrates the thefts involved items of relatively low value and were not the result of “sophisticated offending”.

“The defendant has had an exceptionally difficult time, as last year she lost her partner to cancer and has struggled profoundly to process that grief,” said Ms Harries.

“Instead, she has attempted to cope by taking more of her prescribed medication than she should. And this is what has led her to be here today.”

Ms Harries said Stewart is now motivated to address her issues.

Magistrates sentenced Stewart to an 18-month community order. She must complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days, a 12-month mental health treatment requirement and a 12-month drug rehabilitation requirement.

The order will include monthly reviews in court.

Stewart must also pay £214.05 compensation to the supermarkets, together with a £114 surcharge and £85 costs.

Crime

Grandmother banned after cocaine drug-drive offence

Published

7 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A GRANDMOTHER has been banned from the roads after being caught behind the wheel with 800 mcg of a cocaine metabolite in her system.

Eleri Phillips, 57, was stopped by police in the early hours of December 18 as she drove her Audi Q5 along Derwent Avenue, Steynton.

A roadside drugs swipe proved positive, and further blood tests carried out at the police station showed she had 45 mcg of cocaine in her system and 800 mcg of benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite.

The legal limits are 10 mcg and 50 mcg respectively.

Phillips, of Brook Close, Steynton, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to two drug-driving charges when she appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates. She was legally represented by solicitor Michael Kelleher.

“She is absolutely ashamed of what has happened,” Mr Kelleher told the court.

“She had been out with friends that evening and someone offered her cocaine. Very foolishly, she took it.

“As a result, she is now going to be disqualified from driving, which is going to cause problems not only for her but for her family, as she regularly helps look after her grandchildren with general pick-ups from school.”

Phillips was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined £120. She must also pay £85 court costs and a £48 surcharge.

Crime

Milford Haven builder banned for second drug-driving offence

Published

7 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

Court hears cannabis reading was five times the legal limit

A SELF-EMPLOYED builder has been banned from the road after committing his second drug-driving offence in ten years.

Robert Duncan, 44, was stopped by police at around 6:00pm on January 31 as he drove a Ford Focus along Steynton Road, Milford Haven.

Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard this week that officers had been observing the vehicle before requesting it to stop.

Duncan provided a positive roadside drugs wipe, and later blood tests showed he had 10mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system. The legal limit is 2mcg.

Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told magistrates that this was Duncan’s second drug-driving offence within ten years.

Duncan, of Meyler Crescent, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to drug-driving.

He was represented by solicitor Michael Kelleher, who said Duncan had believed the drug would have left his system by the time he got behind the wheel.

“He believed the drug would have been out of his system when he was driving, but it can take a considerable length of time to go,” said Mr Kelleher.

“In fact, this is the drug that takes the longest amount of time.”

Mr Kelleher said Duncan worked as a self-employed builder, but was currently unable to work large amounts of time because of family commitments.

Magistrates disqualified Duncan from driving for three years. He was also fined £80 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £32 surcharge.