Crime
Pendine man jailed for abducting and drugging teenage girl
Offender had 1,101 unlawful images of children stored on his devices, including 122 Category A images – the most serious classification.
A PENDINE man has been jailed after admitting abducting a teenage girl, supplying her with drugs and keeping more than a thousand indecent images of children.
Richard Knight, aged 73, from Pendine, Carmarthenshire, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison at Swansea Crown Court following what police described as a lengthy and complex investigation.
Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police were alerted in the early hours of Monday, April 11, 2022 after a distressed 15-year-old girl phoned her mother asking to be collected, saying she had taken drugs at Knight’s home.
Police forced entry to the address after receiving no answer and finding concerns for the girl’s safety. Inside, officers discovered a small cannabis grow but no occupants. It later emerged Knight had driven the girl home himself.
He was arrested shortly afterwards on suspicion of drink driving and drug offences. A further search of the property uncovered several types of controlled drugs and a number of digital devices.
During interview, the teenager told officers she had agreed to meet Knight but believed he knew her age and that she had not told her mother where she was going. She described being given various drugs, including substances hidden inside fruit pastels. CCTV later showed Knight buying the sweets before collecting her.
Digital forensic analysis revealed 1,101 unlawful images of children stored on his devices, including 122 Category A images – the most serious classification.
Drug experts valued the cannabis grow at between £6,000 and £20,000. Officers also seized six different types of Class A drugs from the address.
Guilty pleas before trial
Knight was charged with 12 offences including child abduction, possession and making of indecent images of children, and being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.
He admitted the drug offences in April last year and later pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images. Although he initially denied child abduction, he changed his plea immediately before a trial was due to begin at court in January.
‘Very serious case’
Detective Constable Jon Gouldson said: “This was a very serious case involving a man who groomed a young and vulnerable girl for his own satisfaction.
“There is no doubt he knew that taking this 15-year-old into his home without parental permission was wrong.
“Taking or keeping a child under 16 without consent is a crime. There are no grey areas.
“We welcome today’s sentence and remain committed to bringing offenders like this before the courts.”
Support available
Anyone concerned about their own behaviour or thoughts towards children can seek confidential help from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which runs the Stop It Now service aimed at preventing abuse before it happens.
Crime
Begelly man remanded over alleged May Day assault
A PEMBROKESHIRE man has been remanded in custody following an alleged May Day assault against a woman in Begelly.
Tomas Baker, 34, of Ty Dee, New Road, Begelly, is accused of assaulting the woman, causing actual bodily harm, at an undisclosed location in Begelly on May 1.
Baker appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week by video link from Swansea Prison.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
His trial will take place at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on June 22.
Crime
Waterston man denies child rape and sexual assault charges
A WATERSTON man has appeared before magistrates charged with 13 sexual offences against children, including three allegations of raping a girl under the age of 13.
Chaisee Price, 25, of Biggins Hill, Waterston, Milford Haven, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.
He faces three charges of raping a girl under 13, eight charges of sexually assaulting girls aged between five and eight, and two charges of intentionally inciting girls under 13 to engage in sexual activity.
The offences are alleged to have taken place between 2014 and 2019.
Price denied all charges.
Because of the seriousness of the allegations, magistrates declined jurisdiction and the case will now proceed to Swansea Crown Court on July 10.
Price was released on conditional bail.
The conditions include a daily electronically monitored curfew between 6:00pm and 6:00am, no contact with the prosecution witness, no unsupervised contact with children under 18, and a requirement to surrender his passport to police.
Crime
Haverfordwest pair accused of £80,000 rogue trading frauds
TWO men from a Haverfordwest traveller family have been described in court as “rogue traders” following a series of alleged frauds totalling almost £80,000.
Billy Alfred Gary Lovell, 38, and Timothy Dean Lovell, 36, both of Under the Hills, Merlins Bridge, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.
They are accused of offences linked to ground clearance and gardening work in Mathry, Sardis and two addresses in Carmarthenshire.
Prosecuting on behalf of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Trading Standards Department, barrister Harry Dickens told the court: “These men have to be described as rogue traders.”
Billy Lovell faces 16 charges, including fraud by false representation, fraud by failing to disclose information, and unfair commercial practices.
The most serious allegation relates to Diana and Martin Hearnshaw, of Sardis. It is alleged that between January 30, 2022, and January 16, 2025, Billy Lovell dishonestly represented that he would complete clearance and gardening works worth £71,631, but failed to carry out work to that value.
He is also accused of offences involving Richard Gardner, of Penygroes, Carmarthenshire, Irene Williams, of Mathry, and Daniel Watts, of Ty Croes, Carmarthenshire.
Timothy Lovell faces ten charges arising from alleged incidents involving Richard Gardner and Irene Williams.
The allegations include claims that the defendants failed to provide accurate invoices, receipts, written contractual terms, cancellation rights and refund information. Some charges also allege that aggressive commercial practices were used, including harassment, coercion or undue influence.
No pleas were recorded. Because of the seriousness of the allegations, District Judge Mark Layton declined jurisdiction.
The case will now proceed to Swansea Crown Court on June 12.
Both defendants were granted conditional bail. They must not contact prosecution witnesses directly or indirectly, must live and sleep each night at their respective addresses in Under the Hills, Merlins Bridge, and must not undertake any gardening or landscaping work.
The bail conditions were imposed to prevent interference with witnesses and further offending.
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