Crime

Court hears how young girl was ‘raped in a lane’ in Milford Haven

Published

2 years ago

October 14, 2024

A JURY has heard the harrowing evidence of a woman who was allegedly raped in a lane in Milford Haven by 19-year-old Nathan John.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was just 16-years-old when she was allegedly led down a lane after leaving Circles nightclub on the night of October 2, 2022.

“I didn’t want to go [down the lane], because I didn’t trust him,” said in a pre-recorded interview with Dyfed-Powys Police officers that was played to a jury at Swansea Crown Court on Monday afternoon.

“But he’d put my jacket down his trousers and said if I wanted it back, then I had to get it.”

The court was told that John and the young woman had kissed ‘around five times’ earlier that evening when they were both in Circles nightclub.

But according to the Crown, John’s behaviour towards the woman turned violent when they left the venue.

“When we left Circles he said he was going to walk me home, and I was comfortable in his presence, but when he wanted to go down the lane, he got more aggressive.

“He grabbed me by the arms and I tried to walk away, but he kept stopping me, and that’s when he pushed me down and got aggressive,” she said.

“He covered my mouth and slapped me across my face twice, and then he pulled my jeans down.

“By now I was crying and I just wanted to go home.”

“When he was raping me, I just accepted that that was what he was doing – I was scared of him.”

The young woman, now 18, who gave her evidence with her shoulders hunched forward, staring at her hands, said that John bit her on the cheek and grabbed her hair, using it to pull her up.

“He then grabbed me by the chin and ejaculated in my mouth,” she said.

But under cross-examination after the complainant took to the witness stand in Swansea Crown Court the defence barrister John Tarrant, KC, claimed she had consented to having sex with Nathan John.

“There was a suggestion by you to take things further, and immediately outside the alley you were both keen on each other and you both wanted to have sex.

“Did you walk in, on your own free will, knowing that you were going to have sex?

“Did you undo the belt on his jeans?

“Did you pull his jeans down?”

Close to tears, the woman rejected each of the defence’s claims.

“No, I did not,” she said.

Richard John has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of sexually assaulting two women, both aged 16, in October 2022 and May 2024.

These include two charges of rape.

His trial is expected to continue throughout this week.

Crime

Spittal man to stand trial accused of ABH

Published

1 day ago

June 20, 2026

Court Reporter

A SPITTAL man is to stand trial accused of assaulting a man and causing actual bodily harm.

Robert Hedley, 41, of Wesley Way, Spittal, Haverfordwest, is charged with assaulting Liam Morley-Trivett at St Clears on August 30, 2025.

The case was before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Jun 18).

Hedley was granted unconditional bail and is due to stand trial at the same court on Monday, June 29.

The trial is listed for 10:00am and has been given a time estimate of twenty minutes.

Crime

Milford Haven woman spared jail despite string of shop thefts

Published

1 day ago

June 20, 2026

Court Reporter

Repeat offender stole from Tesco, Home Bargains, Food Warehouse and petrol stations in wave of offences

A MILFORD HAVEN woman who admitted a series of shop thefts committed over a matter of weeks has been handed a suspended prison sentence by magistrates.

Marion Picton, aged 46, of Hawthorn Path, Milford Haven, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Jun 18) and pleaded guilty to eight theft offences and a drugs-related offence.

The court heard that Picton carried out a string of thefts at stores across Milford Haven between April and June this year.

Among the offences, Picton admitted stealing meat from Food Warehouse on Apr 23, food worth £60 from Victoria Filling Station on May 29, groceries from Home Bargains on Jun 7 and Jun 8, food from Victoria Filling Station on Jun 7 and Jun 9, groceries and non-food items worth £51.09 from Tesco on Jun 16, and food worth £32.50 from Food Warehouse on the same day.

She also admitted failing to attend an initial drugs assessment after testing positive for Class A drugs, including cocaine and opiates.

Magistrates were told the offences represented persistent repeat offending and had been committed while Picton was already subject to a court order.

The bench imposed an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

As part of the order, Picton must complete up to 15 rehabilitation activity days under the supervision of the Probation Service.

The court ordered her to pay compensation to several of the businesses affected, including Tesco, Home Bargains, Food Warehouse and Victoria Filling Station.

In sentencing, magistrates said the offences were serious enough to justify immediate custody but suspended the sentence because there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and Picton appeared motivated to address her addiction issues.

Picton was warned that any further offending during the 18-month suspension period could see the prison sentence activated.