Crime

Pembrokeshire carpenter jailed for stealing vehicles and handling stolen goods

Published

1 year ago

October 19, 2024

A PEMBROKESHIRE carpenter has received a jail sentence after pleading guilty to receiving stolen goods and stealing vehicles on two separate occasions.

This week a judge was told that Daniel Hudson, 30, committed the catalogue of crime while he was heavily dependent on Class A drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine.

Appearing at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, Hudson admitted the aggravated taking of a vehicle from Holyand Road, Pembroke; using that same vehicle on a road without third party insurance; going equipped for theft; stealing another motor vehicle in Bristol; receiving stolen goods; driving above the specified drug-drive limit; driving whilst disqualified on two separate occasions and failing to surrender to bail.

Crown Prosecutor Nia James said that on August 28, 2022, police received a call saying that a delivery van had been stolen in Bristol.

“Its driver had been delivering a package, but when he went back to his vehicle, it had gone,” she said.

“It was later picked up on an ANPR camera and there were two males seen inside the vehicle.”

Then the vehicle was stopped by police, Hudson jumped out of the driver’s seat and ran off into a large open space.

Officers detained him, and Hudson immediately admitted that he had been the driver.

“He said he’d just seen the keys in the van so thought he’d have a go at it,” stated the Crown.

“He also admitted that he’d taken crack heroin that same day.”

Subsequent drugs tests showed Hudson had 200 mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system. The legal limit is 50.

Meanwhile on July 22, 2022 a Mr William Greeves had ridden his Genesis Equilibrium bike, valued at £1,800, to a church in Bristol where he was instructing a class.

“But when he returned to the bike, he found that it had gone,” continued Nia James.

“He made enquiries on social media and arranged to meet a man, who turned out to be the defendant, to buy the bike. Mr Greeves alerted police about the situation and the defendant was arrested.”.

Ms James said that Hudson informed the officers that his intention was to sell the bike ‘to make some money’.

On September 25, 2024, the owner of a Renault Kangoo that had been parked outside a property in Holyland Road, Pembroke, received a call to say that his van was in the middle of the road and both of its airbags had been deployed.

Police were called to the scene and discovered that the vehicle had mounted the verge, resulting in damage to its bodywork. The registered keeper was spoken to who confirmed that prior to being removed from his property, the vehicle was undamaged..

Just after 7am the following morning police received a call from Hudson who admitted stealing the van the night before. He also told them where he had left it.

“It was obviously the same vehicle,” said Ms James.

Hudson was legally represented in court by Jess Hill who said that at the time of the offences, her client was heavily dependent on class A drugs.

“He was heavily influenced by drugs and was a Class A user,” she said. “He then decided to leave this lifestyle behind and is now clean from drugs, however hasn’t been able to tackle his alcohol abuse, which is why the more recent offences were committed.”

Ms Hill informed District Judge Mark Layton that Hudson, of Trewent Park, Freshwater East, works as a self-employed carpenter.

After considering the mitigation, Judge Layton sentenced Hudson to 42 weeks in custody. Half of the sentence will be serviced in prison, with the remaining time on post-sentence supervision.

He was ordered to pay £800 compensation for the damage caused to the Renault Kangoo, £350 costs and a £187 court surcharge. He was disqualified from driving for a total of five years and six months.

Crime

Former Wales rugby star admits Christmas Day drink-driving offence

Published

4 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

Ex-Ospreys captain was almost twice over limit in Pembroke town centre

Former Wales back row Jonathan Thomas has admitted driving through Pembroke town centre on Christmas Day when he was almost twice over the drink-drive limit.

This week Haverfordwest magistrates heard that Thomas, 43, was stopped by officers as he drove his Mercedes CLA 220 along The Green, Pembroke, at around 5pm on Christmas Day.

“The officers were very concerned at the manner of his driving, as the car was being driven erratically and was swerving to the other side of the road,” said Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan.

“When Jonathan Thomas got out of the car, the officers could see that he was having difficulty standing and was unsteady on his feet.”

Subsequent breathalyser tests showed Thomas had 62 mcg of alcohol in his system, the legal limit being 35.

Thomas, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the drink-drive charge and was represented in court by solicitor Jess Hill.

“He has family in the area and had travelled to spend time with them on Christmas Day,” she told the magistrates. “He’s very remorseful for his actions and hugely regrets his decision that day.”

Jess Hill concluded by saying that Thomas is currently “between jobs and living off his savings”.

Thomas, who gave his address as Main Road, Bredon, was disqualified from driving for a total of 18 months.

“The length of your disqualification reflects the fact that you were more than a little bit over the limit,” commented the presiding magistrates when imposing sentence.

He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 court surcharge.

The former Wales back row left his role as Swansea RFC head coach at the beginning of December 2025 as a result of ongoing health concerns. He was forced to retire from playing in 2015 on medical advice after being diagnosed with epilepsy and is one of the 390 former rugby union players currently taking part in a concussion lawsuit against the sport’s authorities.

“Long-standing issues linked to the head trauma have caused me some concern recently and it has been impossible for me to give the role everything it needs,” he said in a previous interview with the BBC.

His rugby career started out with Pembroke RFC juniors before moving to Swansea RFC, which he captained when he was 19. He then joined the Ospreys where, over a ten-year period, he won four league titles and an Anglo-Welsh Cup. He was the youngest player to captain the Ospreys and, at the time of leaving, was the joint highest appearance holder, together with Andrew Bishop, on 188 appearances.

His international career saw him play for Wales at Under-16, Youth, Under-19, Under-21 and Sevens levels. He made his senior international debut against Australia in 2003, featured at the 2007 Rugby World Cup and was part of two Six Nations Grand Slam-winning sides in 2005 and 2008. Between 2004 and 2011, Thomas was included in every Wales Six Nations squad. In his appearances for Wales, he scored seven tries.

Crime

Drink-driver narrowly avoided collision in town centre

Published

4 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

Motorist almost three times over legal limit

A DRINK-driver narrowly avoided crashing into another vehicle while almost three times over the legal alcohol limit, a court has heard.

Nathan Lloyd, 33, was seen driving a Nissan X-Trail in Haverfordwest in the early hours of December 20 without headlights.

Police followed the vehicle, which narrowly missed a car and struck a kerb before being stopped.

Lloyd, of Adams Drive, Narberth, recorded a breath reading of 97 micrograms of alcohol, nearly three times the legal limit.

He was disqualified from driving for two years and given a 12-month community order requiring 80 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation days. He was ordered to pay £114 surcharge and £85 costs.