A TRAINEE plumber who consumed so much alcohol that ‘he didn’t know what he was doing’ has appeared before magistrates charged with interfering with two cars parked in Pembroke town centre.

In the early hours of October 6, police officers saw Ethan Pender, 20, sitting inside a Ford Fiesta parked in Main Street.

“The interior lights were on, so this naturally attracted the officers’ attention,” Crown Prosecution Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

When the officers questioned Pender about what he was doing, he told them it was his parent’s vehicle, however a subsequent vehicle check confirmed it belonged to someone else residing in the area.

Pender, who is currently enrolled on a plumbing course at Pembrokeshire College, pleaded guilty to a similar charge of entering a parked BMW.

“The contents of a First Aid box were strewn all over the seats and the lock on the central console was broken,” continued Ms Vaughan. She confirmed that no items had been stolen from either vehicle.

However Pender’s solicitor Tom Lloyd, claimed the offences were committed following a drinking spree.

“He was extremely intoxicated and had got to the state where he couldn’t remember what he was doing,” he said.  “There was no targeting of any vehicles, and no damage was caused to them.”

But the magistrates failed to be swayed by Mr Lloyd’s mitigation.

“You’re claiming you were so drunk that you don’t remember what was going on, but we don’t buy that at all,” said the presiding magistrate.

As a result, magistrates requested an oral probation report prior to sentencing, however chief probation officer Julie Norman requested an adjournment as a result of Pender’s history of court orders and cautions.

“We consider him to be at high risk of reoffending,” said Ms Norman.

Sentencing was adjourned to November 26 and Pender was released on conditional bail, the conditions being that he obeys a daily curfew between 8pm and 7am and he lives and sleeps at his home address at Central Court, Milford Haven.

A 35-year-old man has been brought before magistrates charged with possessing cannabis and cocaine in Haverfordwest town centre, with intent to supply both drugs to others.

Nathan Murdoch, formerly of North Court, Haverfordwest, is accused of possessing an unknown quantity of cannabis at an undisclosed location on June 16, 2023 with intent to supply.  On the same date it is alleged that he possessed an unknown quantity of the Class A drug cocaine, with intent to supply.

This week Murdoch was brought before Haverfordwest magistrates where he gave his address as Gwyrdd Goed Road, Pontardwe.  No pleas were submitted, and magistrates declined jurisdiction.

The case will now proceed at Swansea Crown Court on December 6.  Murdoch was released on unconditional bail.

A COURT has heard how a self-employed tree surgeon ‘hit a nerve’ when a customer at a Narberth pub began hurling derogatory comments at him concerning his mother.

Ashley Willliams, 34, refused to accept the comments made to him by fellow drinker Paul Deary, during the incident at The Dragon Inn, Narberth, on the night of October 18, 2023.

“They’d both been drinking at the pub but then suddenly, at around 10pm, the complainant made significant derogatory comments to the defendant from absolutely nowhere, about having sex with his mother,” said Wiliams’ solicitor, Mr Tom Lloyd.

As a result, Ashley Williams, of Stoneyford Farm, Narberth,  launched himself at Mr Deary and pushed him backwards, causing his head to hit a wall.  The force of the impact resulted in considerable injuries to the back of Paul Deary’s head, and a photograph of the wound was shown to the magistrates.

 Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan said Mr Deary required hospital treatment for his injury and sustained 45 stitches to the back of his head which will result in a permanent scar.

In a victim impact statement read out to the court , Mr Deary said the assault has had a profound impact on his life.

“This has made me feel unsafe in my home town,” he said.  “I’m now sofa surfing because I don’t want to be there any more.”

During the altercation, Mr Deary’s mobile phone and necklace were both damaged

Ashley Williams pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Deary causing actual bodily harm and was legally represented in court by Mr Tom Lloyd.

“It wasn’t his intention to cause that degree of injury,” said Mr Lloyd.  “But those completely inappropriate derogatory comments were made and possibly the most important thing to consider is that this all started by that degree of provocation.  And that’s crucial.”

Meanwhile probation officer Julie Norman said that Williams, who is a self-employed tree surgeon, arrived at the pub after finishing work earlier that evening.

“He drank around eight pints of alcohol and as a result, those comments [made by Mr Deary] hit a nerve.  If the defendant hadn’t been drinking, he’d have walked away.”

Williams was sentenced to 26 weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months.  He must pay a total of £500 compensation to Mr Deary, which includes £200 for the damage caused to his mobile phone and necklace.  He must pay a £154 court surcharge and £85 costs.

He was also ordered to carry out ten rehabilitation activity requirement days and must wear an alcohol monitoring tag for the next 120 days.