BRIAN DAVIS, 53, of Bush Street, Pembroke Dock, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison after admitting to three counts of non-dwelling burglary at Swansea Crown Court.

The court heard that Davis and an accomplice targeted Sinclair Garages in Neyland during the early hours of April 2 last year, stealing four vehicles: a Mercedes CLA, an Audi A1, an Audi Q3, and a Volkswagen Tiguan worth around £90,000 in total.

Sentencing Davis, Judge Paul Thomas KC said the crimes were too severe for a suspended sentence and noted little hope of rehabilitation. “These offences display planning and determination,” the judge remarked.

The burglars forced entry into the garage, using a crowbar to access a key storage board. Nine sets of keys were stolen, allowing them to take multiple vehicles. Prosecutor Matthew Murphy told the court: “The men left with two cars initially, returned 14 minutes later to steal a third, and returned again for a fourth.”

The stolen cars were valued at approximately £90,000. Three vehicles – the Volkswagen Tiguan, Audi A1, and Audi Q3 – were recovered the following day. However, the Mercedes CLA, worth £12,382, was only located in January this year. Damages included £5,541 to replace locks on several vehicles.

Police traced Davis through partial fingerprints found on a glove left in one of the stolen cars. He was arrested after surrendering at Haverfordwest Police Station on August 14.

Struggles with addiction

The court heard Davis had left Pembrokeshire in December, breaching post-sentence supervision for an unrelated offence, to stay with family in Glasgow and recover from drug addiction. Stuart John, defending, explained: “The defendant struggled with heroin addiction from a young age. Family bereavements caused a relapse.”

Mr John noted that Davis had been clean when he returned to Pembrokeshire and voluntarily handed himself in. While in custody, Davis completed courses and attended counselling, demonstrating awareness of the consequences of further drug use.

Recovered vehicles

• Volkswagen Tiguan: £36,577
• Audi Q3: £26,041
• Audi A1: £15,000
• Mercedes CLA: £12,382

Police praised the recovery efforts, but the incident has left a costly mark on Sinclair Garages, with damages to vehicles and security.

THE Welsh Labour conference in Llandudno, Conwy, on Saturday (Nov 16) became the backdrop for a large and impassioned protest by farmers opposing the Labour government’s controversial inheritance tax changes. Hundreds of farmers descended on the venue with tractors and vehicles, voicing their frustration at what they describe as policies that will devastate rural communities and family farms.

The protest was a coordinated effort by Digon yw Digon (“Enough is Enough”), a group advocating for rural communities. Protesters carried signs reading “Labour War on Countryside” and “No Farmers No Food,” while tractors lined the promenade outside Venue Cymru.

Starmer’s absence deepens anger
Farmers had hoped to confront Prime Minister Keir Starmer directly and present their concerns. However, Starmer avoided the protesters, leaving the venue without meeting them. This decision was sharply contrasted by the actions of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who earlier this year attended the Welsh Conservative Conference and took time to speak with farmers about their challenges.

One farmer remarked, “Starmer didn’t have the guts. He left without facing us.”

The farmers’ message
In lieu of a direct meeting, the farmers delivered a strongly worded letter addressed to Starmer, outlining their grievances:

“Dear Prime Minister,

Croeso i Gymru,

Today you can see the depth of feeling and concerns that you are creating as the PM of this country towards the rural areas and farming community.

The outcome of your Budget highlights the government’s incapacity to look at the position as a whole rather than a tick-box exercise to fulfill your selfless ambition.

The inheritance tax debacle highlights this case. This new tax represents a considerable challenge not only for farmers but also the broader agricultural sector. The £1 million threshold is alarmingly low, and many farmers will face impossible decisions to sell portions of their land to cover these costs. This will affect the smaller family farm the most.”

Why farmers are protesting
The changes announced in the Autumn Budget include:

• A new 20% inheritance tax on farms valued over £1 million.
• Modifications to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR), effective from April 2026.

Farmers fear these changes will force many family-run farms to sell land, leading to reduced food production and driving up food prices.

Becky Wall, a farmer at the protest, made an emotional appeal:
“Please support our farmers; they work hard over long hours to feed us. Without them, we have no food. These changes will also impact small businesses connected to farming, posing a serious threat to our economy and our bellies.”

Rural Wales under pressure
The letter also highlighted the cumulative challenges faced by Welsh farmers, including the draconian impact of Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) regulations, increasing incidences of bovine tuberculosis (TB), and uncertainty surrounding the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).

“This cumulative approach has created despair in the countryside,” the letter continued. “As food supplies decrease, it will become more expensive, and the poorest in society will suffer the most.”

Gareth Wyn Jones, a farmer and broadcaster, expressed the emotional toll on rural communities:
“They’re destroying an industry already on its knees mentally, emotionally, and physically. We need government support, not hindrance, to feed the nation. Enough is enough.”

A strike as a last resort
As frustration boils over, some farmers have announced plans to go on strike starting Sunday. While economically challenging, the strike reflects the growing anger in the countryside.

The protest in Llandudno is part of a larger movement, with a major demonstration planned for Westminster next Tuesday. The event has already drawn so much support that its location was moved from Trafalgar Square to accommodate the expected turnout.

Starmer defends budget
Inside the conference, Starmer defended the Budget, describing it as a tough but necessary measure to stabilise the economy:
“Make no mistake, I will defend our decisions in the Budget all day long. Tough decisions were necessary to protect the payslips of working people, fix the foundations of our economy, and invest in the future of Wales and Britain.”

Starmer also hailed Labour’s collaboration between Westminster and the Welsh government as a “gamechanger,” promising that communities in Wales would benefit from Labour-led governments pulling in the same direction.

Investments and promises
Despite the protests, the conference included announcements of major investments:

• A £160 million investment zone for Flintshire and Wrexham, described by Starmer as a turning point for the region’s economy.
• An additional £22 million to tackle NHS waiting lists in Wales, adding to the £28 million pledged earlier this year.
• A record £21 billion Budget allocation for Wales in 2025.

First Minister Eluned Morgan touted the “power in partnership” between the two Labour governments and emphasised their commitment to delivering for Welsh communities.

Farmers and rural advocates insist that their voices will not be ignored. The inheritance tax changes have become a flashpoint for broader frustrations with government policies affecting rural areas.

As the protest letter concluded: “Prime Minister, we ask that you revisit the whole approach to farming and rural communities as a matter of urgency. This is a last resort, but growing anger in the countryside has brought us here. The one thing Labour has achieved is uniting farmers, businesses, and rural communities against these policies.”

With protests expected to intensify in the coming days, the farming community’s fight for their livelihoods and the future of rural Wales continues.

AT 10:32am on Friday, November 15, Angle RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat was launched following a Pan Pan call from an 18ft vessel experiencing machinery issues near Pennar Point.
The lifeboat quickly located the vessel at anchor in shallow water. After a brief conversation with the skipper, the lifeboat crew established a tow and safely guided the vessel to Neyland Marina. The casualty vessel was secured alongside the fuel pontoon, and the lifeboat returned to its station by 12:30pm.

SEARCH FOR MISSING FEMALE
Two days earlier, on Wednesday, November 13, the crew were conducting an afloat exercise when they were diverted to assist in a search for a missing woman near West Angle.
The lifeboat made best speed to the area and began a search operation. However, the woman was later found safe and making her way back to the car park. St Govan’s and Tenby Coastguard Rescue Teams were also involved in the search.

MISSING FISHERMAN LOCATED
On Monday, October 28, at 10:59pm, the crew joined a large-scale search for a missing fisherman at St Brides Haven. Working with St David’s all-weather lifeboat, Little Haven inshore lifeboat, coastguard rescue teams from Dale and Broad Haven, and Dyfed-Powys Police, the crew searched from West Dale to Jack Sound.
While passing Marloes, the lifeboat crew spotted lights on the shore. The discovery was relayed to the cliff-top teams, who confirmed the lights belonged to the missing fisherman. The man was found safe and escorted off the beach, allowing all search teams to stand down. The lifeboat returned to station by 12:30am.

POLICE INCIDENT RESOLVED
The day before, on Sunday, October 27, at 10:24pm, the crew were paged to assist with a police incident on the Cleddau Bridge. However, the launch was cancelled as the situation was resolved by police before the lifeboat deployed.

Angle RNLI remains on standby 24/7, ready to respond to emergencies along the Pembrokeshire coast.