Dock woman in need of ‘serious psychiatric intervention’ remanded in custody for own protection

Published

48 seconds ago

November 25, 2024

A 25-year-old woman, described by her solicitor as being ‘a danger to herself’, has been remanded in custody after repeated attempts for psychiatric reports to assist her recovery were ignored.

This week Elisha Callen sat sobbing before magistrates at Haverfordwest Court as her solicitor outlined the events that led to her arrest.

“The [self harm] injuries she has caused to herself are traumatic,” said Tom Lloyd.

“The only person she is a danger to is herself, and there are significant concerns from the police, the probation service and her father about her mental health. But despite this, the only thing she has been diagnosed with is anxiety and depression. And this is inconceivable, given the extent of her problems.

“This young lady is asking for help, but she isn’t getting the relevant support from the community. She needs serious intervention.”

Mr Lloyd went on to say that a previous request for a full psychiatric report into Elisha Callen’s mental health was abandoned by the courts.

“The report was ordered, and Elisha was desperate for it,” he said. “But at the second court hearing, that psychiatric report was abandoned and, instead, she was given a suspended sentence.”

This week Elisha Callen, of Glenview Avenue, Pembroke Dock, pleaded guilty to assaulting her father, Richard Callen, by beating and of causing criminal damage to his television.

The offences took place on November 17, after Elisha was taken to her father’s property by police officers.

“They asked if she could stay there, as she was having issues,” said Crown Prosecutor Nia James.

“She refused to go to sleep and became more irate. Her father couldn’t calm her down.

“She was pacing around the flat, and threw several items on the floor and another at the TV which is now permanently damaged as a result of the crack.”

Ms James said that at the time of the offence, Callen had deep self harm marks on her legs, which had been stitched up.

“She started pulling the stitches out, and her father started shouting at her to calm her down, but it wasn’t working.”

Callen then went outside the property and was followed by her father.

“But the defendant ran back inside his house and locked the door,” said Ms James. “He could hear her inside, shouting and screaming.”

Ms James went on to say that Callen, who self medicates with alcohol and drugs, has been told that the Crisis team is unable to support her as a result of a bed shortage.

“She was released from hospital with deep self harm wounds and threatened to throw herself out of her bedroom window,” continued Ms James.

“She is genuinely depressed and is intent on taking her own life. She has also said that she will go out and stab someone if she is released.”

After listening to the facts, magistrates ordered a full psychiatric report to be compiled prior to sentencing. Elisha Callen was remanded in custody for her own protection, and her sentencing was adjourned to December 10.

Crime

Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property

Published

10 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.

Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.

The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.

The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.

The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.

News

Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’

Published

10 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”

The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.

Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”

NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.

“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.

“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”

The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”

This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.

Community

Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed

Published

12 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.

The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.

Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.

Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.

The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.

With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.

“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”