JAMES O’NEILL, 53, from Merthyr Tydfil, was found guilty of wounding/inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent at Swansea Crown Court on Friday (Dec 13). His co-defendants, Aron O’Neill, 25, and Shaun Nicholas, 24, were acquitted after the jury ruled that their actions were in self-defence.

The charges arose from a violent altercation at The Boat House pub in Saundersfoot on October 28, 2022. The complainant, Stephen Kanauros, had been celebrating his daughter’s birthday with his family when tensions escalated, leading to a brutal attack that left Mr. Kanauros with serious injuries.

During the trial, the jury was shown CCTV footage and graphic images of Mr. Kanauros’ injuries. Prosecutors revealed that James O’Neill bit off part of Mr. Kanauros’ lip during the altercation, with the severed section later found on the pub floor. O’Neill also bit the complainant’s finger, causing further significant injuries.

Prosecutor Dyfed Thomas KC argued that James O’Neill’s actions were deliberate and intended to cause serious harm. “He intended to cause harm—really serious harm—and he certainly achieved it,” Mr. Thomas said.

The violence reportedly stemmed from James O’Neill’s anger after bar staff questioned his daughter, Lowri O’Neill, about her ID. When staff asked the group to leave, James O’Neill responded aggressively, directing offensive language at the staff and blowing vape smoke at them.

Co-defendants cleared

While James O’Neill was found guilty, his co-defendants, Aron O’Neill and Shaun Nicholas, successfully argued they acted in self-defence during the altercation. Both men testified that their actions were defensive and aimed at protecting James O’Neill.

Aron admitted throwing punches but maintained they did not connect as alleged. Shaun acknowledged striking Mr. Kanauros once but described his action as a panicked response to protect his uncle.

Their legal teams emphasized that the men’s actions were reasonable given the perceived threat to James O’Neill.

Courtroom testimony

During closing arguments, Mr. Singh, representing Shaun Nicholas, drew comparisons to Mr. Kanauros’ defence of his wife earlier in the altercation. “Shaun Nicholas acted out of a desire to protect his uncle. How is this any different from when Mr. Kanauros defended his wife?”

The jury ultimately found the two men not guilty, while James O’Neill was held solely responsible for the grievous injuries inflicted on Mr. Kanauros.

James O’Neill is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday (Jan 17) 2025.

The case has drawn significant attention due to the severity of the injuries and the dramatic CCTV evidence presented in court.

AN INVSTIGATION has been published into a fire that broke out in the engine room of the roll-on/roll-off passenger ferry Stena Europe while it was approaching Fishguard, Wales, on 11 February 2023.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) released its findings on Thursday (Dec 12), detailing the causes and consequences of the incident, which occurred during the vessel’s voyage from Rosslare, Ireland, to Fishguard.

The fire started at 9:15pm when pressurised fuel from a loose fuel pipe connection sprayed onto a high-temperature exhaust pipe, igniting a blaze. The engine room sustained significant damage, but there were no injuries reported among passengers or crew, and no environmental harm was caused.

The fire was extinguished by the crew.

SAFETY FAILURES IDENTIFIED

The investigation revealed several safety issues:

• The protections designed to prevent fuel fires, such as spray shielding on fuel pipes and insulation of hot surfaces, were ineffective.
• Weaknesses in the original fuel pipe connections had been flagged previously, but modifications recommended by the engine manufacturer were not implemented.
• Crew members lacked adequate training to inspect engine fuel systems thoroughly.
• The temperature monitoring equipment used to check exhaust insulation failed to detect potential hot spots.

RECOMMENDATIONS ISSUED

The MAIB made recommendations aimed at preventing similar incidents. These included:

• The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) should propose to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) the introduction of mandatory thermographic equipment to identify exposed high-temperature surfaces.
• Stena Line Ltd was advised to review its defect reporting system, enhance crew training for equipment inspections, and equip its fleet with thermal imaging cameras to detect risks more effectively.

Details of the accident have also been shared with other vessels in the Stena Line fleet as part of safety improvements.

The full report, Accident Investigation Report 20/2024, is available on the MAIB’s website.

MILFORD HAVEN YOUTH COUNCIL, in partnership with Milford Haven Youth Centre, hosted a Christmas dinner to be enjoyed by local pensioners last week.

On December 6, Milford Haven Youth Centre was the venue for the event, which was the idea of the youth council.

The youth council members wanted to support their community and successfully applied for funding from Pembrokeshire Youth Bank and Milford Haven Town Council.

In light of the current financial difficulties and the growing loneliness among many individuals, the young people recognised the urgent need to kick off the Christmas season on a positive note. They delivered an event that the community could genuinely look forward to.

Forty pensioners came along for a delightful two-course meal, which the young people prepared from scratch, followed by lively games of bingo.

PCSO Rachel O’Neil said: “The Youth Council are a credit to Milford Haven. It was lovely to see young and old mixing and laughing, community spirit at its finest.”

Gareth Price a member of the community added: “I have had a great day, it was so lovely to meet new friends.”

Nadine Farmer, Children and Young People’s Rights Officer, asserted her pride in the group, stating: “I couldn’t be more proud of the team that planned this event from start to finish. They identified a critical need in the community and took decisive action. This clearly demonstrates that young people play a crucial role as active citizens and are committed to making a significant difference.”

The youth council would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Lord Nelson Hotel, Dillys Chocolate, Redefined by Anna, Broadway Garage and Spinnaker Café for their generous contributions of bingo prizes. Thanks also to Pembrokeshire Youth ASB Youth Worker and PCSO Rachel O’Neil for their help on the day.

Pictured: Milford Haven Youth Council members started Christmas celebrations with the local community.