News

Prosecution case was ‘absurd’

Published

10 years ago

December 1, 2014

THE CASE of a Neyland man could not be proved beyond any reasonable doubt at court on Monday (Nov 3). Richard Davies, aged 69, of John Street, was accused of burglary other than a dwelling and theft from the person of another. He pleaded not guilty on August 8 and has maintained his innocence ever since. The second charge of theft was dropped by the Magistrates as they found he would have no case to answer. The matter dates back to 2012 when Richard’s neighbour, Stephen Thomas, went away for a couple of weeks.

Mr Thomas had his shed broken into during those weeks and a number of things were taken from it. Richard Davies was alleged to have stolen a clamp and a Stanley knife from the shed. CCTV from Mr Thomas’ home showed Davies climbing over his fence and walking up to his shed. The footage shows that Davies was in the shed for almost fifteen minutes and he says he was securing the door so nobody else could get in. After he comes out of the shed he has a clamp in his hand and then picks up a Stanley knife which was on the ground.

Davies added that the clamp was found outside of the garage and said he had no need for it. He then takes the items back to his own shed and places them there for safe keeping. Mr Thomas returned and reported to the police that a number of items were missing and he submitted CCTV footage to them. Asked in court why he did not call the police when he found out the shed had been broken into, Davies said: “That was the biggest mistake I made, I wish I had.” The police came round on February 2 2013, to speak to Mr Davies and he handed over the items that he had taken from the shed. Mr Thomas said that he had seen Davies and his wife in the weeks after the theft but Davies said that they had not seen each other.

Defending Patrick Llewlyn said: “The defence case is very strong, there is nothing that undermines Mr Davies’ account. He gave his account before seeing the CCTV and it fits. He is of good character and he is less likely not to tell the truth, he is a man of impeccable clean character. The prosecution case is quite absurd, in full view of a CCTV camera to steal two quite random items to the value of £30 when there are more items available – the prosecution case does not make sense. In hindsight, we all regret things, this was merely a mistake, it was a garage, less serious than normal and the house had been all but abandoned.

The charges don’t make sense; he accepts he picked up the Stanley knife. The property is infrequently attended, Thomas had moved out of the property and he did not see them until after the police officer had attended his house. Considering all that the court cannot be sure that meets the threshold of burglary.” The Magistrates agreed with the defence and agreed to dismiss the case.

News

South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association – Final Table 2024/25

Published

6 hours ago

April 20, 2025

Herald Sport

All matches complete as season concludes

THE 2024/25 season of the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association – known as The Friendly League – has now officially concluded, with all clubs completing their outstanding fixtures.

The past few weeks saw the following catch-up matches played:

Carew 8–2 Llanteg
St Johns 8–2 Cosheston
Hundleton 8–2 Reynalton
Reynalton 9–1 Lamphey
Cosheston 10–0 Kilgetty
East Williamston 9–1 Kilgetty

Final League Table (2024/25 Season)

Position	Club	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	S/D	Points
1	East Williamston	20	18	0	2	313	158
2	St Johns	20	14	0	6	111	122
=3	Carew	20	11	1	8	105	111
=3	Cosheston	20	12	0	8	77	111
5	Reynalton	20	11	0	9	28	104
6	Hundleton	20	9	0	11	74	97
7	Llanteg	20	7	1	12	-71	92
8	St Twynnells	20	8	1	11	-97	89
9	Badgers	20	6	1	13	-22	82
=10	Lamphey	20	6	0	14	-179	67
=10	Kilgetty	20	6	0	14	-262	67

Congratulations to East Williamston, who finish the season as clear champions with an impressive 158 points and a shot difference of +313.

News

Search continues for man overboard from UK yacht in Irish Sea

Published

11 hours ago

April 20, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A MAJOR search and rescue operation is under way in the Irish Sea after a man went overboard from a UK-registered yacht late on Saturday night (Apr 19).

The vessel, which was sailing from Brighton to Swansea via Falmouth, sent a 999 call to the Irish Coast Guard at approximately 10:55pm. The distress call was made by another person on board the yacht, who reported the man missing around 16 nautical miles south of Dunmore East, County Waterford.

The incident initially led to some confusion about the vessel’s position, but authorities later confirmed the yacht was off the coast of Ceann Heilbhic, near Dunmore East, rather than near Swansea.

The Irish Coast Guard launched an immediate multi-agency search operation, with extensive resources deployed overnight and into Sunday morning.

Rescue helicopters R117 from Waterford and R116 from Dublin were scrambled alongside a fixed-wing aircraft from HM Coastguard in the UK. RNLI lifeboats from Dunmore East, Kilmore Quay, and Ballycotton were also launched to join the search.

Weather conditions in the area have been described as calm, which is aiding the ongoing efforts.

The individual who raised the alarm has since been brought safely ashore. However, there has been no confirmed sighting of the missing man, whose identity has not yet been released.

A spokesperson for the Irish Coast Guard confirmed that the Dublin-based Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre is continuing to lead the operation and is coordinating all available assets.

As of Sunday afternoon (Apr 20), the man had not been located and the search remains active.

The Herald understands that further updates will be issued as the situation develops.

Business

Calls for urgent sale of Oakwood site amid trespasser fears

Published

11 hours ago

April 20, 2025

Tom Sinclair

CONCERNS have been raised about trespassers entering the closed Oakwood theme park, prompting calls for a swift sale of the site.

The once-popular attraction near Narberth has become a hotspot for urban explorers and thrill-seekers, with social media videos emerging of people wandering around the abandoned rides and infrastructure.

Since Oakwood shut its gates last month, following a decision by Spanish owners Aspro Parks to cease operations due to falling visitor numbers, locals have raised concerns about safety and the risk of vandalism.

Sam Kurtz MS, who represents Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, said a speedy sale was now vital to prevent further deterioration and potential criminal activity.

“The longer it remains empty, the greater the risk of problems – from trespassing to the site falling into disrepair,” said Mr Kurtz. “There’s also a real risk to health and safety if people are entering unsupervised.”

Mr Kurtz called on Aspro to actively work with the Welsh Government, local businesses, and other stakeholders to secure a new future for the site.

“This is a valuable asset,” he said. “There’s been a lot of interest from businesses already, and I urge Aspro to engage with us so we can get the ball rolling.”

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed they have received multiple reports of trespassing and possible criminal offences at the site since its closure.

The BBC have reported that Economics expert Professor Calvin Jones, of Cardiff University, was less optimistic about Oakwood’s chances of reopening as a theme park.

“If the existing operator – who’s invested tens of millions – can’t make it viable, it’s unlikely a new operator would be able to,” he said.

Instead, Prof Jones suggested the land might lend itself better to other recreational activities, such as adventure tourism, mountain biking, or zipline attractions, depending on what planning authorities allow.

“Ultimately, the future use of the site will come down to planning permission,” he said. “It may become something entirely different.”

Bluestone National Park Resort, which neighbours Oakwood and employs around 700 people, declined to comment on whether it would consider buying the land. Prof Jones noted that Bluestone has historically expanded cautiously and would likely only consider purchasing the site if the price was low.

The Welsh Government said that it “continues to engage” with Aspro Parks and recognised the former theme park’s importance to the local economy.

A spokesperson said: “We are hopeful a buyer will come forward to ensure this site can continue contributing to tourism in the area.”

Pembrokeshire County Council has confirmed it has not yet held any discussions with Aspro.