A ST DAVIDS pensioner has urged Dyfed-Powys Police to return her marshmallow tea—after it was seized during a drugs raid at her home.

Barbara Lewis, of High Street, St Davids, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday (Apr 8) following her arrest the previous day.

Police had executed a drugs warrant at her property on January 3 and discovered 3.4 grams of cannabis. In the process, officers also confiscated what they believed to be other suspicious substances—including a packet of marshmallow root tea.

Ms Lewis was due to appear in court on February 11, but failed to attend. Her solicitor, Michael Kelleher, told the court she had been on holiday in Portugal at the time.

“Her passport was stolen while she was abroad,” he explained. “She was due to fly home the day before court, but with no passport, she was stuck in limbo and unable to travel.”

Ms Lewis was arrested on Monday and spent a night in police custody before her court appearance.

She pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis, a Class B drug, and to failing to surrender to bail. Magistrates handed her a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered her to pay £85 in court costs and a £25 victim surcharge. A forfeiture and destruction order was made for the cannabis.

But before she left the courtroom, the pensioner made one final plea—to the magistrates.

“Can I have my marshmallow tea back, please?” she asked. “Because when the police arrested me, they took that too. They thought it was cannabis!”

Whether the officers will brew over their decision remains to be seen.

‘Predatory and calculating’: Court hears of abuse of power at Morriston Hospital

A SENIOR doctor at Morriston Hospital used his position to sexually assault two female colleagues while on duty, a court has heard.

Naleen Thota, aged 55, deliberately targeted the women when they were alone, ensuring no witnesses were present before carrying out the assaults. Both incidents took place on separate dates while Thota was working in the intensive care unit at the Swansea hospital.

During sentencing at Swansea Crown Court, the judge described Thota’s behaviour as “a gross and calculated abuse of power and position”. The court heard that Thota’s seniority and reputation among colleagues allowed him to act with impunity.

Victim impact statements read to the court revealed the devastating toll the assaults had on the women. One described how Thota had “wielded his position of power like a weapon to hurt me and silence me”, adding that the violation took her mental health “to a very dark place”.

The second woman said Thota’s conduct was “predatory and calculating”. She told the court that he had groomed his victims, hiding behind a friendly façade while manipulating situations to his advantage. She has since required counselling to cope with the trauma.

The court heard that both women were initially too afraid to report the incidents, fearing they would not be believed due to Thota’s status at the hospital.

Thota, of Keepers Close in Penllergaer, was convicted at trial of two counts of sexual assault. He has no previous convictions.

Judge Catherine Richards praised the “enormous courage and strength” shown by the victims in coming forward. She told Thota: “Like sexual offenders before you, these offences were born out of the exercise of power used against these women without regard for the impact on them. You brought shame and disgrace on your family.”

The court heard that Thota trained as a doctor in India before moving to the UK more than two decades ago. He had worked in Swansea almost continuously during that time.

His barrister, Hywel Davies, said Thota’s family were likely to have to sell their home and move due to the shame caused by his actions. He also said Thota was now taking steps to address his attitudes towards the workplace.

Although the court found that the offences crossed the custody threshold, Judge Richards imposed a suspended sentence, citing the impact on Thota’s wife and daughters and the strain on the prison system.

Thota was sentenced to 21 months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work, attend a rehabilitation programme, and is subject to 10-year restraining orders. He will remain on the sex offenders’ register for the next decade.

TWO Pembrokeshire College learners are setting out on a journey of a lifetime, in an intrepid bid to do the UK proud at the next WorldSkills Competition; to be held in Shanghai in September 2026.

Following their success in the national skills competitions, beauty therapy learner Erin Owens and welder Luke Roberts will now join an intensive 18-month training programme with the hope of being selected for the team that will represent the UK at WorldSkills Shanghai in autumn 2026.

Known as the ‘skills olympics’, it is the first time China has hosted the prestigious WorldSkills competition. The event will see 1,500 young people travel to Shanghai from over 80 counties to compete in technical skill disciplines from engineering, manufacturing and technology through to creative, digital and hospitality, in front of an audience of 250,000.

On making it through to Squad UK, Luke commented: “I am excited about the opportunity ahead and eager to contribute. I have already commenced my training with Carl Parish in Wrexham, and with the high-quality training I received at Pembrokeshire College, combined with my experience at Haven Engineering, I am confident in my ability to handle any tasks assigned to me. It’s a huge honour to be selected to compete, I’m looking forward to the journey ahead.”

The WorldSkills competition is considered by global experts as the ultimate test of a nation’s ability to meet future skills needs. It is attended by government representatives, educationalists and leading employers from across the globe.

Pembrokeshire College has a long history of learners making it through to UK Squad training with carpenter Chris Caine and chef Sam Everton making it through to the World Finals in Russia in 2019 where they were both highly commended in their respective competitions.

College Principal, Dr Barry Walters commented: “We are exceptionally proud of Erin and Luke for earning their place in Squad UK—a testament to their talent, dedication, and hard work. This opportunity to compete at the highest level is not just about showcasing their skills but about pushing boundaries, embracing challenges, and striving for excellence. As they embark on this intensive journey towards the world finals, they carry with them the spirit of our College, inspiring others to dream big and achieve even bigger. We wish them every success!”

WorldSkills UK uses its participation in the international WorldSkills competition to promote skills excellence across the UK, and by working with education, industry and UK governments it is embedding world class training standards throughout the skills sector. This is helping to meet the demand for a highly skilled workforce in crucial sectors including engineering, digital, manufacturing and construction.

The UK will be competing in over 30 skills at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, including 3D Digital Game Art, Robot Systems Integration and Renewable Energy.

Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive, WorldSkills UK said: “Congratulations to both Erin and Luke on being selected for our training programme for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026. Together with the other members on our programme, they will be developing the right skills to fuel business growth across our economy. With WorldSkills being hosted in Shanghai next year, it provides a fantastic platform for us to work closely with China, where we know skills excellence is a priority, to collaborate, innovate and learn from the very best in the world.”

Freya Thomas Monk, Managing Director of Pearson Qualifications said: “Pearson is proud to sponsor Team UK! Boosting the profile and prestige of technical and vocational education is incredibly important to us and I wish this talented group of 86 young people from across the country the best of luck as they begin their training programme towards competing in Shanghai.”

Pearson is the official partner of Team UK for WorldSkills Shanghai, following a successful partnership at WorldSkills Lyon in 2024.