Crime

Gwent Police officer from Pembrokeshire accused of making sexual comments to women

Published

10 months ago

February 4, 2025

A POLICE officer from Pembrokeshire has been accused of making degrading sexual comments to women he met while on duty and turning up at their homes uninvited, a court has heard.

Luke Silver, 33, of Freshwater East Road, Lamphey, is a serving police constable with Gwent Police. He is alleged to have asked women if they “liked sex,” when they “last had sex,” and told one of them she had “big boobs.” It is also claimed he visited women’s homes while off duty, with one complainant describing him as “a creepy police officer.”

A trial at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday (Feb 4) heard that Silver subjected the alleged victims to “sexually explicit and unwanted comments” which left them “upset and distressed.”

PRETENDED TO BE A GAS MAN

The allegations surfaced on July 4, 2022, after one woman reported Silver turning up at her home in Cwmbran two days earlier. Prosecutor Roger Griffiths told the court that Silver had finished work when he arrived at the woman’s address wearing a dark top. Claiming to be a “gas man” from housing group Pobl, he asked to use her toilet.

Once inside, he allegedly went upstairs, used the toilet, then sat in her living room, engaging in inappropriate sexual conversation. The woman claims he asked when she “last had sex,” if she “enjoyed sex,” and requested to see a tattoo on an intimate part of her body. He also allegedly asked if he could “pop in for a cup of tea” when in the area and inquired if she had a boyfriend.

When she asked him to leave, Silver is said to have requested a hug, which she refused. The woman later recognised him as the officer who had driven her home a year earlier, during which he allegedly turned off his police radio and asked her inappropriate sexual questions, including what sexual positions she liked. He is also accused of saving his phone number in her mobile.

SECOND WOMAN INSTALLED RING DOORBELL OUT OF FEAR

Following advice from Women’s Aid, the woman reported the incident to the police, leading to Silver’s arrest on July 5. He claimed he had visited her home because he and his partner were looking to get a cat.

Investigators later examined Silver’s work phone, uncovering messages between him and a woman who had previously reported a domestic violence incident. The court heard that Silver made “explicit sexual comments” about the size of her breasts and asked about her sexual preferences while collecting a witness statement.

The woman said she became so “scared” of his behaviour that she installed a Ring doorbell camera. She later withdrew her domestic violence complaint to prevent Silver from attending her home. However, he is alleged to have visited her off duty, continuing to make unwanted sexual remarks, asking if she liked sex and when she last had it. In voicemails to a friend, the woman repeatedly described him as “a creepy police officer.”

ACCUSED OF MISUSING POLICE SYSTEM

The court also heard that Silver allegedly accessed a police log related to the first complainant on July 1, just a day before visiting her home.

Silver denies three counts of corrupt or improper use of police power or privileges and three counts of causing a computer to perform a function to secure or enable unauthorised access to a programme or data.

The trial continues.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

12 minutes ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second count of assault
Criminal damage
An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

19 minutes ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string of alleged offences including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, 40, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, faces six linked charges arising from incidents reported to have taken place earlier this year. Alcock, who did not enter pleas during the administrative hearings, appeared on several occasions as the court dealt with bail issues and case management.

Multiple assault allegations
The charges listed before magistrates include:
Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional strangulation
Common assault of a woman
Criminal damage relating to a domestic incident
Further assault allegations linked to the same complainant
A breach of bail conditions

The court heard that Alcock had previously been granted conditional bail. However, he was brought back before magistrates twice during the same reporting period for alleged breaches of those conditions, resulting in updated bail decisions.

Bail breached — defendant remanded

On two separate entries in the court register, Alcock was listed as having breached his bail, leading magistrates to remand him into custody pending the next hearing. On other dates within the same week, he was again re-released on conditional bail, with strict terms imposed, including restrictions on contact with the complainant and exclusions from certain locations.

He is now remanded on conditional bail with his next appearance set for Swansea Crown Court, where the more serious matters — including the alleged non-fatal strangulation — will be dealt with.

Case sent to Crown Court

Magistrates directed that the case is too serious to be heard locally and must proceed to the Crown Court for trial or sentence.

The Herald understands that all listed charges fall under the same prosecution reference, indicating they form part of a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution. No further details were opened in court at this stage.

Crime

Rogue roofer conned homeowner out of thousands

Published

35 minutes ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Caerphilly investigation leads to court conviction

A ROGUE trader from Pembroke has been ordered to pay more than £6,000 after duping a homeowner into handing over thousands for unnecessary roofing work.

Douggie Whitbread, aged twenty-five and living at Coldwell Terrace, Pembroke, persuaded his victim that he “probably needed a new roof” before charging £4,350 for work that was either unnecessary or not carried out properly.

Whitbread admitted two counts of fraud relating to a property on Griffiths Street, Ystrad Mynach, with the offences taking place between August 12 and October 16, 2023.

He appeared before Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court, where he was ordered to pay a total of £6,130. That includes £4,350 in compensation, £1,500 in prosecution costs, a £200 fine, and an £80 victim surcharge.

The case was brought following an investigation by Caerphilly Trading Standards, who urged residents to be cautious of unsolicited offers of home maintenance work.