Crime

Senedd Members call for urgent action on safety after school stabbings

Published

10 months ago

February 7, 2025

SENEDD Members called for urgent action to ensure safety in schools after a 14-year-old girl was found guilty of the attempted murder of two teachers and a pupil.

Adam Price raised warnings from trade unions of a “behaviour crisis” in Welsh schools following the stabbings at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford.

The former Plaid Cymru leader asked about the use of security guards and scanners in schools, and extending the powers of teachers to search pupils without consent.

South Wales East MS Natasha Asghar, the Conservatives’ shadow education secretary, warned that violence in Welsh schools is becoming more and more frequent.

Calling for urgent action following the “horrific” incident in Carmarthenshire, she said: “This is an issue that’s much more widespread and deep rooted.

“In recent weeks, we’ve seen schools in Pembrokeshire, Port Talbot, Caerphilly and my own patch of Newport placed on lockdown and only today South Wales Police issued a statement about a knife reportedly being found in a bag of a student at a school in Bridgend.

“Nobody, and I mean nobody, should be going into work with fears of being attacked and schools should be a safe place for all pupils, students and everyone else in between.”

Tom Giffard, a fellow Tory, said: “Unfortunately, this is becoming more and more prevalent. We saw just yesterday in Bryntirion school in Bridgend a pupil carrying a knife and the really, really tragic incident we saw on Monday in Sheffield where a young person lost their life.”

He cautioned that while measures such as security guards need to be considered, it is important not to overlook the root of the problem.

Lynne Neagle, Wales’ education secretary, clarified that schools can search pupils without consent and permanently exclude those caught carrying a weapon.

Lynne Neagle, cabinet secretary for education

During topical questions on February 5, Ms Neagle told the Senedd a summit will be held on behaviour and a toolkit will be developed to support leaders in schools.

“I am concerned about behaviour in schools,” she said. “We’re seeing more and more young people with increasing complexity, with additional learning needs, with mental health issues.

“And we’re also, as a result, seeing more challenges with behaviour and I do believe the situation has become worse since the pandemic.”

Ms Neagle explained that Estyn will carry out a thematic review of behaviour in Welsh schools, with the education inspectorate due to report in May.

She said: “Now that the trial is over … there will be a process that’s gone through to learn the wider lessons of what happened in the run up to that terrible day in Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.”

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

11 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include:

Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
Common assault
Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

11 hours 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

11 hours 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 A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional non-fatal strangulation
Common assault on a woman
Criminal damage in a domestic context
Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.