Crime

Man found not guilty over Goodwick pub bust-up

Published

1 year ago

February 21, 2025

A MAN has been found not guilty at Swansea Crown Court on Friday (Feb 21) after throwing a glass at another man in The Glendower Hotel, Goodwick, leaving him with a fractured eye socket.

Judge P. H. Thomas KC addressed the defendant, saying: “What the jury didn’t know is that you have a long history of violence. If you come before the court again, you should expect a sentence.”

Daniel Mitchell, 29, of Dunster Close, Rugby, but living in Goodwick at the time, had been on trial for inflicting grievous bodily harm and damaging property.

As the trial unfolded, the jury heard that the incident, which took place on April 18, 2023, stemmed from a longstanding financial dispute.

He pleaded not guilty to both charges, arguing that he had acted in self-defence.

Mitchell claimed he had lent the complainant £240, which had not been fully repaid. On the night in question, both men were drinking at The Glendower Hotel, where they became embroiled in a heated argument near the pool table.

CCTV footage showed the complainant walking over to Mitchell, at which point, Mitchell recalled: “I was feeling scared during the conversation. I felt like something was going to happen.”

The complainant allegedly responded: “I only owe you £50.”

Tensions escalated quickly. CCTV footage then captured the complainant pushing Mitchell backwards twice, nearly causing him to fall from his seat.

‘I wanted him to stop attacking me’

Mitchell told the court: “When he came for me again, I threw my whole glass at him from two metres away. I wanted him to get away and stop attacking me.”

The glass struck the complainant in the face, leaving him with a three-centimetre laceration above his eye, a two-centimetre laceration below, and a fractured eye socket.

Following the incident, Mitchell fled the pub and went to a friend’s house in Fishguard. Later that night, he walked 45 minutes back to Goodwick, where police found him hiding in a wardrobe upon his arrest.

Prosecuting counsel Georgia Donohue argued: “Throwing a glass in a man’s face was completely excessive, and you were not acting in proportionate self-defence.”

However, Mitchell’s defence barrister Ashanti-Jade Walton countered:

“The jury must assess this through the lens of the heat of the moment. Mr Mitchell’s main goal was to leave, and he acted instinctively.”

Walton emphasised that Mitchell had been pushed twice before reacting and did not have time to weigh his response.

After deliberating for around 90 minutes, the jury returned not guilty verdicts for both grievous bodily harm and criminal damage.

Judge Thomas discharged Mitchell from the dock, but warned him that any future offences would not be met with such leniency.

Crime

Local carpenter retains driving licence despite previous ban

Published

6 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A Herbrandston carpenter has been allowed to keep his driving licence despite a previous driving disqualification for using his mobile phone whilst driving.

Addressing District Judge Mark Layton at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court this week, Simon Shaw stressed the disqualification was having a major impact on his work commitment as well as his ability to support members of his family.

“If the ban continues, at least two of my five employees will have to be lost” said Shaw, who works as a self-employed carpenter operating from Herbrandston and the Milford Haven Industrial Estate.

“We travel throughout the whole of West Wales and also work at Thorne Island, where we’ve been providing logistical support for renovations for the last four years.”

Shaw, of Triplestone Close, Herbrandston, went on to say that his business has only one other driver who works as a reserve fire fighter.

“As a result, he’s not available to provide the 24 hour cover we provide to various care homes in the county,” he said.

Simon Shaw concluded by stating that his daughter is also dependent on his support having recently given birth to twins while his son-in-law and his partner’s mother are both currently undergoing serious healthcare treatments.

“I’m trying to provide as much logistical support for them as I can, but without my driving licence, this is impossible,” he said.

After listening to his comments, Judge Layton granted Shaw permission to retain his licence.

Crime

Delivery driver caught twice over legal drink-drive limit

Published

6 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A DELIVERY driver has been banned from the roads after being caught behind the wheel when he was over twice the legal drink-drive limit.

Twenty-nine year old Sam Rowe was stopped by officers just before 9.30 am on April 20 as he drove his Vauxhall Vivaro along Ferry Lane in Pembroke Dock.

“His speech was slurred and his eyes were bloodshot,” Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker told Haverfordwest Magistrates Court this week.

“There was also a strong smell of intoxicants emanating from him.”

When spoken to by the officers, Rowe stated he’d drunk a pint of alcohol approximately an hour before being stopped, however subsequent breathalyser tests showed he had no less than 75 mcg of alcohol in his system. The legal limit is 35.

Rowe, of Hazel Close, Pontypool, pleaded guilty to the offence and was represented in court by solicitor Michael Kelleher who informed the court that the defendant was holidaying in Pembrokeshire at the time of the offence.

“His daughter fell ill and he was attempting to find painkillers for her at a supermarket,” he said. “He’s very remorseful and is now going to lose his job as a delivery driver.”

Rowe, who has no previous convictions, was disqualified from driving for a total of 20 months. He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £48 surcharge.

Crime

Police tip-off leads to driving ban for Milford motorist

Published

6 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A PEMBROKESHIRE motorist has lost his licence after police received information that the 40-year-old male may have been driving under the influence of drugs.

This week Haverfordwest Magistrates court was told that at around 8.30pm on November 22 officers received a call informing them that Michael Miles was suspected of driving his Peugeot Bipper through Milford Haven after consuming drugs.

Miles was subsequently stopped on Marble Hall Road and when spoken to by the officers, he informed them that he was a drug user. A saliva sample tested positive for cocaine while further tests carried out at the police station showed that Miles had 760 mcg of the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine in his system, the legal limit being 50.

Miles, of Milford Road, Steynton, chose to be legally unrepresented in court and pleaded guilty to the drug-driving charge.

The probation service said he was very remorseful for the offence and has since had appointments with the Dyfed Drugs and Alcohol Service to help him deal with his drug usage. Miles was served with an interim driving disqualification however as a result of his previous non-payment of fines, his punitive sentencing was adjourned to Thursday, May 7.

“If you pay your outstanding fines before Thursday, you will be fined for this offence,” warned District Judge Mark Layton. “But if you don’t pay, you will be given a custodial sentence.”