News

Civil society urges Senedd to back urgent pensions summit on ethical investment

Published

6 months ago

June 12, 2025

A COALITION coalition of Welsh civil society organisations is calling on the Senedd’s Petitions Committee to support an urgent national summit on ethical and sustainable public pensions investment.

Divest Cymru, alongside North West Wales Action Group, PSC Cymru, Global Climate Justice Group, and other grassroots campaigners, is urging the committee to endorse a petition submitted by Divest Gwynedd ahead of its scheduled discussion on Monday (June 16) at 2:00pm.

The petition—titled “Convene a summit to accelerate sustainable and ethical investment by public sector pensions”—follows a peaceful protest in March during a Welsh Pension Partnership (WPP) meeting in Swansea. The demonstration was led by Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Divest Gwynedd, XR Cymru, and other allied groups, highlighting public concern over pension investments in fossil fuels, arms companies, and corporations linked to environmental degradation and human rights abuses.

Campaigners say the petition has received strong support across Wales and beyond, with widespread calls for the Welsh Government to urgently convene a summit that will secure concrete commitments to align pension investments with Welsh values of fairness, sustainability, and global responsibility.

Alison Shaw of Divest Gwynedd said: “Progress on divestment has been slow and is increasingly out of step with the urgency of the global situation.
This summit would be a timely opportunity to embrace the benefits of investing ethically and sustainably—for the people and nature of Wales.”

The petition outlines five key requests to the Welsh Government:

Convene a national summit bringing together pension stakeholders, public bodies, and civil society.
Divest from harmful industries, particularly fossil fuels, arms, and companies complicit in human rights violations.
Explore place-based investment opportunities such as green homes, renewable energy, and local food systems.
Integrate climate justice and human rights into public pension policy.
Embed commitments within the Well-being of Future Generations Act and Just Transition principles.

Clive Haswell of PSC Cymru added: “A dedicated summit is essential to pin this down—otherwise the issue risks being kicked into the long grass. An ethical pensions policy must prohibit investments linked to apartheid and genocide, particularly in the context of Palestine.”

Barbara Davies-Quy of Size of Wales, speaking on behalf of the Global Climate Justice Group, said the Petitions Committee now has a clear opportunity to lead:

“Campaigners are urging the committee to support the summit’s scoping and design phase, including involving grassroots voices at the heart of planning. This is a real chance to ensure our public pensions serve the public good.”

The call to action comes amid rising public demand for greater transparency and accountability in how public money is invested. With concern growing over climate breakdown and social injustice, campaigners argue that pension funds must be transformed from part of the problem into part of the solution.

Supporters are encouraging members of the public to email the Petitions Committee ahead of Monday’s meeting to voice their support.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

10 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.