Crime

Record number of Pembrokeshire residents in court over council tax arrears

Published

5 months ago

July 7, 2025

Over 1,200 liability orders issued in a single day at record-breaking hearing

MORE than 1,200 Pembrokeshire households were hit with court orders on Monday (July 7) for non-payment of council tax, The Pembrokeshire Herald can reveal.

At Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, a total of 1,270 liability orders were granted to Pembrokeshire County Council in a single session – according to a justice source this is the most ever in a single day. The court heard complaints relating to 1,500 defendants — one of the largest mass enforcement actions ever.

With an estimated 48,200 homes in Pembrokeshire, the figures suggest that more than 1 in every 40 households faced court action for unpaid council tax on the same day.

Court records show:

1,270 orders were granted,
142 cases were withdrawn, and
85 accounts were marked as paid before the hearing.

The council was represented by officer Dafydd Thomas, who gave evidence under oath. The session was conducted under Regulation 34 of the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992.

Enforcement action expected

A liability order gives the council the legal power to take further steps to recover the debt, including:

Deducting money from wages or benefits,
Placing charging orders on property, or
Passing the case to bailiffs (enforcement agents).

The Herald has already reported on recent enforcement activity in Milford Haven, where vulnerable residents say they were threatened with forced entry by bailiffs — something that is not permitted under council tax law unless a specific legal process has been followed.

Council tax arrears at record levels

The court hearing follows recent Welsh Government figures revealing that council tax arrears across Wales now stand at £263 million, a 139% rise compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Pembrokeshire County Council was owed £8.75 million in unpaid council tax as of March 2025 — up from £8.38 million the previous year.

Finance Minister Mark Drakeford recently described current enforcement rules as “too aggressive” and confirmed that the Welsh Government is consulting on proposals to extend the period before court action from two weeks to two months.

Pembrokeshire County Council have been contacted for comment.

Bailiff powers — know your rights

Council tax is a priority debt, meaning non-payment can lead to court action and enforcement — but residents still have rights.

Bailiffs cannot break into a home to collect council tax unless they’ve previously been inside and signed a Controlled Goods Agreement. They cannot force entry on a first visit and must not enter if a vulnerable person is home alone.

If you are struggling to pay or have been contacted by a bailiff, you can:

Contact Pembrokeshire County Council directly to arrange a payment plan.
Ask about the Council Tax Reduction Scheme or discounts such as single person discount.
Get free help from Citizens Advice, StepChange, or National Debtline.
If you are vulnerable, request that the council recall the case and apply its vulnerability policy.

If you have received a court summons or have been contacted by an enforcement agent, The Pembrokeshire Herald would like to hear from you.
Contact the newsroom at [email protected]

Crime

Aberystwyth man denies criminal damage charge over Cardigan gallery window

Published

3 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Alleged incident said to have taken place on Bridge Street

AN ABERYSTWYTH man has denied a charge of criminal damage relating to an alleged incident in Cardigan.

Ricky Myers, aged 27, of Jasper House, Aberystwyth, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard that Myers is accused of criminal damage to property valued under £5,000, contrary to the Criminal Damage Act 1971.

The charge relates to an incident on Saturday (Aug 24, 2024) at Manchester House on Bridge Street, Cardigan, where it is alleged that a window at the Cardigan Gallery was damaged. The property is said to belong to Peter Austin.

Myers pleaded not guilty to the allegation.

Magistrates adjourned the case for further case management, and Myers was remanded on conditional bail, with a condition that he live and sleep each night at his home address.

He is due to return to court at Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Dec 17) at 2:00pm.

Crime

Pembroke Dock man remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on string of offences

Published

3 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Harassment charge and three assaults among cases listed for Llanelli court

A PEMBROKE DOCK man has been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing after admitting a series of offences, including harassment and assaults.

Tony Brundrett, aged 21, of Kavanagh Court, Pembroke Dock, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard Brundrett has pleaded guilty to harassment without violence, contrary to the Protection from Harassment Act. The charge alleges that between Tuesday (Sep 17) and Thursday (Oct 31) at Spring View, Pembroke Dock, he pursued a course of conduct amounting to harassment of a female, including attending her home address and contacting her by text message.

He has also admitted assault by beating against the same female, alleged to have taken place on Wednesday (May 21) at Spring View, Pembroke Dock, and a further assault by beating against a second female on Thursday (Oct 30), also at Spring View.

Magistrates were additionally told that Brundrett faces a further allegation of common assault against a third female, said to have occurred on Tuesday (Dec 9) at Kavanagh Court, Pembroke Dock. No plea was recorded to that matter in the register entry.

Brundrett has also pleaded guilty to a number of offences linked to an incident in Haverfordwest on Saturday (Nov 16). These include:

Aggravated vehicle taking, involving a Vauxhall Corsa, with damage caused before recovery
Using a motor vehicle without insurance
Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence
Criminal damage, involving a window belonging to Pembrokeshire County Council

He was remanded in custody, with the next hearing listed at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Dec 31) at 10:00am.

Crime

Milford Haven man admits multiple offences after A477 incident

Published

3 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Zombie knife charge and dangerous driving among offences before the court

A MILFORD HAVEN man has appeared before magistrates charged with four offences arising from a single incident in Pembrokeshire.

Simon Rees, aged 28, of Observatory Avenue, Hakin, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard that all four offences are alleged to have taken place on Tuesday (Nov 5) and relate to an incident on the A477 towards Pembroke Dock involving a Ford Fiesta.

Rees is charged with:

Possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, namely a zombie knife
Dangerous driving
Using a motor vehicle without third party insurance
Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence

Magistrates were told that Rees has pleaded guilty to the insurance offence and to driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. He has also changed his plea to guilty on the offensive weapon charge, while indicating a guilty plea to the dangerous driving offence.

The case was adjourned for sentence, and the court ordered that a pre-sentence report be prepared.

Rees was remanded on conditional bail, with conditions including a night-time curfew between 8:00pm and 7:00am, to be electronically monitored, and a requirement to reside at his home address.

He is due to return to Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on Tuesday (Jan 7) at 10:00am.