Crime

Pembroke Dock mother unlawfully killed in brutal knife attack, inquest rules

Published

5 months ago

September 4, 2025

A MOTHER and grandmother who was described as “a complete joy to the world” was unlawfully killed in a violent knife attack at her Pembroke Dock home, an inquest has concluded.

Lisa Fraser, 52, was found dead at her home in Military Road at around 8:00am on May 13, 2022. She had sustained multiple sharp-force injuries, including a fatal cut to the throat.

The morning of the attack

The inquest, which took place at County Hall, Haverfordwest, heard that Matthew Harris, 41, had carried out a string of threatening and destructive incidents across Neyland and Pembroke Dock in the early hours of that morning.

One elderly motorist was left terrified when Harris approached him with a knife and told him: “You are going to die.” Armed police were called to the area.

When officers reached Military Road, they saw Harris leaving Mrs Fraser’s house with his hands raised. He told them he needed to go to prison, claiming: “I killed a Nazi. I’ve just killed a Nazi in there.”

Inside the property, officers found Mrs Fraser lying in a rear bedroom with injuries that were not compatible with life.

Arrest and custody

Harris, a father of two who had worked at Pembrokeshire’s oil refineries as a mechanical engineer, was arrested and charged with murder. He was remanded in custody but never stood trial.

Just two weeks after the killing, on May 27, 2022, Harris was found hanged in his cell at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire. He later died in hospital.

No justice in the courts

As a result of his death in custody, Harris never faced a jury for the killing of Mrs Fraser. The inquest noted that the family were denied the chance to see the case brought before crown court, leaving many questions unanswered.

For Mrs Fraser’s loved ones, the suicide of her attacker meant that justice was never delivered through the legal system. Instead, the inquest provided the only formal opportunity to set out the events of that day and record how she was unlawfully killed.

Background of the attacker

The inquest was told Harris had a long history of drug use dating back to his school years and had previously served a prison sentence for a drug offence. Although he had suffered with anxiety in his youth, he had no formal mental health diagnosis.

A psychiatrist who interviewed him after his arrest said there was “little to suggest” he suffered from a psychotic illness.

Witnesses reported that in the days before the killing, Harris had displayed erratic and paranoid behaviour, including claiming he had been poisoned.

Tributes to Lisa Fraser

Mrs Fraser was a wife, a mother of three, and grandmother to an eight-month-old grandson. Originally from Kent, she had moved to Pembrokeshire in 2003. She worked in local care homes before taking up a cleaning job in 2021.

Her daughter Phoebe described her as “the glue that kept us all secure.”

“Lisa Fraser was the most innocent, caring person you would ever come across,” she told the inquest. “She should be remembered for the amazing caring soul that she was. Laughter followed her everywhere. She was a complete joy to the world and would support anyone who needed it.”

Phoebe added that her mother doted on her grandson during the eight months they shared together, and cared for adults with additional needs “as if they were her own.”

Her wider family said she had “touched the hearts of everyone she had contact with” and hoped she was now “dancing in gold dust.”

Coroner’s conclusion

Pembrokeshire Coroner Paul Bennett ruled that Mrs Fraser’s death was a case of unlawful killing.

He said: “Lisa Fraser woke up on May 13, 2022, on what was expected to have been a normal day. Like her neighbours in Pembroke Dock, she had no concerns about leaving her property door unlocked. There was no reason to think that anyone would enter the house and do such a terrible thing.”

He concluded: “Lisa Fraser died as a result of stab wounds she sustained to the neck when she was subject of an unprovoked assault committed upon her by an individual who entered the property, who was of sound mind and intended to kill her or cause her grievous bodily harm.”

Mr Bennett commended the Fraser family for their dignity during the four-day inquest, offering his “sincerest and genuine condolences.”

Crime

Former soldier jailed for stalking police officer over past arrest

Published

18 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Court Reporter

Defendant tracked down officer’s home address and sent threatening messages

A FORMER serviceman has been sent to prison after tracking down and harassing a police officer who had arrested him two years earlier.

Gareth Nicholas, aged 41, from Waunarlwydd in Swansea, targeted the officer by discovering his home address and sending a threatening message via Facebook, Swansea Crown Court heard.

The officer had been part of a police team that executed a Scottish arrest warrant at Nicholas’s home in May 2023. Two years later, in August 2025, the officer received an unexpected friend request on social media, followed shortly afterwards by a message that immediately caused concern.

The message began with the words “I found you” and accused the officer of unlawfully entering Nicholas’s property, assaulting him while he was in his underwear, and “abducting” him. Nicholas also claimed he had identified a pattern of corrupt behaviour within the police and issued a veiled threat, stating: “I will catch you down the Liberty son. Look forward to it,” a reference to Swansea City’s former stadium.

The situation escalated further days later when a handwritten letter was delivered to the officer’s former address. The new occupant contacted the officer to alert him to the letter, which repeated allegations of corruption and suggested the matter could be dropped if the officer assisted in exposing alleged police misconduct.

Nicholas was arrested on September 3 and admitted sending the communications, but denied at the time that his actions amounted to stalking.

In evidence, the officer told the court that while he had faced verbal abuse during his policing career, this incident felt different and deeply personal. He said his family installed CCTV cameras, security lighting and fencing, and put safety plans in place for their children. He added that he feared Nicholas had not let go of his perceived injustice and remained concerned the behaviour could continue.

The court heard Nicholas has a substantial criminal record in Scotland between 2019 and 2024, including convictions for stalking, malicious communications, threatening behaviour, domestic abuse offences and possession of ammunition without a licence.

Sentencing Nicholas, Judge Huw Rees acknowledged the trauma the defendant had experienced during military service, but warned him not to repeat the behaviour.

Nicholas, who appeared unrepresented, pleaded guilty to stalking and was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison, reduced by 20 per cent for his early guilty plea. Having already served time on remand, his release is expected shortly. He was also made subject to a five-year restraining order banning any contact with the officer.

Crime

Drink-driver ran red light and narrowly missed another motorist

Published

20 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A DRINK-driver was seen running a red light, swerving between lanes and narrowly missing another vehicle while being followed by police, a court has heard.

Reuben Kirkman, aged 26, was stopped by officers after being seen driving a Vauxhall Corsa along Iscoed Road, Hendy, on the night of June 21, 2025.

“He was stopped by officers as a result of his standard of driving,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told District Judge Mark Layton, sitting at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

“He had a near miss with another vehicle, he had no lights on, he drove through a red light and he was seen swerving between lanes.”

Subsequent blood tests showed Kirkman had 147 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80.

His solicitor, Peter Harper, told the court the offence occurred after Kirkman had spent the day with his football team.

“They ended up in the pub and he consumed some alcohol,” he said. “He planned to leave his vehicle there but failed to find a taxi.

“So he sat in his car for around 30 minutes, drank some water and made the stupid mistake of driving home.”

The court was told Kirkman, of Castle Buildings, Castle Street, Swansea, is a sport science and nutritional science graduate and is currently employed in food supply at Wetherspoons.

After pleading guilty to drink-driving, Kirkman was disqualified from driving for 17 months and fined £430. He was also ordered to pay a £172 court surcharge and £85 in costs.

Crime

Pembroke Dock woman fined after drunken abuse in town centre shop

Published

20 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A PEMBROKE DOCK woman has been fined after hurling drunken abuse at shoppers when she entered a town centre store in a highly intoxicated state, a court has heard.

Karen Rees, aged 52, entered a store in Dimond Street, Pembroke Dock, just after 10.00am on January 6.

“She was heavily intoxicated, shouting and swearing and pushing cans off the counter,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told District Judge Mark Layton, sitting at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

“But she was also having difficulty getting her words out as a result of the level of her intoxication.”

Rees, of Kavanagh Court, Pembroke Dock, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

She was fined £80 and ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a £32 surcharge.