Paul Davies AM: ‘Ambulances
are simply not available to
transport patients’

CONCERNS surrounding a lack of ambulances across Pembrokeshire have been raised with the Health Minister, thanks to local Assembly Member Paul Davies. Mr Davies has written to the Minister, following concerns that there is a severe lack of ambulances available in the local area and that in some circumstances, ambulances from other parts of Wales are being parachuted in to transport patients from Pembrokeshire. 

AM’s concerns regarding transport Paul Davies AM: ‘Ambulances are simply not available to transport patients’ Continued from front page West Wales estate agent Emma Davey,aged 34 of Rhydargaeau in Carmarthen, was jailed for one year, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work for the community. All four now face a Proceeds of Crime Act investigation as the government tries to confiscate the profit made from the £5 million fraud.

Carl Harrison, prosecuting, said the four had been involved in a sophisticated conspiracy during which they successfully applied for mortgages using false names, created false identities, invented salaries and tried to manipulate the market to their advantage. They frequently sold properties to each other and bought computer software capable of producing convincing looking payslips. Mr Harrison said Pickering and Cainen were at the heart of the conspiracy, which ran for eight years.

Mr Harrison added: “Pickering and Cainen acted as buyers, sellers and points of contact in the conspiracy and they provided false information such as shadow salary payments, invoices, pay slips and P60 documents giving details of tax said to have been paid. “There is some evidence Cainen was directing Ben Pickering, telling him what he should do and the order in which he should do it. “They were effectively stealing the identities of other people and companies and taking the identities of people of a similar age to get mortgages approved.”

During Cainen’s trial e-mails were produced by the prosecution that showed Cainen saying to Pickering: “Get your smoke and mirrors out.” Another from Cainen criticised Pickering “for not being a good crook”. At one time Cainen had more than 20 bank accounts in different names and Pickering obtained software to make false pay slips. Paul John was sacked by a Swansea finance firm in 2008 when a colleague found a false mortgage application for his wife in his desk drawer.

The court heard after his arrest, Pickering continued to work as a film director and made two successful films, however due to financial hardship, he was now living in the attic of his inlaws’ home. The judge suspended Davey’s jail term due to previous good character and the fact she was “prevailed upon” Judge Thomas said at the sentencing hearing today: “I have been told in letters on behalf of Pickering that the economic downturn and its effect on the housing market was the driving factor.

“I don’t accept that argument in any shape or form, these offences were fraudulent from the outset. This was fuelled not by economic necessity but by greed.” £5m west Wales mortgage fraud Mr Davies said: “Whilst ambulance staff across Pembrokeshire and indeed, across all of Wales continue to work hard to reach those in need, there is a growing concern amongst communities in the local area that ambulances are simply not available to transport patients between Withybush and Glangwili hospitals, following the local health board’s disastrous reorganisation plans.”

He added: “The Welsh Government continues to move services away from Pembrokeshire, without any consideration for the need to modernize the current transport system. “It’s simply unacceptable that people living in some areas of Pembrokeshire are experiencing severe delays and in some cases unable to receive an ambulance in their hour of need. The Welsh Government must address this issue as a matter of urgency.”