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Crime

Jealous partner set fire to home after nightclub assault

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A COURT has heard how a Milford Haven woman said she would rather have been “beaten black and blue” than have her home set on fire by her jealous partner.

In a victim impact statement read to Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Candice Evans described Christopher Barrett’s actions as “the worst thing I have ever experienced in my life.”

“This was the worst thing he could have done to me,” she said. “I’d rather have been beaten black and blue than have him do this. My home is everything to me, but he destroyed my safe haven.”

The court heard that Barrett and Ms Evans had gone out for a meal before visiting a nightclub in Milford Haven on the night of September 12. When Barrett saw his girlfriend socialising with another man, he became jealous.

Haverfordwest magistrates’ court

“He punched her in the stomach, causing her to double over,” said Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan. “She then hit him back as she was so angry at being assaulted by him in front of other people.”

Ms Evans later told police she was fearful of returning home but was reassured Barrett had been arrested. However, six days later she discovered her kitchen table, blackened by fire, outside her front door.

“I was shocked, as this certainly wasn’t what I was expecting,” she said.

The blaze caused damage to the kitchen ceiling, floor and sofa, along with a number of unopened parcels.

At the time, Barrett was already subject to a two-year community order for assaulting two emergency workers.

Barrett, 54, pleaded guilty to arson and assault by beating. He appeared before magistrates via video link from Swansea Prison, where he has been on remand since last month.

Defending, Michael Kelleher said the incident followed “the worst six months of his life.”

“He was laid off from work, he left his wife, and then he met Ms Evans, who is 20 years younger than him,” he said. “When he saw her with another man, he overreacted. He knows this was his own fault and his life has now fallen apart.”

Mr Kelleher told the court that Barrett had been drinking at Ms Evans’s home on October 18 and accidentally started the fire.

“He lit a cigarette and left it on the table next to some laundry,” he said. “When he realised what he’d done, he went to put it out. When police arrived, he was outside holding the table. There was little or no planning.”

Barrett has been remanded in custody since the offence and is currently on the rehabilitation wing at Swansea Prison.

He was sentenced to 36 weeks in custody and ordered to pay £400 compensation to Ms Evans, along with £187 surcharge and £85 costs. A two-year restraining order was also imposed, prohibiting any contact with the victim.

 

Crime

Pembrokeshire hairdresser avoids prison after pub assault

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When a Fishguard mobile hairdresser was branded a chav in her local pub, she took umbrage by throwing a glass of gin at the woman who had spoken the words.

But this week Haverfordwest magistrates heard that when the glass shattered into the victim’s face, the woman sustained lacerations to her neck and chin.

Appearing before the Bench was 43-year-old Donna Thomas of White Lodge, Dyffryn, Goodwick,  who pleaded guilty to assaulting Hannah Llewellyn, causing her actual bodily harm.

The court was told that Thomas arrived at The Royal Oak pub in Fishguard, at around 8pm on October 18, accompanied by her husband. Approximately an hour later, Hannah Llewellyn arrived.

“The defendant began speaking to the victim and an argument broke out,” said Crown Prosecutor Dennis Davies.

“The defendant hit the victim to her face with a glass which smashed against her face, neck and skin, causing lacerations.”

Photographs of the lacerations were shown to the Bench.

But the probation service stressed that the assault had been prompted by a derogatory remark made to the defendant by Hannah Llewellyn.

“The defendant had had two drinks earlier that evening, she drank two more at the pub prior to the incident, and was tipsy but was aware of what was happening around her,” commented the probation officer.

 “She went over to the table where the victim was sitting, her husband introduced her to the victim who he’d known since his school days, and they began discussing land on friendly terms.  But the victim then laughed at the defendant’s  job, which is a self-employed mobile hairdresser, and called her a chav. 

“Without thinking, Donna Thomas went to throw the drink over the victim’s face but she knocked the glass.  She didn’t intend to hurt her physically, but just wanted to throw the drink.”

Thomas was sentenced to 18 weeks in custody suspended for 18 months.  During this time she must carry out 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work.  She was ordered to pay £750 compensation to Hannah Llewellyn, a £154 court surcharge and £85 costs.

 

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Crime

Farm worker overturns Mercedes when over drink-drive limit

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A Pembrokeshire farm worker has  lost his licence after overturning his Mercedes when he was over the drink-drive limit.

This week Haverfordwest magistrates were told that at around 3.40pm on January 10, police received reports that a black Mercedes had been involved in a single vehicle road collision on the A487 at Roch.

When officers arrived, they discovered the overturned Mercedes with its driver, Richard James, 45, trapped in the driving seat.

At around 5 pm James was arrested and transported to Withybush hospital where blood samples were carried out.  These gave a reading of 112 mcg of alcohol, the legal limit being 80.

James, of Bryn Seion, Solva, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and was represented in court by solicitor Jess Hill who informed magistrates that the defendant had collected items for work on the afternoon in question.

“He’d consumed alcohol the night before and had also taken some prescribed medication,” she said.  “He believed he would be safe to drive the following day, but obviously this wasn’t the case.”

Jess Hill added that James is expecting to lose his employment as a farm worker, as the mandatory driving ban will prevent him from driving the vehicles involved with his work.

James was disqualified from driving for 14 months and ordered to pay a £346 fine, a £138 court surcharge and £85 costs.

 

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Crime

Pembrokeshire man charged with making hundreds of indecent images of children

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A PEMBROKESHIRE man has appeared before magistrates charged with making hundreds of indecent images of children.

David Lewis, 42, is accused of making 261 of the most serious category A images of a child together with 71 category B images and 51 category C images of a child.  The offences are alleged to have been committed between March 19, 2025 and August 6, 2025.

He is further accused of distributing one indecent category A image of a child at an undisclosed location in Llanteg, Narberth, on July 27, 2025.

This week Lewis – formerly of Ashdale Lane, Pembroke but now residing at Hoopers Guest House in Swansea – appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates where he submitted no pleas to all four charges.

Crown Prosecutor Dennis Davies told magistrates that a total of 81,000 images and videos are currently being investigated in respect of the defendant, with the result that the police enquiry is not yet complete.

 “A lot of these photographs are of babies, with the result that their severity is not suitable for the magistrates court,” Dennis Davies told the Haverfordwest Bench.

As a result of the Crown’s comments, magistrates declined jurisdiction and the matter will now be dealt with by Swansea Crown Court, commencing on May 29.  Lewis was released on unconditional bail.

 

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