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Crime

Pembrokeshire street lighting changes impact revealed

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PART-NIGHT and LED street lighting changes started more than a decade ago are saving Pembrokeshire’s council some £1.5m a year, committee members heard.

A report for members Pembrokeshire County Council’s Policy and Pre-Decision Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of November 18, presented by Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett said, since 2009, the authority has implemented a system of part-night street lighting, which enables all lighting in non-core areas extinguished between midnight and 5.30am.

This was followed in 2016 by the street lighting in core dusk-dawn areas being replaced with low-energy LED units, fitted with programmable photocells which enable dimming during quieter times.

Since 2021 the remaining part-night lanterns have all been bulk-converted to LED.

It added: “As part of the savings identified in the 2024/25 council budget, in 2024 the remaining 186 streetlights that had historically been installed in areas that do not comply with the policy criteria were finally decommissioned.

“During this work the street lighting team received requests for lighting to be reinstated in 11 locations. These locations were reinvestigated, and none were found to satisfy the policy criteria for lighting, and have therefore not been restored.”

In response to a perception the removal of lighting may lead to an increase in rural crime, the views of the local Rural Policing team were sought, the report said, the responses being: “I can present no evidence to suggest that areas where street lighting is not present has an increased chance of there being a crime within that area, compared to areas where there is street lighting.

“However, the use of lighting to act as a deterrent to crime needs to be considered and thought through but is more than just simply the use of street lighting.”

The report said the numbers of street-lighting lanterns managed by the council has not altered significantly over the last decade, with some 15,500 lanterns, but the changes and energy saving measures “has resulted in significant savings of circa £1.5m per annum to the authority surrounding the provision of this service”.

Cllr Mike John, who had previously raised concerns about the loss of rural street lighting at Cabinet, expressed his disappointment the policy report was purely for noting, calling for a review of the whole policy.

Cllr Sinnett responded saying said there were “no issues” with a further look at the criteria, giving his assurances councillors would be able to review the situation, but felt there was a need “to do it with a sense of realism,” the costs balanced against any concerns.

Members backed the recommendation the report be noted.

 

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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