Crime
Milford Haven man found guilty of licence and insurance charges
Magistrates seek guidance over “double punishment” risk following Swansea Crown Court involvement
A MILFORD HAVEN man has been found guilty of driving without a licence and driving without insurance, but magistrates have halted sentencing after concerns he could be punished twice because points from an earlier, now-overturned conviction are still showing on his record.
Seventy-six-year-old Niall Taylor, of Haven Drive, Hakin, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Nov 27). The case relates to January 18, 2023, when Taylor drove a Vauxhall Zafira Sri (AM08 UCS) along Hammond Avenue, Haverfordwest.
Taylor previously appealed his original conviction at Swansea Crown Court, where a judge ruled that his earlier guilty plea may have been “equivocal” and ordered the matter to be returned to the magistrates for a full rehearing.
At Thursday’s hearing, magistrates found him guilty of both charges following trial.
Sentencing paused over “totting up” concerns
When the bench came to consider penalty points and disqualification, the court discovered that points from Taylor’s voided earlier conviction are still recorded on his DVLA licence.
If sentencing had gone ahead, those points would have combined with any new points and automatically triggered a totting-up disqualification, despite the Crown Court having already set the original conviction aside.
Magistrates said they could not risk what would amount to a double punishment, and adjourned the case to Wednesday, December 3, in Courtroom 1 at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court.
The bench recorded the reason for adjournment as: “to seek views of Crown Court as to reopening, as points are still showing on licence.”
Legal argument handed to the court
During the hearing, Taylor submitted a written legal argument explaining why he maintains he was insured in law, even if there were administrative issues with his driving licence at the time.
In his document, Taylor stated that: Under Section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, the issue is whether a policy of insurance was in force, not whether the driver held a current licence.
Insurers cannot retrospectively void third-party cover simply because a licence has expired or been revoked.
Retained EU motor insurance law requires insurers to protect third-party victims regardless of policy breaches.
A person may be uninsured in contract but still insured in law.
Magistrates noted the submission but proceeded to convict on both charges.
Taylor intends to appeal
After the hearing, Taylor indicated that he intends to appeal the verdict, maintaining that his interpretation of insurance law is correct and that he was legally insured at the time of the incident.
Crime
Llangadog man fined after breaching restraining order twice
Court hears defendant contacted protected person despite ban
A LLANGADOG man has been fined £1,375 after twice breaching a restraining order by contacting a protected person he had been banned from approaching.
Adam Thomas Davies, 34, of Llangadog, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Jun 15) for proceedings linked to an existing community order.
The court heard Davies had breached a restraining order on two separate occasions in June last year by contacting a person he had been prohibited from approaching under an order imposed by Llanelli Magistrates’ Court in November 2019.
Magistrates were told the original community order, imposed in August 2025, had become unworkable due to long-term physical health issues alongside Davies’ employment.
The court revoked the existing order and resentenced him for the original offences.
Davies was made subject to a new community order running until June 14, 2027. He must comply with a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and attend appointments or activities as directed by probation services, for up to 15 days.
As a punitive element of the order, magistrates imposed a fine of £1,375.
The court heard the breaches related to unlawful contact made in Carmarthenshire despite the restrictions remaining in force.
Davies was ordered to pay the fine at a rate of £120 per month, starting from July 13.
Crime
Road safety grant fund launched for community projects
COMMUNITY groups, charities and local organisations across the Dyfed-Powys area are being invited to apply for funding for projects aimed at improving road safety.
Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn has launched a new Road Safety Community Grant Fund to support local initiatives designed to reduce risks on the roads, raise awareness and encourage safer behaviour among drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
The fund will support preventative projects led by communities, including education and awareness programmes, behaviour-change campaigns, road safety events, training and skills development, and evidence-led pilot schemes.
Applications will be assessed on their potential to improve road safety, provide value for money and deliver clear community benefits.
Mr Llywelyn said: “Keeping our communities safe on our roads is a fundamental part of our wider mission to protect the public and reduce harm.
“By investing in community-led initiatives, we are empowering local organisations to deliver practical, innovative solutions that improve road safety, change behaviours, and ultimately save lives.”
The fund forms part of the commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan for 2025-2029, which includes commitments to preventing harm, supporting safer communities and working in partnership on issues affecting local people.
Further details, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, are available on the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner’s website.
The fund closes at 10:00pm on Sunday, July 19.
Crime
Pembroke man jailed for child sex offences
David Lewis was on police bail when he contacted a child decoy account on Snapchat
A PEMBROKE man has been jailed after sending sexual messages and an explicit video to what he believed was a 12-year-old girl.
David Lewis, aged 42, of Ashdale Lane, Pembroke, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court after admitting child sex offences and offences involving indecent images of children.
The court heard Lewis was already on police bail when he contacted the Snapchat account, which was being operated by a police officer.
Prosecutor Craig Jones said police first attended Lewis’ home on August 6 last year and seized three mobile phones. An initial examination found child abuse material.
A full forensic download later revealed 263 Category A, 71 Category B and 51 Category C indecent images of children. The court heard the material included 246 Category A videos, 55 Category B videos and 37 Category C videos.
Lewis was also found to have shared a Category A image with another user on Telegram on July 27. The image showed a girl aged between ten and twelve being raped by an adult male.
While on bail, Lewis added what he believed was a 12-year-old girl on Snapchat on November 10. The account was in fact a decoy operated by police.
The court heard the account told Lewis she was at school and was 12. Lewis claimed he was 20 and sent a photograph of a younger man.
Over the following days, Lewis sent sexual messages, asked for inappropriate photographs and tried to call the account on Snapchat.
During one video call, he exposed himself and masturbated.
After his arrest, officers searched Lewis’ home and were able to match his bathroom and boxer shorts to those seen in the video.
Lewis pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child, attempted incitement of a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity, distributing an indecent image of a child, and three offences of making indecent images of children.
Mitigating, Dan Griffiths said Lewis accepted the position he was in and pointed to his early guilty pleas.
Judge Paul Thomas KC described Lewis as “a committed paedophile” and jailed him for five years.
Lewis must sign the sex offenders register for life and was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years.
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