Huw Bridges denied the charges but was found guilty by a jury at Swansea Crown Court following a trial

A MAN in his sixties has been convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage girl following a trial at Swansea Crown Court.

Huw Bridges, 65, of Haven Drive, Hakin, denied two counts of sexual assault but was found guilty by a jury after around two-and-a-half hours of deliberations.

The court heard that one incident took place on June 2, 2024, when the complainant, who was aged 16 at the time, was taken by Bridges on his motorbike to a secluded area near Carew Castle.

Prosecutor Hannah George told the jury that the pair went for a walk, during which Bridges kissed the teenager despite her trying to move away and telling him that it made her feel uncomfortable. He then went on to touch her breasts and vagina over her clothing.

The jury was told the teenager reported the incident to her parents almost immediately after returning home. It was then that she also disclosed an earlier allegation, dating from between October 2020 and October 2021, in which Bridges was accused of touching her vagina over her clothing on another occasion.

“The prosecution’s case is that the defendant had a sexual interest in teenage girls,” Ms George said.

Bridges was arrested on June 14, 2024, and later interviewed by police. In a prepared statement, he denied sexually assaulting the complainant.

He accepted that there had been physical contact but claimed he had only put his arm around the teenager and “pecked her on the cheek” in an attempt to comfort her, insisting the gesture was not sexual in nature.

After the jury returned guilty verdicts on both counts, Judge Geraint Walters adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Bridges was re-admitted to bail and is now required to register as a sex offender. He is due to return to court for sentencing on Thursday, February 6.

BOSSES at Haverfordwest County AFC have confirmed the club is in the final stages of talks over what has been described as “significant investment” from United States-based backers.

Chairman Rob Edwards has previously made no secret of his ambition to take the Cymru Premier side to “the next level”, with a move towards full-time football and regular European qualification firmly on the agenda.

In a statement issued this week, the club said it was currently in an exclusivity period with a US investment fund and that negotiations were at an advanced stage.

The statement said: “The club is in the latter stages of an agreement during an exclusivity period regarding significant investment in the club from a US-based investment fund.

“The club has been clear about its desire to raise investment to fulfil its ambition to move towards full-time football and to compete in the latter stages of qualifying for UEFA competition. Talks have been ongoing with a party that buys into the same vision.

“The club hopes to make further announcements in due course.”

Since Edwards took over as chairman in the summer of 2020, Haverfordwest have enjoyed a remarkable rise. Now established in the Cymru Premier, the Bluebirds have qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League twice in the past three seasons, while the club’s academy side has also represented Wales in Europe.

Haverfordwest have also developed a reputation as one of the most progressive clubs in Welsh domestic football. Among those to have passed through the club is current Club Brugge head coach Nicky Hayen, who was in charge during the 2021–22 season.

However, with the Cymru Premier set to expand from 12 to 16 teams next season, Edwards has acknowledged that further investment — or potentially a full takeover — will be needed if the club is to remain competitive and continue challenging for European qualification.

Away from Pembrokeshire, Edwards’ company, Morley Sports Management Group, recently completed a takeover of Scottish League 1 side Hamilton Academical. Following that move, Edwards said the Scottish club remained at risk of administration but expressed confidence that insolvency could be avoided.

For Haverfordwest, the proposed US investment could mark a pivotal moment as the club looks to build on recent success and secure its long-term future at the top end of Welsh football.

IMMIGRATION enforcement activity across Wales more than doubled last year, according to UK Government figures, with a sharp rise in workplace raids and arrests — although no confirmed illegal working operations have been publicly identified in Pembrokeshire.

Data released by the Home Office shows that 1,320 workplace raids were carried out across Wales in 2025, resulting in 649 arrests, representing increases of 103% and 85% respectively compared with 2024.

The activity forms part of a wider UK crackdown on illegal working, with officers targeting sectors such as nail bars, car washes, barbers, construction sites and takeaways — industries the government says can be vulnerable to exploitation and unlawful employment practices.

However, the figures are published at an all-Wales level, and the Home Office has not released a county-by-county breakdown. As a result, it remains unclear whether any enforcement operations took place in Pembrokeshire during the period covered.

West Wales examples

While Pembrokeshire has not been named, enforcement activity has been confirmed elsewhere in West and north Wales.

In October, seven Chinese nationals were arrested during a visit to a commercial construction site in Gower, Swansea, with four detained for removal from the UK.

In September, officers visited Star Barbers in Porthmadog, resulting in three arrests for illegal working. Two individuals were placed on immigration bail, while a third agreed to leave the UK voluntarily.

Separate visits to packaging and distribution warehouses in Caldicot also resulted in arrests earlier in the year.

What the figures do — and do not — show

While the government says the increase reflects improved enforcement capacity following a £5m funding boost, immigration specialists note that raids and arrests do not necessarily equate to removals, and that outcomes can include bail, voluntary departure or ongoing legal proceedings.

The Home Office has stated that around 50,000 people were removed from the UK in the past year, a figure which includes voluntary returns as well as enforced removals.

Civil liberties groups have previously raised concerns that high-visibility raids can create fear in migrant communities, particularly where workers may later be found to have lawful status or unresolved immigration claims. The Home Office says the introduction of body-worn cameras is intended to improve accountability and evidence-gathering during operations.

Impact on Welsh businesses

The Secretary of State for Wales said illegal working “fuels the black economy and hurts law-abiding Welsh businesses”, while the Home Secretary described the crackdown as necessary to restore control of the immigration system.

Business groups have broadly supported enforcement against exploitative practices, but have also warned that complex immigration rules and labour shortages continue to place pressure on sectors such as hospitality, food processing and construction — particularly in rural and coastal areas of Wales.

The government has also announced plans to introduce mandatory digital ID to prove the right to work by the end of the current Parliament — a change expected to affect employers across Wales, including small businesses.

With enforcement activity rising elsewhere, questions remain about whether operations have taken place in Pembrokeshire without public disclosure, or whether the county has so far avoided targeted action.

Further clarity would require Freedom of Information requests or direct confirmation from Immigration Enforcement teams covering the Dyfed-Powys area.