News

BBC apologises for misleading article – after facts are corrected, the ‘scandal’ disappears

Published

2 months ago

December 5, 2025

FOR six years a narrative has persisted online: “Herald newspaper editor owes £70,000”, “defies court orders”, “treats staff appallingly”. On 4 December 2025, the BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit finally ruled that the central allegation underpinning that narrative — that the editor personally owed £70,000 in unpaid debts — was inaccurate and breached the corporation’s standards of due accuracy.

***Tom Sinclair with his apology letter from the BBC***

The BBC has now apologised, amended the headline, and corrected the article.

And with that correction, the supposed “scandal” disappears.

What remains is not a tale of a serial debtor or a rogue employer but something far more mundane: a young entrepreneur who ran printing companies with his late father before 2011, closed or sold them in the ordinary way, and later launched a fast-growing but cash-tight local newspaper group in 2013 that hit a crunch point in 2019, paid everyone in the end, and was ultimately stabilised with outside investment.

When placed in proper chronological and factual context, there is simply no misconduct story left to tell.

The BBC article that refused to die

The original BBC Wales article (March 2019) appeared under the headline:

“Herald newspaper editor Tom Sinclair has £70,000 debts.”

It stated that Sinclair, who “runs The Herald in west Wales”, had “defied court orders to repay more than £70,000 to creditors”.

The phrasing implied:

that the debt was personal,
that the liabilities were recent,
and that they were connected to the Herald newspapers.

None of this was true.

Fraser Steel, Head of the BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit, wrote on 4 December 2025:

“…the wording of the headline and the first line of the report… could allow a reader to form the impression that the debt was your personal liability… Accordingly, the article failed to meet the BBC’s standards of due accuracy in that respect.”

The BBC apologised and amended the headline to:

“Herald newspaper editor Tom Sinclair’s group has £70,000 debts.”

Even this corrected headline encourages a casual reader — or an AI system scraping for summary — to assume that the Herald group itself owed £70,000 in unsatisfied judgments in 2019.

It did not.

Where the £70,000 figure really came from — and why it had nothing to do with the Herald

The number traces back to a June 2017 blog post by freelance journalist Gareth Davies. Davies aggregated almost £120,000 of historic County Court Judgments from a variety of dissolved companies — nearly all of them pre-2013 printing or magazine ventures that were long closed before the Pembrokeshire Herald even existed.

Key points:

The largest sums (£76,973 + £13,667) related to Megaprinter companies, wound down or sold years earlier, some jointly with the editor’s late father (same name).
Pembrokeshire’s Best Ltd (£15,000+) never traded properly; its co-director dissolved it without opening a bank account.
A scattering of very small CCJs related to companies that never commenced operations (“for all I know a parking ticket,” Sinclair wrote in 2017).

On 6 June 2017, Davies sent Sinclair a detailed list of the judgments. Sinclair replied the same day, explaining each company, stating clearly:

“I do not personally owe anyone any money,”

and noting that none of the listed CCJs related to the Herald newspapers.

Davies published his piece the following day, presenting the old dissolved-company CCJs as evidence of a pattern of evasion by the man now running a new newspaper group. Many industry observers noted the timing: the post appeared the very week the Ceredigion Herald was launching on the Cambrian News patch.

Two years later, in the middle of the Herald’s genuine 2019 cash-flow difficulties, BBC Wales revived the Davies narrative almost wholesale. No fresh verification appears to have been undertaken. The same £70,000+ figure resurfaced, this time expressed as if it were recent, active, and relevant to Herald operations.

Strip out the misattributed pre-2013 printing-company CCJs and what debt was outstanding in 2019?

A few thousand pounds in short-term wage arrears caused by a cash-flow crunch — all later paid in full.

That is all.

In journalistic terms: a non-story. Cash-flow wobbles happen to small newspapers every year; almost none of them make national headlines.

The real 2019 Herald crisis — and how it ended

Early 2019 was undeniably difficult:

over-expansion without sufficient working capital;
delayed wages (weeks, not months);
one operating company wound up in February 2019;
legitimate frustrations among staff and freelancers.

But by late 2019:

a six-figure investment from Rigographic España stabilised the business;
every staff member and freelancer was paid in full;
The Pembrokeshire Herald returned to weekly print;
sister titles moved to a digital-first model;
by 2025 the Herald network reached 34 million Facebook views per quarter and over 4 million annual pageviews.

In other words: a messy but fairly typical small-business near-death experience, followed by recovery and growth.

When the timeline is restored, nothing about this amounts to a scandal.

Why the corrected article still distorts the record in 2025

Even after the amendment and apology, the BBC article remains online and highly ranked. Most readers — and most AI summarisation tools — skim only the headline.

They see:

“…group has £70,000 debts”

and conclude that the Herald newspapers owed £70,000 in 2019.

They did not.

That is why Sinclair has asked the BBC for one final, modest addition: an editorial note clarifying that the historic CCJs referenced were unrelated to the Herald group, pre-dated it by years, and concerned companies that had ceased trading long before.

Once that simple clarification is added, the entire “debt scandal” narrative collapses.

There is nothing left except a local editor who made business mistakes, learned from them, paid everyone, and kept a community newspaper alive during an era when hundreds of titles have closed.

The wider lesson

This saga is a case study in how a misleading impression published by a trusted outlet can outlive the facts for years — amplified by search engines and by AI systems that prioritise authority over nuance.

It also demonstrates why accuracy standards matter: once the companies are correctly identified, the timeline is respected, and personal/corporate liability is properly distinguished, the lurid “£70,000 scandal” dissolves into something entirely ordinary.

The BBC has now acknowledged its error and apologised. With the full 2017 email exchange and the ECU decision published today on Herald.Wales, the record is finally straight.

There never was a £70,000 personal debt.
There never was a £70,000 Herald debt.
There never was a scandal.

Just a local newspaper that refused to die — and an editor who refused to let the record stay wrong.

Business

Eight-year prison sentence after vehicle stop uncovers drugs worth over £150,000

Published

10 minutes ago

January 29, 2026

Court Reporter

A ROUTINE vehicle stop by roads policing officers has led to an eight-year prison sentence after more than £150,000 worth of illegal drugs were discovered in a car in Pembrokeshire.

On Friday, January 2, officers from the Roads Policing Unit stopped a grey Seat Ateca on Hoyland Road, Pembroke. The vehicle was being driven by 43-year-old Dean Evans.

During the stop, Evans told officers they would find “stuff” in the car. He and the vehicle were subsequently searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

A search of the boot uncovered a cardboard box containing a one-kilogram block of cocaine and ten half-kilogram packages of herbal cannabis. The street value of the drugs was estimated to be well in excess of £150,000.

Evans was arrested at the scene on suspicion of possession with intent to supply controlled drugs. He was later charged with possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs.

The 43-year-old pleaded guilty at Swansea Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, January 3.

On Thursday, January 28, Evans was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court to eight years’ imprisonment for possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis.

DC Jones, from Dyfed-Powys Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit, said: “Tackling the supply of illegal drugs is a priority for Dyfed-Powys Police, and the misery that illegal drugs bring to local communities will not be tolerated.

“We welcome the sentence passed to Dean Evans, given the large quantity of harmful drugs he was caught trafficking into Pembrokeshire.

“This sentence should serve as a stark warning to anyone tempted to become involved in the illegal drugs trade in Dyfed and Powys.”

Community

Generous support agreed for Milford Haven Library

Published

42 minutes ago

January 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A FUNDING package worth £18,700 has been agreed to help secure the long-term financial sustainability of Milford Haven Library.

At a meeting on Monday (Jan 12), Milford Haven Town Council approved funding to support the library over the next three years.

The decision follows a year of partnership working between Pembrokeshire County Council, the Port of Milford Haven and the Town Council, as the organisations sought solutions to ongoing funding pressures.

A public consultation held in 2025 highlighted the importance of the library as a valued community asset, not only for book lending but also as a hub for groups, wellbeing checks and warm spaces.

Discussions resulted in a contribution of £10,000 from the Port of Milford Haven and £3,000 from the Town Council to ensure the library could continue operating during the 2025/26 financial year. The latest agreement extends that support, providing funding for the next three years alongside continued substantial backing from the Port over the lifetime of the council’s lease.

Councillor Rhys Sinnett, Pembrokeshire County Council’s cabinet member for residents’ services, said: “This is excellent news for the town as it allows us at Pembrokeshire County Council to continue providing a much-valued service at current levels.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support of Milford Haven Town Council and the Port of Milford Haven, as through partnership working we are able to maintain this important community resource.”

Councillor William Elliott, Mayor of Milford Haven, said the agreement reflected the value placed on the library by the community. He said: “We are delighted to have reached a consensus to support the library over the next three years.
“We value the importance of the library not just for the loaning of books, but also for its wider role supporting groups, wellbeing checks, warm spaces and more.
“Over the past 12 months we have continued to work closely with the library team, the County Council and the Port of Milford Haven to explore all available options, and we remain committed to this partnership going forward.”

Tom Sawyer, chief executive of the Port of Milford Haven, added: “Libraries are cornerstones of our communities — places where people connect, learn and feel supported.
“We’re proud to have helped ensure this vital resource remains accessible to everyone who depends on it.”

Milford Haven Library is based at Cedar Court. Further information about the library and its facilities is available via Pembrokeshire County Council’s libraries service.

News

Welsh Government outlines progress on fisheries strategy after first year

Published

2 hours ago

January 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Ministers say new management plans, enforcement action and funding are strengthening the future of Welsh fishing communities

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT has published an update on its long-term strategy for fisheries and aquaculture in Wales, claiming “significant progress” one year after the policy was formally introduced.

In a written statement issued on Thursday (Jan 29), Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, said the approach was designed to create a more sustainable, well-regulated and economically resilient fishing sector.

The strategy, first set out in December 2024 following consultation with the Ministerial Advisory Group for Welsh Fisheries, focuses on three core areas: delivering Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs), meeting Wales’ statutory duties around fisheries enforcement and monitoring, and fulfilling national and international obligations following the UK’s exit from the EU.’

Management plans and consultations

Ministers say progress has been made on the development of FMPs, which are intended to manage fish stocks on a long-term, evidence-based footing. Wales is expected to launch its first Wales-only FMP later this year, covering crab and lobster fisheries, while also contributing to five joint UK plans.

A separate public consultation on changes to scallop fishing management, linked to the King Scallop FMP published in 2023, is currently under way and due to close on Friday (Jan 31).

The Welsh Government says it has also introduced an adaptive cockle management system, adjusted rules for the whelk fishery, and launched a recreational bluefin tuna fishery, all based on updated scientific advice.

Enforcement and prosecutions

On enforcement, ministers highlighted eight successful prosecutions relating to misreporting of Dover sole, resulting in fines and costs totalling £950,000, alongside 20 fixed penalty notices for other fisheries offences.

Officials say they have continued to work with other UK enforcement agencies to monitor both domestic and international vessels operating in Welsh waters, arguing that tougher enforcement is essential to protect stocks and ensure a level playing field for compliant fishers.

Funding and support for coastal communities

The statement also points to continued public investment in the sector. During 2025, more than £1.14 million was awarded through Round 5 of the Welsh Marine and Fisheries Scheme, with a further £430,000 distributed via the Coastal Capacity Building Fund.

An additional £1.29 million has been added to the fisheries budget for 2026/27, with Round 6 of the Welsh Marine and Fisheries Scheme opening earlier this month and carrying an increased budget.

Other measures cited include grants to support the installation of inshore vessel monitoring systems, new multi-year marine science contracts, and research into the economic and carbon impacts of the Welsh fishing fleet.

Wellbeing and resilience

The government says it is also focusing on workforce resilience, with supply-chain initiatives, wellbeing projects and seven upcoming Seafit Wales “Stronger at Sea” events planned across February and March. These events will offer free health and dental checks to fishers and their immediate families.

Ongoing debate

While ministers say the strategy has delivered a “stronger foundation” for the future, fishing organisations have previously warned that tighter controls, rising fuel costs and regulatory complexity continue to place pressure on small-scale operators.

The Welsh Government maintains that collaboration with fishers and coastal communities will remain central as further management plans and funding programmes are rolled out.

Ministers say the next phase will focus on building on the framework already in place, while balancing environmental sustainability with the economic realities facing Wales’ fishing ports and coastal towns.