Crime

Immigration raids surge across Wales, but no Pembrokeshire operations disclosed

Published

5 months ago

January 12, 2026

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.

Crime

Man wanted in connection with rape investigation has Pembrokeshire links

Published

10 hours ago

June 3, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Police in Milford Haven and Neyland assisting Warwickshire officers in appeal to trace 23-year-old

MILFORD HAVEN and Neyland police have issued an appeal to help locate a man wanted in connection with a rape investigation.

Officers are assisting colleagues from Warwickshire Police, who are seeking information on the whereabouts of 23-year-old Rhys Trott in connection with a rape allegation in Nuneaton.

Police say Trott is believed to have links to the Milford Haven area of Pembrokeshire.

In a public appeal, Warwickshire Police said they are keen to trace Trott as part of ongoing enquiries.

Anyone who has seen him or has information about his whereabouts is urged to contact Warwickshire Police through their website or by quoting the relevant incident details.

Milford Haven and Neyland Police shared the appeal on social media on Tuesday (June 3), asking local residents to come forward with any information that may assist officers.

Photo caption:

Rhys Trott, 23, is wanted by Warwickshire Police in connection with a rape investigation and is believed to have links to Milford Haven (Pic: Warwickshire Police).

Crime

Carmarthenshire pensioner jailed for child sex offences dies in hospital

Published

14 hours ago

June 3, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Nicholas Page, 75, died after being transferred from HMP Parc weeks after receiving a three-year sentence

A LLANELLI pensioner jailed for child sex offences has died in hospital weeks after being sentenced.

Nicholas Page, 75, of Ropewalk Road, Llanelli, died on May 7 after being transferred from HMP Parc in Bridgend to an outside hospital.

He had been sentenced to three years in prison at Swansea Crown Court in April after pleading guilty to attempting to possess indecent images of children and arranging a child sexual offence.

The court heard Page’s offending came to light after concerns were raised by a Carmarthenshire County Council care worker who regularly attended his home.

Police later executed a search warrant at Page’s address and seized his mobile phone. The court was told messages on the device showed Page had been attempting to obtain indecent images of children and arrange access to children for sexual purposes.

Prosecutor Craig Jones told the court: “The clear inference is he was paying for the provision of children to be brought to his property.”

Sentencing, Judge Paul Thomas KC said the messages made clear that the purpose of the payments was to facilitate abuse, although he acknowledged the possibility that Page may have been “conned” by the person he was communicating with.

Page had originally been due to be sentenced in May last year but repeatedly failed to attend court, citing medical reasons without producing documentary evidence.

He was later arrested on a warrant and remanded into custody. The court was told he had remained “uncooperative” with efforts to obtain medical reports.

Defence barrister Ryan Bowen said Page was “a product of his childhood experiences”, having been placed into care at a young age and having suffered abuse during his childhood.

Page had no previous convictions.

Finding there was no realistic prospect of rehabilitation, Judge Thomas imposed a three-year prison sentence.

A spokesperson for G4S, which operates HMP Parc, said: “Mr Nicholas Page passed away at an outside hospital on May 7. As with all deaths in custody, this will be investigated by the prisons ombudsman. The cause of death will be for the coroner to determine.”

Crime

Pembroke Dock driver avoided jail after drug-drive crash

Published

17 hours ago

June 3, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

Court heard she had cocaine metabolite and cannabis above legal limits

A DOCK motorist has narrowly avoided imprisonment after driving into a parked vehicle with what the Crown described as “a cocktail of drugs” in her system.

Stacey Wootton, 30, was seen hitting a parked vehicle the week before Christmas as she drove her Volkswagen Golf along Military Road in Pennar.

“She was seen by a police officer and didn’t seem aware of what was going on,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

“She appeared to be drugged up and when she got out of the car, she was staggering. She was clearly heavily influenced by the drugs and could hardly speak.”

The officer’s suspicions were confirmed when blood tests carried out at the police station showed that Wootton had 240mcg of the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine in her system and 3mg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol. The legal limits are 50 and 2 respectively.

Traces of ketamine and diazepam were also discovered in her blood, although these were below the legal threshold.

Wootton, of Military Road, Pennar, Pembroke Dock, pleaded guilty to two charges of drug driving.

Given the seriousness of the offences, District Judge Mark Layton requested an all-options probation report prior to sentencing.

“The offence stems from the defendant’s drug misuse issues as a result of the breakdown of her five-year relationship,” said probation officer Julie Norman. “It’s appropriate that some rehabilitation is offered to her to help her through her problem.”

After considering the probation report, District Judge Layton sentenced Wootton to eight weeks in custody, suspended for 18 months. During this time she must carry out 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

A 12-month foreign travel prohibition requirement was imposed on her, and she was disqualified from driving for a total of five years. The defendant must also pay a £154 court surcharge and £85 costs.