Store workers punched and stamped on after challenging shoplifting, court hears

A PEMBROKESHIRE man has narrowly avoided an immediate prison sentence after assaulting three shop workers during a shoplifting incident at a Pembroke supermarket.

Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard that Mark Abraham, aged 52, entered the Co-op store in Pembroke on Sunday (Dec 8) and selected an assortment of items valued at £46.16 before attempting to leave without paying.

Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told District Judge Mark Layton that Abraham was challenged by a member of staff as he exited the store.

“The defendant was approached by a member of staff who challenged him,” she said. “He then punched and stamped the staff member to the head several times.”

Two further members of staff, along with a detention officer, came to assist but were also punched by Abraham during the incident.

Abraham, of The Green, Pembroke, pleaded guilty to theft and three charges of common assault. He was represented by solicitor Tom Lloyd.

Mr Lloyd told the court that his client had been fully cooperative with police and had shown genuine remorse.

“He has been completely forthcoming about everything that took place that day and is genuinely sorry for what he’s done,” he said. “He is now highly motivated to address his issues.”

District Judge Mark Layton sentenced Abraham to eighteen weeks in custody, suspended for eighteen months.

As part of the sentence, Abraham was ordered to complete twenty rehabilitation activity requirement days, wear an alcohol abstinence monitoring tag for nineteen days, and attend a nine-day drug review programme.

He was also ordered to pay £100 compensation to each of the four victims, £46.16 compensation to the Co-op store, a £154 court surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs.

In addition, a two-year restraining order was imposed, preventing Abraham from entering the Co-op store in Pembroke and from contacting any of the four victims.

Motorist was over the legal limit after watching rugby, court told

A TEENAGE motorist has been disqualified from driving after being involved in a collision while over the legal drink-driving limit.

Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard that police were called to Cox Hill, Narberth, on the evening of Friday (Oct 25) following reports of a single-vehicle collision.

Officers attending the scene found a silver Peugeot being driven by Jake Leavitt, aged 18, with a male passenger also in the vehicle.

When spoken to by officers, Leavitt admitted he had been the driver and provided a positive roadside breath test. He was taken to hospital for examination following the collision, where a subsequent blood test revealed 90 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80.

Leavitt, of Tymawr, Llangolman, pleaded guilty to the drink-driving offence. He was represented by Fenn Richards, who asked the court to take her client’s age and immaturity into account when passing sentence.

Ms Richards told District Judge Mark Layton that Leavitt had been watching a rugby match before driving home and believed he was not over the legal limit.

She said: “He hasn’t driven since the incident and is absolutely devastated to be losing his clean character today.”

The court was also told that Leavitt is currently studying to become an electrician at Pembrokeshire College.

Sentencing the defendant, District Judge Layton disqualified him from driving for twelve months and fined him £230. He was also ordered to pay a £92 court surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs.

“It may be down to immaturity,” the judge said, “but you should be mature enough to understand that drink-driving is not the thing to do.”

Defamatory posters placed in public and malicious emails sent to GP and council, court told

A COURT has heard how a 79-year-old Pembrokeshire man subjected his former long-term partner to a sustained stalking campaign that included distributing defamatory posters about her in public places.

Michael Lockheart appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week, where he pleaded guilty to stalking the woman between July 27 and September 10, 2025. The case was heard by District Judge Mark Layton.

The court was told that during the period in question Lockheart repeatedly sent the victim unwanted emails despite being told to stop, placed defamatory posters in public locations, and sent malicious correspondence about her to both her GP and the local authority.

Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan said the defendant and the victim had been in a relationship for twelve years, but it ended when the woman felt overwhelmed by his behaviour and wanted to be left alone.

“He wouldn’t allow her to do that,” she said. “He then began putting messages up claiming she was a serious sex cheat and a predator, repeating these messages over and over again.

“Some of these posters were seen by the victim’s ten-year-old granddaughter.”

The court heard that Lockheart’s actions had a severe and lasting impact on the victim’s mental health.

In a victim impact statement read out in court, she said: “Since he started contacting me by text messages and putting posters up in public places, I’m feeling anxious and have started having panic attacks in my own home.

“This makes me feel isolated. I’m having trouble sleeping and suffer from nightmares. It’s had a profound effect on my mental health.”

The prosecution said the woman is now considering selling her home as a result of her anxiety and has already changed all of the locks at the property.

Lockheart, of Daisy Lane, Haverfordwest, was represented by defence solicitor David Wheale.

“All of a sudden, their communication ended, but he foolishly pursued the communication,” Mr Wheale told the court. “They’ve broken up in the past, and he believed this was the situation again on this occasion.”

District Judge Mark Layton adjourned sentencing to allow a probation report to be prepared.

Lockheart was released on conditional bail. The conditions include not contacting the victim directly or indirectly and not approaching any address at which she resides.