News

Confusion over library plans

Published

11 years ago

January 28, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Why can’t this building reopen?: Haverforwest County Library

PLANS to relocate the County Library from its current temporary home to Haverfordwest’s Riverside Market have been given a cautious welcome from local councillor Tom Tudor, while some traders at the Riverside Market have expressed dismay at the plans. Cllr Tudor told The Herald: “Following the last meeting of Full Council I made a request as to why the old library building can’t be put back into use. Ian Wesley then contacted me saying that he is consulting with businesses regarding moving the library in Haverfordwest into the Riverside Market.”

He added: “If the Cabinet are determined, then Pembrokeshire County Council should think outside the box and incorporate the longer established businesses into the new development. This, I believe, will help with footfall to both those businesses and the library itself.” When asked why the library cannot be returned to the original building, Cllr Tudor said: “So far I have not had any reasons. There is a lot of talk, but there has been no comprehensive explanation, nor an engineer’s report on the building.”

Meanwhile, traders at Haverfordwest Market have expressed grave concerns over the future of their businesses if they are forced out of their present location. One trader, who did not want to be named, told The Herald: “We haven’t even been consulted about this. It’s disgusting, the way they think they can just tell us what to do and we don’t have any say.”

As reported previously in this newspaper, the Cabinet is considering making use of vacant properties on Bridge Street to house some of the market traders’ businesses. There will soon be one more vacant shop premises available, should the Council press ahead with its scheme. The Profi le clothing store is soon to close, with the company citing high overheads as a contributory factor to its withdrawal from the town centre.

The Cabinet has given no indication for how it believes market stall holders will be able to afford the rents and rates of commercial properties on Bridge Street, how it will compensate stall holders for uprooting them, or what assistance it will offer them if they are forced to move. The manager of Terminal Records, Mr Thompson, located in the Riverside Market, said he disagreed with the Riverside suggestion.

He said: “I think the library should be located to the bottom of town, and that the Shire Hall would be the ideal building. It’s a great building at the bottom of Haverfordwest, and its a great shame that it is not going to be put to use. Mr Thompson added: “I disagree bitterly with Cllr Tom Tudor’s suggestion that that the library should move to the Riverside Market. I’d like to know when the council sold the Shire Hall building, who to and how much for.”

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

12 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include:

Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
Common assault
Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

12 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second count of assault
Criminal damage
An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

12 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional non-fatal strangulation
Common assault on a woman
Criminal damage in a domestic context
Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.