Police forced entry after hearing child’s voice inside darkened home

A HAVERFORDWEST mother has been sentenced after drinking heavily while left in sole charge of her two-year-old child.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons in order to protect the identity of the child, appeared before magistrates at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard officers were called to her home on the night of March 12, 2025, following concerns about the amount of alcohol she had consumed while caring for the toddler.

Prosecutor Nia James said police received reports that she had been drinking into the early hours.

“Officers were told she had consumed nine cans of lager and two cans of gin and tonic,” she said.

“And this was happening while she was caring for her two-year-old child.”

When officers arrived at the property, they found it in complete darkness. Despite repeated knocking, kicking and using a baton on the door for around 30 minutes, there was no response.

“Inside, they could hear a childlike voice which led them to believe the child was alone,” said Ms James. “Officers tried to gain access to save life or limb.”

Police eventually forced entry by breaking the lock with a hammer.

Once inside, they called out to the defendant and found her in bed, unresponsive at first.

“They were initially concerned for her welfare and began checking for signs of life,” the prosecutor said. “She smelled strongly of alcohol but became responsive, although she struggled to answer simple questions.”

The two-year-old child was found alone in another room. The court heard the youngster appeared unfazed by the police presence.

During interview, the woman told officers she believed she would have woken if the child had cried.

The child is now in the care of social services.

The defendant pleaded guilty to causing neglect, abandonment and ill treatment of a child likely to cause unnecessary suffering.

Magistrates imposed an 18-month community order. She must complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days, carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and undertake a 19-day alcohol monitoring programme. She was also ordered to pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 costs.

When passing sentence, the presiding magistrate asked: “Do you love your child? If you do, do you think this is a good way to proceed? You really need to make more of an effort.”

Motorist told court he had been “in a bad state” and is now seeking help

A 51-YEAR-OLD motorist has been disqualified from driving after being caught with both cocaine and its metabolite in his system while travelling along the A477.

Magistrates sitting at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard that Paul Andrew was stopped by police on the afternoon of November 2 as he drove a silver Ford Transit near Kilgetty.

Checks showed the vehicle was uninsured. Further blood analysis revealed Andrew had 240 micrograms of benzoylecgonine in his system, as well as 13 micrograms of cocaine. The legal limits are 50 and 10 respectively.

Andrew, of Bramble Cottage, Stepaside, pleaded guilty to both drug-driving offences when he appeared before the court. He chose to represent himself.

In mitigation, he told magistrates he had been struggling with his circumstances at the time.

“I’d been living in a van and was in a bad state,” he said. “So in many ways this has helped me to sort myself out. I’ve now joined a church in Tenby and have started working with the Dyfed Drugs and Alcohol Service, so things are starting to look a lot better.”

Andrew was disqualified from driving for 12 months. He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.

Motorist stopped after crossing Cleddau Bridge and admitting drug use

A NEYLAND motorist has been banned from driving after being caught behind the wheel with cocaine in his system.

Magistrates sitting at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard that on the morning of November 1, a police officer on patrol in a marked vehicle spotted a Nissan Juke being driven by Lee Evans, aged 48.

The officer followed the vehicle across the Cleddau Bridge before activating the blue lights and bringing it to a stop on Essex Road, Pembroke Dock.

When spoken to, Evans admitted he was a drug user. A roadside test led to further blood analysis, which revealed 223 micrograms of benzoylecgonine – a cocaine metabolite – in his system. The legal limit is 50.

Evans pleaded guilty to drug-driving.

Defence solicitor Fenn Richards told the court her client had been struggling with his mental health and had taken cocaine several days earlier.

“He’d been struggling mentally at the time and had taken cocaine a few nights previously,” she said.

“That day, he’d been to the hospital to visit his father who was extremely ill. But if he’d known he was still over the limit, he would not have driven.”

Evans, of Picton Road, Neyland, was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

He was fined £753 and ordered to pay a £301 court surcharge and £85 costs.