Crime

Pendine man jailed for abducting and drugging teenage girl

Published

5 months ago

February 12, 2026

Offender had 1,101 unlawful images of children stored on his devices, including 122 Category A images – the most serious classification.

A PENDINE man has been jailed after admitting abducting a teenage girl, supplying her with drugs and keeping more than a thousand indecent images of children.

Richard Knight, aged 73, from Pendine, Carmarthenshire, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison at Swansea Crown Court following what police described as a lengthy and complex investigation.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police were alerted in the early hours of Monday, April 11, 2022 after a distressed 15-year-old girl phoned her mother asking to be collected, saying she had taken drugs at Knight’s home.

Police forced entry to the address after receiving no answer and finding concerns for the girl’s safety. Inside, officers discovered a small cannabis grow but no occupants. It later emerged Knight had driven the girl home himself.

He was arrested shortly afterwards on suspicion of drink driving and drug offences. A further search of the property uncovered several types of controlled drugs and a number of digital devices.

During interview, the teenager told officers she had agreed to meet Knight but believed he knew her age and that she had not told her mother where she was going. She described being given various drugs, including substances hidden inside fruit pastels. CCTV later showed Knight buying the sweets before collecting her.

Digital forensic analysis revealed 1,101 unlawful images of children stored on his devices, including 122 Category A images – the most serious classification.

Drug experts valued the cannabis grow at between £6,000 and £20,000. Officers also seized six different types of Class A drugs from the address.

Guilty pleas before trial

Knight was charged with 12 offences including child abduction, possession and making of indecent images of children, and being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.

He admitted the drug offences in April last year and later pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images. Although he initially denied child abduction, he changed his plea immediately before a trial was due to begin at court in January.

‘Very serious case’

Detective Constable Jon Gouldson said: “This was a very serious case involving a man who groomed a young and vulnerable girl for his own satisfaction.

“There is no doubt he knew that taking this 15-year-old into his home without parental permission was wrong.

“Taking or keeping a child under 16 without consent is a crime. There are no grey areas.

“We welcome today’s sentence and remain committed to bringing offenders like this before the courts.”

Support available

Anyone concerned about their own behaviour or thoughts towards children can seek confidential help from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which runs the Stop It Now service aimed at preventing abuse before it happens.

Crime

Scaffolder banned after cannabis smell reported from van

Published

12 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A SCAFFOLDER has been banned from driving for 14 months after an off-duty police officer smelt cannabis coming from his Volkswagen Transporter as it travelled through Slebech.

The report was made to police at around 10.30am on February 15. When officers located the vehicle, they discovered it was being driven by 46-year-old Christopher Bennett.

Further blood tests showed Bennett had 16.8 mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system. The legal limit is 2.

This week Bennett, of Queensdown Gardens, Brislington, Bristol, pleaded guilty to drug-driving when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates. He was represented in court by Alaw Harries.

“The defendant is remorseful for his actions and recognises the seriousness of the offence,” Ms Harries told the Bench.

“He suffers significant pain following operations to his shoulders and has been prescribed codeine. But this causes drowsiness, so he began self-medicating using cannabis.

“On the day of the offence, he was in worse pain than usual, so he used cannabis earlier than he normally does.”

Ms Harries said the conviction would have serious financial consequences for Bennett, who works as a self-employed scaffolder.

“His driving licence is fundamental to his livelihood,” she said.

“The financial consequences are going to be significant to him, as well as to those who are dependent on him.”

Magistrates fined Bennett £600 and ordered him to pay a £240 surcharge and £85 costs.

He was disqualified from driving for 14 months.

Crime

Estate agent banned after drug-drive crash in Milford Haven

Published

12 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Alison Walker had nearly five times the legal benzoylecgonine limit in her system

A PEMBROKESHIRE estate agent has been banned from the road after admitting driving through Milford Haven with nearly five times the legal limit of a cocaine metabolite in her system.

Alison Walker, 59, was arrested on February 2 after her white MG was involved in a two-car collision on Great North Road, Milford Haven.

“Fortunately there were no injuries, just damage to the vehicles,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

After providing a positive roadside drug swipe, Walker was arrested and asked to provide blood samples. These showed she had 240mcg of benzoylecgonine in her system. The legal limit is 50mcg.

Walker, of Woodland Crescent, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to drug-driving and was represented in court by solicitor Tom Lloyd.

He told the bench that prior to the offence, Walker had been employed as an estate agent.

“She has a good relationship with her boss, and as soon as this conviction is dealt with and her sentence has been served, he will be happy for her to return to her employment,” he said.

After considering a comprehensive probation report, magistrates disqualified Walker from driving for 20 months.

She was fined £80 and ordered to pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 costs. Walker must also carry out a 12-month community order, during which she must complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Crime

Pembroke Dock motorist banned after driving with cocaine in system

Published

13 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKE DOCK motorist has been banned from the roads after being caught driving with more than seven times the legal cocaine limit in her system.

Naomi Grant, 47, was stopped by police on the night of February 6 as she drove her Vauxhall Astra along the A477 near Pembroke Dock.

After providing a positive roadside drug swipe, Grant, of Cheriton Road, Pennar, Pembroke Dock, was taken for further tests.

Blood analysis showed she had 74mcg of cocaine in her system. The legal limit is 10mcg. She also had 1,200mcg of benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine, where the legal limit is 50mcg.

This week Grant, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to two charges of drug-driving when she appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates.

She was represented by solicitor Tom Lloyd, who told the court that his client is currently prescribed a considerable amount of medication for a number of medical issues.

“She also has her own personal assistant as a result of her medical needs,” he said.

“She has done everything that has been asked of her in relation to this offence and has engaged with the Dyfed Drug and Alcohol Service to help her move forward.”

Magistrates disqualified Grant from driving for 12 months and fined her £120.

She must also pay £85 court costs and a £48 surcharge.