Crime

Family bike business to receive £77,000 after gang burglary

Published

3 months ago

February 20, 2026

Compensation ordered under Proceeds of Crime Act following seven-minute raid that stole £90,000 worth of bikes

AN INDEPENDENT bike shop in Aberystwyth is set to receive nearly £77,350 under the Proceeds of Crime Act after its family-run business was targeted in a sophisticated burglary last year.

Four burglars wearing balaclavas smashed their way into Afan Cycles on the Glanyrafon Industrial Estate in the early hours of Saturday, April 12, 2025. Within just seven minutes, they stole 22 e-bikes and mountain bikes with a combined retail value of around £90,000, loading them into a van fitted with false number plates before fleeing the scene.

Following a complex investigation involving multiple police departments, officers were able to identify those responsible. Gareth Corbett, 37, Wayne Draisy, 41, Gavin Johnson, 40, and Keith Johnson, 33 — all from Birmingham — were arrested by West Mercia Police.

The group had conspired to steal bikes and other items from the Glanyrafon estate between April 7 and April 13, 2025. All four were charged with burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary and were remanded in custody. They pleaded guilty to both charges at Swansea Crown Court on Monday, May 19, 2025.

The business owner said: “We have built Afan Bikes over seven years with commitment, passion, and significant financial investment. This crime placed the business — and the livelihoods of our three full-time staff, myself, my wife, and our dependants — in a precarious position.

“While we are doing our best to keep going, the loss of assets, staff, income, and customer confidence has made this the most difficult period we have ever faced. Recovery will take time, resources, and community support — and even then, the future remains uncertain.

“We are grateful to the police for their swift response and hope that this statement provides a clear understanding of how far-reaching the impact of this crime has been, not just on our business, but on the wider community we support.”

On Friday (Aug 8, 2025), all four men were jailed for their roles in the burglary, receiving sentences of more than 30 months’ imprisonment for each offence, to run concurrently.

At Swansea Crown Court on Thursday (Feb 12), Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings were finalised. His Honour Judge Walters granted confiscation orders totalling £77,348.16, to be paid as compensation to the victims. Failure to pay could result in an additional 18-month prison sentence, alongside the forced sale of assets.

Helen Kelly, from the Economic Crime Team, said: “For this local family-run business, this incident had a significant impact. Whilst it will not fix what has happened, hopefully the compensation from this proceeding will help them in continuing to rebuild their business.

“I hope this sentencing serves as a reminder that if you are profiting from crime, we will not only arrest and charge you but use all available powers to ensure that you are not able to live off the proceeds of your criminal activity.”

Crime

Milford Haven man admits assault and harassment charges

Published

2 days ago

May 21, 2026

Court Reporter

A MILFORD HAVEN has admitted assaulting a family member and harassing another relative following incidents in the town last year.

Wayne Whatling, 39, of Howarth Close, Milford Haven, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (May 21).

Whatling changed his pleas to guilty to one charge of assault by beating and one charge of harassment without violence.

The assault charge relates to an incident in Milford Haven on September 13, 2025, when Whatling assaulted Ben Whatling by beating him.

He also admitted pursuing a course of conduct amounting to harassment against Carol Whatling between September 1 and September 13, 2025.

The court heard the harassment allegation involved repeatedly asking Carol Whatling for money, with the complainant said to have feared repercussions if she did not provide it.

Magistrates adjourned the case for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Whatling was remanded on conditional bail and ordered not to contact Carol or Ben Whatling directly or indirectly.

He is due to be sentenced at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (June 9).

Crime

Milford Haven man admits affray after alleged pub incident

Published

2 days ago

May 21, 2026

Court Reporter

A MILFORD HAVEN man has admitted affray following an incident at a town centre pub.

Stephen Collier, 38, of Vaynor Road, Milford Haven, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (May 21).

Collier has pleaded guilty to affray, relating to an incident at Nos Da, Victoria Road, Milford Haven, on December 3, 2025.

The charge states that he used unlawful violence towards John Dean Hilton and that his conduct was such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for their personal safety.

Collier also faces a separate charge of burglary dwelling with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm. It is alleged that, on the same date, he entered a flat at Nos Da as a trespasser and inflicted grievous bodily harm on Mr Hilton. He denies that charge.

The court also dealt with a breach of bail allegation after Collier was arrested on May 20 for allegedly breaching a curfew condition. He admitted the breach.

Magistrates re-admitted him to conditional bail.

His bail conditions include a daily electronically monitored curfew between 9:00pm and 6:00am, residence at his Vaynor Road address, and exclusions from Mount Estate, Milford Haven town centre, and Nos Da.

He must also not contact prosecution witnesses, including Molly Martin, Jack Martin, Lily Rose Martin and John Hilton.

Collier is due to appear at Swansea Crown Court on Friday, June 5, for sentence.

A spokesperson for Nos Da said the incident was connected with rooms upstairs at the Victoria Road premises, and did not take place in the bar itself, in the licensed area.