Crime

Hakin man spared jail after sexually assaulting teenage girl

Published

3 months ago

February 20, 2026

16-month sentence suspended as court imposes sex offender registration and ten-year prevention order

MAN in his sixties has been handed a suspended prison sentence after being convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage girl.

Huw Bridges, aged 65, of Haven Drive, Hakin, appeared at Swansea Crown Court today (Friday, Feb 20) for sentencing following a trial last month.

Bridges had denied two counts of sexual assault but was found guilty by a jury after around two-and-a-half hours of deliberations.

He was sentenced to sixteen months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years. The court also imposed 180 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of 25 days.

Bridges was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for ten years and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order lasting ten years.

The offences related to incidents involving a teenage girl who was aged 16 at the time.

During the trial, prosecutor Hannah George told the jury that one incident took place on June 2, 2024, when the complainant was taken by Bridges on his motorbike to a secluded area near Carew Castle.

The pair went for a walk, during which Bridges kissed the teenager despite her trying to move away and telling him she felt uncomfortable. He then went on to touch her breasts and vagina over her clothing.

The jury was told the teenager reported the incident to her parents almost immediately after returning home. At that point she also disclosed an earlier allegation dating from between October 2020 and October 2021, in which Bridges was accused of touching her vagina over her clothing on another occasion.

“The prosecution’s case is that the defendant had a sexual interest in teenage girls,” Ms George told the jury.

Bridges was arrested on June 14, 2024, and later interviewed by police. In a prepared statement he denied sexually assaulting the complainant.

He accepted there had been physical contact but claimed he had only put his arm around the teenager and “pecked her on the cheek” in an attempt to comfort her, insisting the gesture was not sexual in nature.

After the jury returned guilty verdicts on both counts, Judge Geraint Walters adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report before imposing sentence today.

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.