Home Office says national target was met early as ministers link extra patrols to arrests and anti-social behaviour crackdown

THE UK GOVERNMENT says there are now 200 more neighbourhood police officers on the beat in Wales than there were a year ago, as ministers push a wider drive to increase visible policing in communities.

The claim was made as the Home Office announced it had met its target of putting more than 3,000 additional police officers and Police Community Support Officers into neighbourhood roles across England and Wales, two months ahead of schedule.

According to figures released on Tuesday (Apr 7), a total of 3,123 extra neighbourhood policing staff have either been recruited or redeployed since April last year, with the government saying they are now focused on tackling local crime and anti-social behaviour.

The Wales Secretary, Jo Stevens said: “There are now 200 more neighbourhood police officers on the beat in Wales than a year ago, fighting the crime and anti-social behaviour that can have a huge impact on communities.

“It is a central mission of the UK Government that people feel safe in their neighbourhoods and the increased police presence is already delivering results and leading to more arrests across the country.”

Ministers say the extra officers form part of a longer-term plan to roll out 13,000 additional neighbourhood policing personnel by the end of this parliament.

The Home Office said a recent Winter of Action campaign, carried out during December and January in more than 600 towns and cities, led to almost 18,000 arrests as police patrols were stepped up.

Of those arrests, the government said more than 5,000 were linked to retail crime, more than 1,000 to sexual offences, almost 1,000 to street crime, and over 10,000 to violent assault.

Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones said neighbourhood policing had been “hollowed out” in recent years and that too many officers had been kept in desk-based support roles rather than deployed on the streets.

She said: “We’re delivering the biggest reforms to policing in over 200 years and, crucially, putting 13,000 more neighbourhood officers where they belong – on the beat and fighting crime in our communities.”

The Home Office also pointed to what it described as early successes in several police force areas, including South Wales Police, which it said had reported a 37 per cent drop in home burglaries and a 14 per cent fall in anti-social behaviour.

The announcement also comes as the government launches a new strategy aimed at halving knife crime within a decade.

Under the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, ministers say every neighbourhood in England and Wales will have named, contactable officers, with residents promised a meaningful response to local concerns within 72 hours.

All police forces have also now published anti-social behaviour action plans setting out how they intend to tackle persistent local problems.

John Hayward-Cripps, chief executive of the Neighbourhood Watch Network, welcomed the increase and said stronger local relationships would help build confidence and improve the flow of intelligence from communities.

Harvinder Saimbhi, chief executive of ASB Help, said the extra officers should help reassure victims that their concerns are being taken seriously.

The government says the expansion of neighbourhood policing marks a major step towards reversing years of decline in visible local policing, though the longer-term impact on crime levels will be closely watched.

Man accused of multiple breaches of Sexual Harm Prevention Order after hearing at Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court

A SEX offender has been remanded in custody after appearing in court accused of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order on seven separate occasions.

Stewart Alderton, aged 44, currently of HMP & YOI Parc, Bridgend, appeared before Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (Mar 31).

The charges allege that Alderton breached a Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed at Mold Crown Court on November 17, 2021.

It is alleged that at an address in Wylcwm Close, Knighton, on June 18, 2025, and again on December 14, 2025, he deleted TikTok chat strings, phone applications, web artefacts and web history, and also carried out a factory reset on a device, all said to be contrary to the terms of the order.

A further allegation states that on February 16, 2026, at Bronglais Hospital, he failed to notify police of an internet-enabled device within the required three days.

No pleas were entered.

The case was adjourned for a plea hearing at Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court at 2:00pm on Wednesday (Apr 1).

Alderton was remanded in custody.

Defendant given a suspended prison sentence after magistrates heard the offence was serious enough to cross the custody threshold

KRISTIAN DAVIES, aged 35, of Rock Cottages, Neyland, pleaded guilty at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court to aggravated vehicle taking.

The court heard that on January 26, 2026, at Narberth, Davies took a Ford Focus without the consent of the owner or other lawful authority. The vehicle was damaged before it was recovered, with the damage assessed at less than £5,000.

Magistrates sentenced Davies on Tuesday (Mar 31) to 18 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.

The bench said the offence was so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified, citing Davies’ relevant previous convictions and the fact he was already subject to a court order at the time, which he is now in breach of.

However, the prison term was suspended because the court found there were real prospects of rehabilitation in the community.

Davies was also made subject to an 18-month supervision requirement, a non-residential drug rehabilitation requirement with reviews, and up to 15 days of rehabilitation activity.

As part of the order, he must engage with Dyfed Drug and Alcohol Service and provide samples for a 12-month period.

He was also banned from driving for 24 months.

The first review hearing is due to take place at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on April 27 at 10:00am. Bail conditions were cancelled as a matter of urgency.