Milford Haven man told magistrates he did not realise drugs taken days earlier would still be detectable

A MILFORD HAVEN motorist has been banned from driving after being caught behind the wheel with cocaine and benzoylecgonine in his system.

Ben Conroy, 22, of Picton Road, Hakin, Milford Haven, was stopped by police at around 5:00pm on December 12 following a moving traffic offence on Steynton Road.

A roadside drugs wipe tested positive for cocaine. Further blood analysis later showed he had 240 microgrammes of benzoylecgonine and 24 microgrammes of cocaine in his system. The legal limits are 50 and 10 respectively.

Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard this week that Conroy had just collected his Ford Focus following an MOT and was driving to a friend’s house when he was stopped.

After he pleaded guilty to two charges of drug-driving, his solicitor, Alaw Harries, said the drugs had been taken several days earlier during a friend’s celebration.

“He’d taken the drugs several days previously at a friend’s celebration and didn’t realise they would still be in his system,” she said.

“This has been a genuine learning curve for the defendant and he is determined not to come before the courts again.”

Conroy was disqualified from driving for 17 months.

Magistrates also imposed a 12-month community order, during which he must complete a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement and ten rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was fined £120 and ordered to pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 in costs.

Man sentenced after admitting two child cruelty offences in Carmarthen

A 27-YEAR-OLD man has been sentenced after admitting two offences of child cruelty involving two young children.

Llanelli Magistrates’ Court heard that Liam Jacob pleaded guilty to two counts under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

The offences related to allegations that, on Dec 28, 2025, Jacob caused or procured the children to be assaulted, ill-treated, neglected, abandoned or exposed in a way likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health.

Jacob, of Carmarthen, entered indicated guilty pleas on March 24 and was sentenced on Tuesday (Apr 14).

The court imposed a community order running until April 13, 2027. As part of that sentence, Jacob must complete up to 25 days of rehabilitation activity and 150 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge. The court made a collection order for deductions from benefits, with the financial penalty to be paid within 28 days.

Magistrates decline jurisdiction after more than 20 grams of Class A drugs and £2,610 in cash found in vehicle

A FISHGUARD man has been sent to Crown Court for sentence after admitting possessing cocaine with intent to supply.

Rhun Francis, 53, of Penbanc, Fishguard, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week, where he pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to supply, possessing cannabis and possessing criminal property, namely £2,610 in cash.

The court heard that Francis was stopped and searched by police while driving on August 13.

Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker said that when officers asked if there were drugs in the vehicle, Francis immediately produced two bags of white powder from the front console and placed them on the driver’s seat.

“A further wrapper of cocaine was found in a wallet in the vehicle,” she said.

The total drugs recovered amounted to 20.79 grams of cocaine and 17 grams of cannabis.

The court was told that during police interview Francis admitted having “a big problem with cocaine use”.

“People ask him to get them some, and he supplies up to seven people fairly regularly,” said Ms Baker.

“He only supplies a few grams at a time and charges £95 for a gram and £50 for a half.

“He uses up to 50 per cent of what he buys for his personal use and then he sells the rest.”

Francis was represented by solicitor Michael Kelleher, who said the offending involved a limited number of users and was driven by the defendant’s own addiction.

“The amount of dealing is limited to a maximum of seven people and was only used to facilitate his own habit,” he said.

“The amount of drugs found was relatively small and the cash found in his possession would have gone on to purchase more cocaine. But the vast majority of this money was left over from a building job carried out at his property. His phone analysis corroborates with this.”

Because of the seriousness of the offences, magistrates declined jurisdiction.

Francis will now be sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on May 5. He was released on unconditional bail.