A court has heard how a man drove his unlit van through Pembroke Dock at midnight while two women shared the front seat.

When David Janssens was arrested by officers on April 6, he was found to be over twice the legal drink-drive limit.

“The officers were concerned about the manner of his driving,” Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker told Haverfordwest magistrates court this week. 

“The Fiat Doblo was swerving in the middle of the road and the officers saw the lights being turned off while it was moving.”

After stopping the vehicle, the driver was identified as 38-year-old David Janssens.

 “The officers also discovered two females in the passenger seat, one sitting on the other’s lap,” added Linda Baker.

Janssens, of Water Street, Pembroke Dock was arrested and breathalysed with the lowest reading showing he had 77 mcg of alcohol in his system, the legal limit being 35.

This week he pleaded guilty to drink-driving, using a vehicle without third party insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.  He was represented in court by solicitor Michael Kelleher.

“He was driving a two-seater van, which was why the two female friends were sitting the way they were,” Mr Kelleher told the court. “He was giving them a lift home.”

The solicitor went on to say that Janssens had previously lost his licence under the totting-up procedure.

“He’s very remorseful of what he did, and realises that he shouldn’t have been driving that night,” concluded Mr Kelleher.

Janssens was fined £320 and ordered to pay a £128 court surcharge and £85 costs.  He was disqualified from driving for 20 months.

Motorists and residents warned of weekend disruption during essential highway maintenance

HIGH STREET in Haverfordwest is due to close this weekend while resurfacing works are carried out on behalf of Pembrokeshire County Council.

An approved contractor said essential highway maintenance is scheduled for Saturday (April 25) and Sunday (April 26).

The road will be closed while the work is ongoing, and residents have been warned that access cannot be guaranteed at all times.

The contractor has asked for the roadway to be kept clear of obstructions between 7:30am and 5:30pm on both days. Drivers are also being urged to allow extra time for their journeys and to follow the instructions of traffic management staff.

Access for emergency services will be maintained throughout the works.

Pedestrians have also been advised to take extra care when approaching the area because of the nature of the resurfacing work.

The contractor said every effort would be made to keep disruption to a minimum and apologised in advance for any inconvenience caused.

Michael David Barrow, 48, of Priory Road, Milford Haven, will be sentenced at Swansea Crown Court after admitting supplying modified Fire Sticks and apps used to access subscription content illegally

A MILFORD HAVEN man has admitted a series of piracy offences said to have caused an estimated £6m loss to digital content providers including Amazon Prime, BT Sport and Sky.

Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard this week that Michael David Barrow, 48, operated over a five-year period, supplying adapted Amazon Fire TV sticks and apps that allowed customers to access paid television services without paying the usual subscription fees.

Prosecuting on behalf of the FA Premier League, Ari Alibhai KC told District Judge Mark Layton that the offending took place between October 2019 and February 2024.

“The offences concern the operation and supply of what is collectively termed a streaming service,” he said.

“This involved hardware such as Fire Sticks, but also app-based services to enable customers to access paid television services such as Sky, BT Sport and online videos which would normally attract a subscription fee, thus enabling customers to bypass the cost.”

The court heard that Barrow’s customer base was not limited to Pembrokeshire, but extended across the UK.

“According to Snap, he had around 1,800 users and was paid in cash as well as through PayPal,” said Mr Alibhai.

“It’s estimated that the defendant received approximately £213,000 while the scale of potential loss to the broadcasters is around £6m. This is not an exact sum, but it is indicative of the effects that this kind of piracy has.”

The prosecution said an aggravating feature of the case was that Barrow had previously been warned about his activities.

In 2021, he was sent a cease and desist notice telling him to stop supplying the illegal services.

“The notice indicated, in black and white, the potential consequences,” Mr Alibhai said. “He failed to respond.”

Barrow pleaded guilty to making and supplying applications, apps and other electronic data enabling access to paid television content without appropriate payment being made; supplying apps and other electronic data enabling access to pay television content without appropriate payment being made; and supplying Amazon Fire TV sticks which, when adapted, enabled access to pay television content without appropriate payment being made.

Given the seriousness of the offences, Judge Layton declined jurisdiction.

Barrow will now be sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday (May 12). He was released on unconditional bail.