News

Third time in court for drink driving

Published

10 years ago

February 11, 2015

IRISHMAN, Larry McGovern, from Pembroke Dock was in court for driving under the influence and failing to meet bail on Tuesday (Jan 27), to which he pleaded guilty to both cases.

On September 10 at 7.30pm, McGovern had been spotted by the police driving in Argyle Street in Pembroke Dock. When stopped, the police noticed that the man smelt of intoxicants. McGovern claimed that he had had only three or four pints and had had something to eat.

The defence, Jonathan Webb stated that McGovern had admitted that he had been driving under the influence straight away, claiming that he thought he would be fine. Webb commented that he should have known that he would not be fine due to the fact that he has two previous offences for drink driving. This has been the second offence in the last ten years, and the third in the last twelve.

Webb went into McGovern’s financial situation, as a self-employed painter/decorator, who earns £1000 per month, to show that he would be able to pay a fine. He also stated that he has had unpaid work before where he mowed the cemetery. McGovern expressed that he enjoyed the work and felt that he was putting something back into the community.

In terms of breaching the bail, the defence said that McGovern had thought that he was to be in court on February 2. Webb himself said that this was not a reasonable excuse as he had signed forms with the correct date attached to them.

In previous drink driving cases, the Irishman had been offered to go on a drink driving rehab course in order to lower his ban, but he did not attend. The defence asked for another course to be offered, and McGovern can refuse again if he chooses to.

The magistrate sentenced Larry McGovern to a three year driving ban, and at the end of that ban it is up to the offender to ask for his licence back. He was asked if he could pay £440 in fines on the day as he had £1000 with him, but the defence objected. He stated that he could not pay that much at the time as the £1000 was for him to live off for the month. He suggested that McGovern pay £100 per week but the offender asked if he could pay half the fine at the time and the other half a month later.

The magistrate agreed to this but told McGovern that he would find himself in the fine’s court if he did not pay. He was also offered the drink driving rehab course, which would take time off his ban.

News

Car crashes into house in St Davids

Published

7 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

EMERGENCY services were called after a car crashed into a house on Nun Street in St Davids on Thursday (Apr 24).

Dyfed-Powys Police and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene at around 4:35pm following reports of a single-vehicle collision.

On arrival, they found that a car had collided with a residential property. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Dyfed-Powys Police attended a report of a single-vehicle road traffic collision where a car collided with a property on Nun Street, St Davids, at around 4:35pm yesterday. No injuries were reported, and the road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.”

Community

Milford Haven and Neyland Police issue appeal for missing man

Published

7 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

POLICE are appealing for information to help locate a 54-year-old man who has been reported missing from the Milford Haven area.

Neil is described as being around 6ft 2in tall with a shaved head. He has tattoos on his arms and one of his fingers, and sometimes wears glasses.

He was last seen on Friday afternoon (Apr 26) wearing a black Superdry hoodie, ripped jeans, and orange and black Nike Air trainers. Neil is believed to be on foot.

Anyone with information that could help is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police: 🖥️ | Online portal
📧 | [email protected]
📞 | Call 101, quoting reference 262 of April 26.

Community

Fire service delivers vital kit to Ukraine

Published

12 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Wales joins UK’s largest firefighting aid convoy

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) has taken part in the UK’s largest ever convoy delivering vital firefighting equipment to Ukraine, joining 17 other Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) from across the country.

The convoy, coordinated by FIRE AID and supported by the UK Government, left the UK in early April. It travelled through France, Germany and Poland, delivering over 30 fire service vehicles and more than 15,000 items of equipment to support Ukrainian firefighters on the front line of the ongoing war.

Since the Russian invasion in 2022, UK fire services have donated 119 vehicles and over 200,000 pieces of equipment to Ukraine. Each participating service ensured local needs were met before donating surplus kit.

Watch Manager Rob Kershaw represented MAWWFRS on the convoy. He said:
“It’s been a privilege to be part of this convoy and to represent both FIRE AID and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
We received invaluable support and assistance from fire and police services across every country we passed through. Their help in coordinating, escorting, and hosting the convoy was outstanding.”

Chief Fire Officer Roger Thomas KFSM added:
“MAWWFRS is proud to support our colleagues in Ukraine by donating and delivering essential equipment.
The events in Ukraine have deeply affected the fire and rescue community, and this convoy is a demonstration of our ongoing commitment to helping those still working under extreme conditions.”

The donated equipment will support firefighters in Ukraine who continue to operate in war zones to save lives and protect property—often at great personal risk. Since the conflict began, 100 Ukrainian firefighters have been killed and 431 injured. A total of 411 fire stations and 1,700 firefighting vehicles have been destroyed.