Crime

Former Haverfordwest pupil brought hammer onto hospital ward before killings

Published

4 weeks ago

May 12, 2026

A FORMER Haverfordwest pupil who later killed three people in Nottingham brought a hammer onto a hospital ward two years before the attacks, an inquiry has heard.

Valdo Calocane is understood to have lived in Haverfordwest and attended Sir Thomas Picton School before going on to study at the University of Nottingham.

The public inquiry into the Nottingham attacks was told on Monday (May 11) that Calocane returned from leave to the Priory Hospital in Arnold, Nottinghamshire, with a hammer in his rucksack.

The West Wales link has previously emerged through a former housemate, who knew Calocane while he was in Pembrokeshire. She later contacted Nottinghamshire Police after the killings and said she believed he had a history of mental illness dating back to 2013.

She also said she believed he had worked as a cleaner at Pembrokeshire College.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Ajith Gurusinghe told the inquiry that Calocane claimed he had the hammer because he was moving into a new property and needed to hang items.

Counsel to the inquiry, Craig Carr, suggested the explanation was “completely implausible” because Calocane did not have a new home to move into.

Dr Gurusinghe said staff were sceptical and believed Calocane may still have been paranoid. He accepted the incident should have been recorded and included in Calocane’s risk assessment.

He said: “It’s been missed. I admit it’s been missed.”

Charge nurse Helen Foster also gave evidence, agreeing that the hammer was “clearly a potential weapon” and that the incident was serious. However, she said she could not remember how staff followed it up.

Calocane, who had earlier links to Haverfordwest before moving to Nottingham, went on to kill students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, on June 13, 2023.

He then used Mr Coates’ stolen van to try to kill three pedestrians in Nottingham city centre.

The inquiry is examining the decisions made by mental health services before the attacks.

A Care Quality Commission inspection of the Priory Hospital in December 2021 later rated it “inadequate” overall and raised concerns about patient safety.

Crime

DVLA insider helped give dodgy cars clean identities in £1.3m fraud

Published

1 hour ago

June 8, 2026

Court Reporter

A DVLA worker who secretly altered official vehicle records to make damaged, stolen and cloned cars appear legitimate has been jailed.

Matthew Holloway used his access to DVLA systems to help Swansea car dealers and others hide the true histories of vehicles, Swansea Crown Court heard.

The fraud meant cars which should have carried warning markers could be made to look cleaner, newer or more valuable on paper.

Holloway, aged 32, of Ffordd y Mynydd, Birchgrove, Swansea, admitted conspiracy to commit fraud alongside Ashley Keith Harris, also known as Keith Wayne Lewis, aged 44, of Tawe Road, Llansamlet, and Joshua John Sawyer, aged 31, of Treharne Road, Morriston.

The offending took place between January 2021 and July 2022.

The court heard Holloway worked in a trusted DVLA role dealing with specialist registration matters.

Instead of protecting the integrity of the system, he used his position to interfere with records, including log book details, vehicle identification numbers, write-off markers and destruction certificates.

The prosecution said his actions helped conceal previous crashes, remove former keepers, and create false identities for vehicles which had been stolen, cloned or reconstructed.

Some alterations were made for Harris and Sawyer, who were involved in the motor trade in Swansea. Others were carried out for people and organisations elsewhere in the UK.

Among the vehicles affected were high-value models including an Audi, a Ferrari, a BMW, a Mercedes-AMG and a Range Rover Sport.

The Range Rover, worth around £65,000, had been stolen before being given false paperwork and sold on to an innocent buyer.

Prosecutors said the tampering increased the value of affected vehicles by around £1.29m.

The court was told Harris gained about £90,000, Sawyer about £75,000, and Holloway was paid £23,400 for making the changes. The DVLA also lost about £27,000 in unpaid fees.

Harris had previous convictions, including drug trafficking and fraud. Holloway and Sawyer had no previous convictions.

Defence barristers said Holloway was ashamed of what he had done, Sawyer had made a serious error while trying to build a car sales business, and Harris had difficult personal circumstances involving his young daughter’s health.

Judge Huw Rees said the case was organised crime and had damaged trust in a national vehicle registration system relied on by motorists, traders and police.

He said greed lay behind the offending.

Holloway was jailed for five years and three months.

Harris was sentenced to two years and eight months, while Sawyer was jailed for two years and four months.

After the sentencing, Lisa McCarthy, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS Cymru-Wales’ complex casework unit, said the defendants had worked to conceal the real status and history of vehicles.

She said Holloway had abused a trusted DVLA position for financial benefit, putting at risk the accuracy of records used across the UK.

A DVLA spokesperson said Holloway was dismissed immediately after the fraud was identified.

The agency said it had since strengthened internal controls and continued to work with police and partner organisations to tackle vehicle fraud.

Photo caption: Jailed: Matthew Holloway, Joshua Sawyer and Ashley Harris were sentenced at Swansea Crown Court (Pic: South Wales Police).

Crime

Pembroke Dock man admits breaching sexual harm prevention order

Published

1 hour ago

June 8, 2026

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKE DOCK man has admitted breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order on two separate occasions.

Jack Thomas, aged 23, of Bush Street, Pembroke Dock, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Jun 8).

Thomas admitted breaching an order made by Swansea Crown Court on June 5, 2023.

The court heard that on March 23, 2026, at Pembroke Dock, Thomas used a profile name on social media which had not been approved by police before its use.

He also admitted a second breach on April 22, 2026, when he deleted a message from Facebook Messenger.

Both actions were prohibited under the terms of the Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Magistrates adjourned the case for the preparation of an all-options pre-sentence report.

Thomas was granted unconditional bail and must return to Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday, June 29, at 10:00am.

Crime

Pembroke Dock man handed 250 hours unpaid work after assaults on two women

Published

1 hour ago

June 8, 2026

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKE DOCK man who assaulted two women has been handed a community order and banned from contacting one of the victims.

Ryan Brundrett appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Jun 8) after admitting two charges of assault by beating.

The court heard that on October 3, 2025, at Pembroke Dock, Brundrett assaulted Ceri Laville and Sonia Duffin.

Magistrates were told Brundrett changed his plea on the day of trial, receiving limited credit for his guilty pleas.

He was sentenced to a community order lasting until June 7, 2027.

As part of the order, Brundrett must complete 250 hours of unpaid work and up to ten days of rehabilitation activity.

The court also ordered Brundrett to pay £100 compensation to Ceri Laville, along with £325 prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge.

A restraining order was imposed preventing Brundrett from contacting Ceri Laville directly or indirectly until June 7, 2027. He is also banned from entering any property where she lives and prohibited from posting anything on social media or public forums referring directly or indirectly to her.

No restraining order was made in relation to Lewis Laville, with magistrates ruling this was not necessary or proportionate.

No compensation order was made for Sonia Duffin as the court heard the parties had reconciled.