Crime

Man threatens to torch Silverdale Lodge through ‘demon drink’, court hears

Published

1 month ago

May 13, 2026

A MAN has been sentenced for threatening to set fire to the Silverdale Lodge homeless shelter, Johnson, following a night of binge drinking.

This week Haverfordwest magistrates were told that at around 7am on May 2, Billy Pitman, 29, left the Silverdale Lodge in a highly intoxicated state, and entered one of the local shops where he began accusing the shopkeeper of short-changing him as he attempted to purchase some items. Pitman then proceeded to unleash a foul-mouthed assault on the shopkeeper.

“This had a huge impact on the staff member as they immediately reported the matter to the police,” said Crown Prosecutor, Sian Vaughan.

After leaving the shop, Pitman returned to the Silverdale Lodge where he began unleashing his aggression on a member of staff.

“Once again he became aggressive, and started hurling racial insults at the staff member, telling them to go back to their own country,” continued Sian Vaughan.

“His behaviour escalated and he told them he’d smash the door down and set fire to the property.”

Ms Vaughan said the defendants comments had a strong impact on the Silverdale employee.

“ It made me feel very uncomfortable as the racist comments were totally unacceptable and uncalled for,” the employee said in a victim impact statement read out to the court.

As a result of Pitman’s behaviour, police firearms officers were summoned to attend and the defendant was arrested and conveyed to Haverfordwest police station. But once again, his behaviour spiralled out of control.

When he was put inside the cell, he proceeded to put items into the sink causing it to flood.

Pitman pleaded guilty to threatening to damage or destroy property at Silverdale Lodge; causing racially or religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress to the staff member; causing criminal damage to the police cell, and using threatening or insulting words or behaviour to the shopworker. He was represented in court by solicitor Tom Lloyd, who stressed the defendant’s actions were the result of his ‘drink demons’.

“The defendant has huge periods of stability and is a very well thought of individual,” he said. “But sometimes he has demons when he consumes alcohol, and can’t control his behaviour. This is something he’s keen to address and he wants help.”

Mr Lloyd added that the defendant has since returned to the Silverdale Lodge to apologise for his behaviour on May 2.

Pitman, who is currently of no fixed abode, was sentenced to a 12-month community order during which he must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days. He was ordered to pay £100 compensation to both the shopkeeper and the Silverdale Lodge employee, £120 court costs and a £114 surcharge.

Crime

Pembroke man jailed for child sex offences

Published

29 minutes ago

June 15, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

David Lewis was on police bail when he contacted a child decoy account on Snapchat

A PEMBROKE man has been jailed after sending sexual messages and an explicit video to what he believed was a 12-year-old girl.

David Lewis, aged 42, of Ashdale Lane, Pembroke, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court after admitting child sex offences and offences involving indecent images of children.

The court heard Lewis was already on police bail when he contacted the Snapchat account, which was being operated by a police officer.

Prosecutor Craig Jones said police first attended Lewis’ home on August 6 last year and seized three mobile phones. An initial examination found child abuse material.

A full forensic download later revealed 263 Category A, 71 Category B and 51 Category C indecent images of children. The court heard the material included 246 Category A videos, 55 Category B videos and 37 Category C videos.

Lewis was also found to have shared a Category A image with another user on Telegram on July 27. The image showed a girl aged between ten and twelve being raped by an adult male.

While on bail, Lewis added what he believed was a 12-year-old girl on Snapchat on November 10. The account was in fact a decoy operated by police.

The court heard the account told Lewis she was at school and was 12. Lewis claimed he was 20 and sent a photograph of a younger man.

Over the following days, Lewis sent sexual messages, asked for inappropriate photographs and tried to call the account on Snapchat.

During one video call, he exposed himself and masturbated.

After his arrest, officers searched Lewis’ home and were able to match his bathroom and boxer shorts to those seen in the video.

Lewis pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child, attempted incitement of a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity, distributing an indecent image of a child, and three offences of making indecent images of children.

Mitigating, Dan Griffiths said Lewis accepted the position he was in and pointed to his early guilty pleas.

Judge Paul Thomas KC described Lewis as “a committed paedophile” and jailed him for five years.

Lewis must sign the sex offenders register for life and was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years.

Crime

Man fined after missing probation appointments

Published

49 minutes ago

June 15, 2026

Court Reporter

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been fined after admitting he breached a community order by missing probation appointments.

Asa Wandelt, aged 37, of Harrier Road, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Jun 15).

Wandelt admitted failing to comply with the requirements of a community order made by the court on February 23.

The breach related to missed office appointments on April 14 and May 18.

Magistrates ordered the community order to continue and fined Wandelt £80.

He was also ordered to pay £60 costs, bringing the total to £140. The court ordered payments to be made at £24 per month from July 13.

Crime

Man caught with cocaine and bread knife given fresh community order

Published

49 minutes ago

June 15, 2026

Court Reporter

A HAVERFORDWEST man caught with cocaine and a serrated bread knife in Milford Haven has been handed a fresh community order.

Joshua Rowland, aged 22, of Glebe House, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Jun 15).

The court heard that a previous community order, imposed in September 2025, was revoked after unpaid work was deemed unsuitable due to medical issues.

Rowland had originally been sentenced for possessing 0.3 grams of cocaine in Milford Haven on Thursday (Jan 2), and for having a serrated bread knife in a public place without good reason or lawful authority on the same date.

A further offence related to Rowland testing positive for Class A drugs while in custody at Haverfordwest Police Station on Tuesday (Jan 14). He was required to attend an initial drugs assessment but failed to do so.

Magistrates imposed a new community order, running until June 14, 2027. The order includes up to ten days of rehabilitation activity, meaning Rowland must attend appointments and take part in activities as directed by probation.

He was also fined £120, to be paid at £24 per month from July 13.