News

Yerbeston man cleared of beating taxi driver, and refusing to pay

Published

11 years ago

February 16, 2015

taxi THE TRIAL of Lawrence James Goldsworthy from Yerbeston started with him wanting to revoke his early guilty pleas on Wednesday (Feb 11).

The 25-year-old told the court: “I believe that I am not guilty. I didn’t tell my solicitors how I was provoked.” He added: “I can give you a name of someone in prison that revoked his plea.”

The clerk to the justices told Goldsworthy that he had no power to re-open the cases, and the trial would go ahead.

The hearing at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court began by dealing with charges one and two out of five: The allegation that the defendant assaulted Stuart Jones and running off from a taxi without payment.

After solicitor for the defence Mike Kelleher heard that his client wanted to change his plea, told the court: “I don’t think I can continue to act for him. But if he wants to change his plea, clearly our instructions were that they were guilty pleas. I’m in an awkward position so I’m going to stand down.”

Even though Goldsworthy made an application for adjournment, Magistrates decided that the trial would continue. He then had to represent himself and cross examine the witness.

Prosecuting, Leslie Harbon told the court: “At 3am Goldsworthy was in Tenby looking for a taxi home. He was outside the Prince of Wales and asked Stuart Jones, the taxi driver, how much it would be to Preseli. They agreed on £25 and Goldsworthy jumped into the taxi. He then allegedly took out a £5 note and some change and asked if he could go and collect the money from his house. Upon arriving at his house, he told Jones that he was going to open the iron steel gate to his house. However, he jumped over the gate and began running down the lane. Jones followed in his taxi and was met by Goldsworthy who began attacking Jones and proceeded to smash his rear window.”

Jones was called down to the witness stand where he was examined by both the prosecutor and Goldsworthy.

Jones tells the court that they agreed on an amount, and upon reaching the gate and seeing Goldsworthy’s behaviour sat in the minibus thinking what he was doing. He drove down the lane and was faced with Goldsworthy and his vulgar language: “You’re on private property. I’m not f***ing paying you.”

Goldsworthy then pushed Jones with two hands on his chest. Jones told the court: “He tried to hit me but no punches actually hit me. As soon as he pushed me I got into the car.”

Goldsworthy then took the stand and began to cross examine Jones: “Did you threaten me on the way? Did you not call me a gypsy and say that my son was a gypsy? You were threatening to beat me up, and when I got out of the taxi I told you that I didn’t want you to come down the lane. How did you enter the property? You forcefully entered through the steel gate which was off its hinges. Did you force your way into the property with aggression?”

Jones answered; “No, I wouldn’t call it aggression.”

Jones denied touching Goldsworthy and told the court: “I didn’t touch you. I couldn’t understand what you were doing and next minute you’re running for leather down the road.”

Goldsworthy asked Jones: “You pursued me and that is why I picked up a stone because you were driving at 50 miles an hour down the lane trying to mow me down. You never gave me a chance to pay.”

After a brief period of adjournment, the Magistrates returned they told the court that there was no case to answer, clearing Goldsworthy of the two charges.

The defendants other three charges were adjourned March 4 in order for the probation services to prepare a report, he was released on the condition that he fully comply with the probation service. These charges were damaging Stewart Jones’ vehicle, running away from another taxi without paying and assaulting another officer.

Community

Festive creativity shines as Kurtz MS meets card competition winner

Published

41 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

SAMUEL KURTZ, Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, visited Pembroke Dock Community School on Friday 12th December to present a prize to the winner of this year’s Christmas Card Competition.

The competition invited pupils to design a festive Christmas card, with entries received from schools across the area. The standard of artwork was exceptionally high, showcasing the creativity, imagination and talent of young people in the community.

During the visit, Samuel Kurtz congratulated the winning pupil and thanked all those who took part, as well as the teachers and staff who supported the competition. Each child who entered also received a certificate in recognition of their hard work and effort.

Speaking after the presentation, Samuel said, “It was a real pleasure to visit Pembroke Dock Community School today and announce the winner of my Christmas Card competition. This year the winner is Mair Moseley, aged 10, and she designed a wonderful Santa image that really stood out. She has won a chocolate selection set and a £20 book token to enjoy over Christmas.”

He added, “ The creativity and enthusiasm shown by all the children was fantastic, and it made choosing a winner extremely difficult. I want to congratulate all the entrants and thank the staff for their ongoing support.”

Pembroke Dock Community School Headteacher, Mrs Katie Crockford-Morris, added, “We were delighted to welcome Samuel Kurtz MS to the school to present the prize. The children thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the competition, and they were incredibly proud to receive their certificates.”

The winning design will now be used as Samuel Kurtz’s official Christmas card this year, with one copy already on its way to His Majesty, King Charles.

Charity

Two Welsh families fund Childline across the UK on Christmas Day

Published

57 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Staff Writer

Joint £40,000 gift ensures vital support is available when children need it most

TWO Cardiff families have joined forces to fund the NSPCC’s Childline service across the whole of the UK on Christmas Day, ensuring children have somewhere to turn during one of the toughest times of the year.

The Peterson family and the Bowles family are each donating £20,000 as part of the charity’s One Unforgettable Day project. Their combined £40,000 contribution will cover the entire cost of running Childline for 24 hours on 25 December.

Childline operates 12 bases nationwide and offers a free, confidential service to anyone under 19, available day and night, 365 days a year. The festive period is often one of the most demanding for counsellors and volunteers; between 24 December 2024 and 4 January 2025, Childline delivered 4,261 counselling sessions.

Young people reach out to Childline for a range of reasons at Christmas, including mental health struggles, family tensions, financial worries, loneliness, and increased risks of abuse or domestic violence. With schools closed and regular support networks unavailable, demand for help typically rises.

Childline relies heavily on donations, fundraising and charitable partnerships. The support of Alan, Maggie and Hywel Peterson, and Nathan and Claire Bowles and their four children, will ensure counsellors are available throughout Christmas Day for any young person who needs them.

Hywel Peterson MBE, Chair of the NSPCC Cymru Fundraising Board, said:
“It’s an honour to help fund Childline across the whole of the UK this Christmas. This joint donation will ensure our dedicated staff and volunteers are there to support any child who needs us.”

Cardiff entrepreneur Nathan Bowles added:
“We know that Christmas can be a difficult time for some children, so our family is delighted to be joining forces with the Petersons this year to support this vital service.”

Louise Israel, Childline team manager at NSPCC Cymru’s Cardiff base, said:
“While children and young people need Childline all year round, we speak to many who find this time of year particularly difficult. It is only with the support of such generous people as the Peterson and Bowles families that our staff and volunteers can continue to be here throughout the Christmas holidays. This kindness will genuinely make a difference.”

Children can call Childline free on 0800 11 11 or visit www.childline.org.uk.
Anyone concerned about a child’s welfare can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or visit www.nspcc.org.uk for advice.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

13 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include: