News

Families speak out

Published

12 years ago

November 27, 2013

BEV EVANS told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “All three of my children were born at Withybush and all of them needed special care after they were born. When my eldest daughter was born, I was told at quarter to six I needed an emergency C-section. At five past six, my daughter was delivered. It is half an hour to Carmarthen. If I was in the same situation and had to get to Carmarthen, there would be no way to get there.

“When my children have been ill the services at South Pembrokeshire and Withybush were essential. It was the middle of the night when my youngest daughter had febrile convulsions. She was able to be seen quickly, but that would not be possible if services were relocated to Carmarthen.

“When I was ill as a child with severe asthma and had to be hospitalised for extended periods of time, it would simply have been impractical for my parents to go back and forth to Carmarthen every day. They had other young children to care for and if services move to Carmarthen, families with young children will be left in an impossible position.

“Maintaining local maternity and paediatric services is essential.”

KELLY HUBBARD from Pennar, Pembroke Dock echoed Bev Evans’s sentiments:

“My youngest daughter, Chloe was born at 29 weeks. She was admitted to SCBU at Withybush but was too ill to be transferred elsewhere. Two weeks after she was born Chloe was transferred to Singleton for a fortnight. She was then transferred back to SCBU where she spent another four weeks. After discharge, Chloe need more care and was admitted to SCBU -again at short notice.

“I met other mums while at the SCBU. With the nurses and the other staff there, we have become like a family. Without their care and support, I do not know whether Chloe would have survived. I am sure there is good care and a caring atmosphere at other maternity units, but this is our local maternity care and SCBU at Withybush.”

LIZ BUTLAND, a member of the Save Withybush Action Team (SWAT), told The Pembrokeshire Herald:

“My son Seth was a two month premature home birth in Nottinghamshire. When he was well enough, he was transferred to SCBU at Withybush, where he spent about a month.

“When I read about the Health Board’s plans for SCBU and maternity care, I contacted friends and we started a petition. I then joined SWAT and we took a 14,000 signature petition to the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff Bay. It seems to me that the voice of Pembrokeshire people is not being heard or is being ignored.

“What gets me is that, like a lot of premature children, Seth needs continuing medical care, often at night and at short notice. I would have to hope that an ambulance turned up quickly and got Seth and me to Carmarthen in the same time it would take an ambulance to take us to Withybush. Somehow, I don’t think that could happen.

“Even then, if that happened in the middle of the night I would be stranded in Carmarthen with a sick child, no transport, probably no money, and probably in my night clothes. And the Health Board think that is acceptable.

“Hywel Dda’s Board seem to say that the service at Withybush is not up to standard. I don’t know what they are measuring with: ask the families of people who have used the services! They will tell you about the care and love they get from the staff. We should not lose that. We really can’t afford to lose it.”

News

Pembroke Dock man sent to Crown Court over alleged ABH assault

Published

5 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Charge relates to incident in the town last weekend

A PEMBROKE DOCK man has been sent to the Crown Court for trial after appearing before magistrates accused of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Darren Markes, aged 47, of High Street, Pembroke Dock, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard that Markes is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, contrary to the Offences Against the Person Act.

The charge relates to an alleged incident on Friday (Dec 13) in Pembroke Dock, when it is alleged that Markes assaulted a woman, causing her actual bodily harm.

No plea was entered at the hearing.

Due to the seriousness of the allegation, magistrates declined jurisdiction and ordered that the case be sent to the Crown Court for trial under the Crime and Disorder Act.

Markes was remanded on conditional bail. Conditions include:

Not contacting a witness, directly or indirectly
Reporting to Pembroke Dock police station every Wednesday between 12:00pm and 2:00pm
Living and sleeping each night at his home address

He is due to appear at Swansea Crown Court on Thursday (Jan 16) at 9:30am for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Crime

Aberystwyth man denies criminal damage charge over Cardigan gallery window

Published

5 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Alleged incident said to have taken place on Bridge Street

AN ABERYSTWYTH man has denied a charge of criminal damage relating to an alleged incident in Cardigan.

Ricky Myers, aged 27, of Jasper House, Aberystwyth, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard that Myers is accused of criminal damage to property valued under £5,000, contrary to the Criminal Damage Act 1971.

The charge relates to an incident on Saturday (Aug 24, 2024) at Manchester House on Bridge Street, Cardigan, where it is alleged that a window at the Cardigan Gallery was damaged. The property is said to belong to Peter Austin.

Myers pleaded not guilty to the allegation.

Magistrates adjourned the case for further case management, and Myers was remanded on conditional bail, with a condition that he live and sleep each night at his home address.

He is due to return to court at Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Dec 17) at 2:00pm.

Crime

Pembroke Dock man remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on string of offences

Published

5 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Harassment charge and three assaults among cases listed for Llanelli court

A PEMBROKE DOCK man has been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing after admitting a series of offences, including harassment and assaults.

Tony Brundrett, aged 21, of Kavanagh Court, Pembroke Dock, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard Brundrett has pleaded guilty to harassment without violence, contrary to the Protection from Harassment Act. The charge alleges that between Tuesday (Sep 17) and Thursday (Oct 31) at Spring View, Pembroke Dock, he pursued a course of conduct amounting to harassment of a female, including attending her home address and contacting her by text message.

He has also admitted assault by beating against the same female, alleged to have taken place on Wednesday (May 21) at Spring View, Pembroke Dock, and a further assault by beating against a second female on Thursday (Oct 30), also at Spring View.

Magistrates were additionally told that Brundrett faces a further allegation of common assault against a third female, said to have occurred on Tuesday (Dec 9) at Kavanagh Court, Pembroke Dock. No plea was recorded to that matter in the register entry.

Brundrett has also pleaded guilty to a number of offences linked to an incident in Haverfordwest on Saturday (Nov 16). These include:

Aggravated vehicle taking, involving a Vauxhall Corsa, with damage caused before recovery
Using a motor vehicle without insurance
Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence
Criminal damage, involving a window belonging to Pembrokeshire County Council

He was remanded in custody, with the next hearing listed at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Dec 31) at 10:00am.