News

Milford Haven: Gambling addict jailed for stealing £20k from elderly mother

Published

10 years ago

March 27, 2015

swansea A GAMBLING addict from Milford Haven who stole more than £20,000 from his elderly mother and even sold her jewellery was jailed for 14 months on Friday (Mar 27).

Richard Keith Lightfoot, aged 53, of Fettle Court, Victoria Road, admitted two offences of fraud and one of theft.

Gwilym Roberts-Harry, prosecuting, told Swansea crown court that Lightfoot had been the carer for his 84 year old mother Rosina.

Despite her giving him money from time to time he began to use her bank account to write cheques to himself, and hid her statements under his bed mattress to stop her from finding out.

He got away with £13,950, and an additional £8,021 by using her debit card to gamble, order Chinese takeaways and to buy mobile telephones and clothes.

Lightfoot also used her bank details to order £2,370 worth of clothing from a catalogue firm.

Mr Roberts-Harry said Lightfoot also stole gold rings and chains belonging to his mother and sold them for cash.

He said the offending came to light after his sister, Sally Jones, became suspicious when Lightfoot insisted his mother cash in a life insurance policy to pay for some storm damage to her home, instead of using money she should have had in her bank account.

It was also discovered that Lightfoot had made entries on his Facebook page such as, “At mummy’s pension again,” and “mummy’s purse is getting another hiding.”

The judge, Mr Recorder Paul Hopkins, said he found the entries “extremely concerning” and suggested that Lightfoot was relishing in what he was doing to his mother’s finances.

Lightfoot’s barrister, David Williams, said most of the money had gone on gambling, to which he had been addicted for 30 years.

He was now so determined to end the habit he had placed photographs of himself behind the counters of Milford’s three betting shops and had instructed staff not serve him.

He had also sort help from a local charity and had been allocated a support worker.

Mr Williams said on being arrested, Lightfoot had told police, “I feel sick at betraying my mother’s trust.”

Mr Williams said his mother had declined to make a victim impact statement and had made it clear she did not want her son to be sent to prison.

But Mr Recorder Hopkins told Lightfoot, “You had been in a position of considerable trust as her carer. She was giving you money while you were conducting a sustained course of dishonesty towards her.

“It was despicable, appalling. A message needs to go out that the courts will not tolerate behaviour of this type towards other family members.

“Your mother deserved protection,” he added.

Mr Roberts-Harry said a Proceeds of Crime investigation was underway to see if Lightfoot could repay any of the stolen money, although the prospects seemed to be “unrealistic” as he now survived on Jobseeker’s allowance.

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

Published

53 mins ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

2 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

Published

2 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”