News

Haverfordwest: Premier Inn arsonist Gina Tranter jailed for 32 months

Published

9 years ago

July 24, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Jailed: Tina Tranter admitted arson

A WOMAN who set fire to the Premier Inn at Haverfordwest after being jilted by her boyfriend has been jailed for 32 months today (Jul 24).

Georgina Tranter, aged 26, admitted pouring petrol over a fire exit door and setting it alight while there were more than 100 guests inside.

The flames got inside the building and onto a floor where people were sleeping. But a fire officer happened to be staying there and he put out the fire.

Tranter, of Redstone Court, Narberth, had admitted arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

Nicola Powell, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown court this afternoon that on January 17 Tranter—a chemistry graduate whose work involved testing petroleum spirits—went to a Hunt Ball in Haverfordwest with her boyfriend, William Harman.

During the evening he found her to be “clingy” and told her their relationship was over and advised her to go home.

He saw het get onto a minibus and thought she had left. But when he arrived at the Premier Inn for more drinks with friends he was surprised to find her there.

Miss Powell said Tranter started “ranting and raving” and a receptionist became so concerned she called the police, who drove Tranter home.

However, Tranter changed out of her ball gown and high heeled shoes, took a can of petrol from the garage of the house and drove her mother’s car back to Haverfordwest, where she tried to torch the hotel.

Miss Powell said during the early hours Tranter began sending text messages to a friend, William Evans. The first message complained that Mr Harman had not paid her enough attention.

There were then more messages reading, “I need you, I have done something stupid,” followed by “I’m not going home. I’m going to jump off a bridge,” “I’m on the run. I love you.” And finally “I’ve poured petrol over the Premier Inn. I’m in deep trouble. I will have to go on the run.”

Police spotted her pulling into a petrol station and arrested her.

James Jenkins, representing Tranter, said she thought the best thing that had ever happened to her was spending the last seven months on remand at Eastwood Park women’s prison near Bristol, where she had been teaching other inmates to read and write.

Judge Peter Heywood said Tranter had been in several “hurtful” relations and the way Mr Harman had dealt with her had been “brutal and callous.”

But arson was an extremely serious offence, he added. Once a fire had been set no-one could predict the outcome, which could be “hugely distressing.”

“You told William Evans you had done something stupid, there is no doubt about that.

“You were not thinking rationally. You were unhinged that evening, through being jilted and alcohol.

”The Inn had been full that night. Fortunately, there was a trained fie officer staying there in a position to react and douse the flames,” added the judge.

Tranter also admitted taking her mother’s car without consent, failing to provide a specimen for analysis and driving without insurance, for which no separate penalties were imposed.

fire

Crime

Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property

Published

5 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.

Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.

The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.

The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.

The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.

News

Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’

Published

5 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”

The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.

Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”

NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.

“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.

“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”

The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”

This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.

Community

Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed

Published

7 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.

The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.

Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.

Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.

The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.

With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.

“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”