News

Council changes snoopers’ charter

Published

12 years ago

December 12, 2013

PEMBROKESHIRE County Council has adopted a code of practice in relation to controversial legislation enabling it to mount covert surveillance operations.

The widespread misuse by public authorities of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) led the Coalition government to clamp down on its use to mount trivial and intrusive investigations at public expense into minor breaches of the law, such as putting bin bags out too early.

Although County Council leader Jamie Adams claimed that the Council had not used powers under RIPA, The Pembrokeshire Herald can confirm that Councillor Adams was mistaken in so claiming. The Pembrokeshire Herald has established that, despite Councillor Adams’ assurances to the contrary, in the three years from 2008-2011, the County Council has disclosed that it used RIPA powers on seven occasions.

In 2008-2009, the Council used RIPA powers in two animal welfare cases. In 2009-2010 it used the same powers in relation to an investigation into a car dealership issuing credit without a consumer credit licence and to investigate the sale of alcohol to a minor. In 2010-2011 it used its RIPA powers on three separate occasions, two of which related to the sale of alcohol to a minor, the other relating to a trading standards investigation. In none of the seven cases in which the Council used its covert surveillance powers has it disclosed the outcome of the investigations concerned.

In the three year period 2008-2011, Pembrokeshire County Council used RIPA powers on fewer occasions than most other Welsh local authorities.

The Herald can reveal that the new code of practice provides that Mr Mike Kent, one of the Council’s in-house legal staff, will have day-to-day responsibility for the making of applications for the Council to launch surveillance operations targeting Pembrokeshire’s citizens.

The code of practice provides that the Council can only use its powers if the application is approved by a Justice of the Peace and if the criminal offence being investigated is of an offence that can lead to a prison sentence of at least six months’ duration. The powers can also be used to investigate the sale of tobacco and alcohol to children.

The Council will be permitted to use so-called “Covert Human Intelligence Sources”. This means that the Council can use a person who establishes or maintains “a personal or other relationship” with the target of a council investigation to obtain information from them and feed it back to their County Hall spymaster.

The Council will also be permitted to monitor, observe and listen to personal communications, including surveillance with the assistance of technology for that purpose. The Council is therefore permitted, provided it establishes that the use of such resources in proportionate, to bug phones and access personal email accounts.

Lower level surveillance as authorised by a local authority can be accessed by organisations including, but not limited to, the police, the Gambling Commission, the Food Standards Agency, Office of Fair Trading, Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Gang-masters’ Licensing Authority.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

12 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:

Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
Common assault
Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

12 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second count of assault
Criminal damage
An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

12 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional non-fatal strangulation
Common assault on a woman
Criminal damage in a domestic context
Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.