News

Haverfordwest: Tax credit campaigners left in the cold

Published

10 years ago

November 24, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Petitioners outside Stephen Crabb’s office on Tuesday (Nov 24)

A PEMBROKESHIRE resident set up a meeting to hand a petition to Stephen Crabb MP, asking him to oppose tax credit cuts, only to be left ignored, in the rain, on the day.

The appointment to hand in the petition, which was signed by 360 people, had been long since pre-arranged with Stephen Crabb. Only this morning the MP had confirmed with local 38 Degrees members that “I will not be available to meet with you but my Assistant will receive the petition on my behalf.”

Despite this, his office was locked up and in darkness, leaving his constituent’s petition and 11 of his constituents out in the rain. Eventually the petition was kindly taken in by an employee of an adjoining office with a promise that she would hand it to Stephen Crabb when he next visits Pembrokeshire.

A post on 38 Degrees’ social media page commenting on the failure of Conservative MPs including Mr Crabb to accept the petitions has been shared more than 6,000 times.

Across the UK, people are delivering the 160,000-strong petition to MPs ahead of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement tomorrow.

Pembrokeshire residents are expecting Mr Crabb to speak to Chancellor George Osborne about how devastating the cuts could be in Preseli & Pembrokeshire. Campaigners say the cuts would make life harder for millions of low-paid working families, and could push 200,000 children into poverty across the country. In Preseli & Pembrokeshire, child poverty levels already stand at 25.71%.

As The Herald reported last week, according to House of Commons data, 63% of children in Preseli Pembrokeshire are in families claiming tax credits, and around 5,000 working families in the constituency receive tax credits.

Kahra Wayland-Larty, a campaigner at 38 Degrees said: “Local people are clear: Stephen Crabb should stand up to tax credits cuts, that’ll punish hard working families in Preseli Pembrokeshire on low wages. People in the area didn’t vote for these cruel cuts. Before the election, David Cameron promised he wouldn’t touch tax credits, but now his party is going back on its word. It’s even more concerning to hear that for residents of Preseli Pembrokeshire, their concerns may be falling on deaf ears.

These cuts will hit Preseli Pembrokeshire people hard. Crabb shouldn’t be leaving his constituents concerns unanswered – he should be listening to his constituents and join other Conservative MPs in opposing George Osborne’s cuts before the Autumn Statement tomorrow.”

According to a YouGov survey carried out in October, almost twice as many people think that David Cameron has broken a pre-election promise by cutting tax credits as those who do not (44% to 23%). And 57% of people say George Osborne’s plans to cut tax credits should not go ahead as planned.

Mr Crabb said: “The petitioners from the national campaign group 38 Degrees knew that the House of Commons was sitting today and that I would be unable to receive the petition in person. The timing of my next available surgery appointment did not suit them, and so it was arranged that my Assistant would receive the petition on my behalf. Regrettably, my Assistant was ill today, and so the petition was handed instead to a member of staff from Paul Davies’ office who will be passing it on to me when I am back in the office on Friday.”

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

9 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

10 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

10 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.