News

Whitland: Driver used ‘James Bond-style’ smoke screen to shake off police

Published

10 years ago

December 7, 2015

Simon Chaplin, 62, flicked a switch on the dashboard of his red Peugeot 309 and “colossal” amounts of smoke came out of the exhaust pipe.

A DRIVER from Whitland tried to shake off a pursuing police officer by activating a James Bond-style smoke screen.

Simon Chaplin, 62, flicked a switch on the dashboard of his red Peugeot 309 and “colossal” amounts of smoke came out of the exhaust pipe.

PC Dafydd Campbell Birch caught up five miles later when Chaplin turned into a farmyard.

Chaplin had a bucket of diesel behind the passenger seat, connected to a pump with a pipe leading into the exhaust. An electrical system linked to the pump, battery and a dashboard switch.

Simon Chaplin outside Swansea Crown Court
© WALES NEWS SERVICE

At the flick of the switch diesel was dripped into the hot exhaust pipe to produce clouds of smoke.

James Belton came across the chase, going in the other direction.

“I thought his engine had blown. The smoke was covering both carriageways and I had to slow to five miles an hour,” he told police in a statement read to Swansea crown court.

PC Birch said he wanted to stop the Peugeot because it had a “DE JURE” number plate, which “didn’t look right.”

He turned around on the B4329 near Haverfordwest, west Wales, and was met by clouds of smoke as Chaplin accelerated away and flicked on the smoke device.

Pc Birch followed Chaplin through country lanes and villages, but sometimes only by the smoke because he couldn’t actually see the Peugeot.

“There was a vast amount of dense smoke coming out the back. It completely obscured the road.

“I had to slow down and keep a distance. I knew when he had turned left only by following the smoke he left behind,” he said.

“At times I came to an almost complete stop because of the smoke.

“I had to look across the top of the hedgerows to see where he had gone.

“For a while I could not see the car but in the distance I could see the smoke going up a hill towards the village of Crundale.

“I caught up with him but the smoke kept coming thick and fast.”
PC Birch cornered Chaplin in the farmyard. He got out of the Peugeot and appeared to hide something behind a post.

PC Birch told him he was watching and Chaplin retrieved a replica 9mm self loading automatic firing Beretta handgun and put his hands up.

Chaplin, recently of Llanfyrnach but now of Parc y Delyn Uchaf, Hebron, near Whitland, Carmarthen, was convicted of causing a danger to other road users by deliberately causing smoke to be emitted, but cleared of possessing an imitation firearm in a public place.

Chaplin told the jury that on January 19, six days before, he had been attacked by police officers, who dragged him out of his mechanical digger and knocked his head on the ground several times.

He said they later drove him to Withybush hospital, Haverfordwest, where they put him inside an ambulance. After being treated he was placed back into police custody but returned to hospital by the officers when he became unwell.

Chaplin said he saw PC Birch activate a flashing blue light “but sort of panicked” and feared he was going to be beaten up again.

Chaplin said the car, the smoke making “contraption” and fake Beretta–which could, in fact, only fire ball bearings–all belonged to a David Llewellyn.

He said the smoke machine had been designed to get rid of moles.

James Hartson, prosecuting, pointed out that moles lived underground but Chaplin said that during normal usage a pipe would be connected to the end of the exhaust and pushed into the molehill.

Chaplin will be sentenced later and was granted bail meanwhile.

But the judge, Recorder Elwen Evans QC, warned him that a prison sentence could be the outcome.

Crime

Man charged with attempted murder after Carmarthen park incident

Published

9 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

57-year-old due in court following alleged knife and stalking offences

A MAN has been charged with attempted murder following a serious incident in Carmarthen town centre last week.

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that James McKenna, aged 57, from Carmarthen, has been charged with attempted murder, possession of a bladed article in a public place, and stalking.

The charges relate to an incident in Carmarthen Park on Thursday (Jan 29), which prompted a significant emergency services response and caused concern among residents.

Police have not yet released full details of the circumstances, but officers were seen in and around the park area for several hours following the incident while enquiries were carried out.

McKenna is due to appear before Llanelli Magistrates Court on Thursday (Feb 5).

The Herald understands the case involves allegations of both violence and targeted behaviour towards an individual, with stalking listed among the charges.

Public concern

Carmarthen Park is a popular and busy public space used daily by families, dog walkers and joggers, and incidents of this severity are rare.

The news has prompted concern locally, particularly as the alleged offences include possession of a knife in a public place.

Residents have previously raised questions about safety in parks and open spaces across west Wales, especially during darker winter evenings.

Court proceedings

At this stage, the charges remain allegations and the case will now proceed through the courts.

Magistrates will decide whether the case is sent to Crown Court due to the seriousness of the attempted murder charge.

Further details are expected to emerge during Thursday’s hearing.

The Herald will be attending court and will provide updates as they become available.

Crime

Sex offender jailed after living off grid in Pembrokeshire and refusing to register

Published

10 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Court Reporter

Man walked into police station after months avoiding authorities

A CONVICTED sex offender who told police he intended to live “off grid” rather than comply with legal monitoring rules has been jailed after handing himself in at a Pembrokeshire police station.

Christopher Spelman, aged 66, of no fixed address, appeared for sentence at Swansea Crown Court after admitting breaching the notification requirements of the sex offenders register.

The court heard Spelman was released from prison in Dorset on July 4 last year but immediately refused to provide police with an address, despite being legally required to do so within three days.

Instead, he indicated he planned to buy a tent and live outdoors.

Prosecutor Brian Simpson said officers subsequently launched a nationwide search when Spelman failed to make contact with police. Public appeals were issued and his case featured on the television programme Crimewatch.

Detectives believed he had been travelling around the UK using public transport and staying at campsites. He was known to have links to several areas including Merseyside, Manchester, Devon, Cornwall and Hampshire.

His whereabouts remained unknown until January 3 this year, when he walked into Haverfordwest police station and was arrested. It is unclear how long he had been in Pembrokeshire.

Spelman previously served seven years in prison after being convicted in 2014 of 12 counts of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 14. He was placed on the sex offenders register for life.

The court heard this was not the first time he had failed to comply with the rules. After an earlier release in 2016, he again failed to register his address and avoided police for around five years before being caught.

He has 11 previous convictions for 29 offences.

Defence barrister Andrew Evans described the case as unusual and said his client had long disputed his original conviction and had expressed a wish to live “outside society”.

However, he said Spelman had gradually accepted that he remained subject to court orders and now wanted more stable accommodation and a chance to rebuild his life. The defendant asked the court to impose a custodial sentence so arrangements could be made for his future release.

Judge Geraint Walters noted there were signs Spelman wished to change but warned that any further breaches would result in longer prison terms.

With credit for his guilty plea, Spelman was sentenced to 10 months in prison. He will serve up to half in custody before being released on licence.

Crime

Former Wales rugby star admits Christmas Day drink-driving offence

Published

15 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

Ex-Ospreys captain was almost twice over limit in Pembroke town centre

Former Wales back row Jonathan Thomas has admitted driving through Pembroke town centre on Christmas Day when he was almost twice over the drink-drive limit.

This week Haverfordwest magistrates heard that Thomas, 43, was stopped by officers as he drove his Mercedes CLA 220 along The Green, Pembroke, at around 5pm on Christmas Day.

“The officers were very concerned at the manner of his driving, as the car was being driven erratically and was swerving to the other side of the road,” said Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan.

“When Jonathan Thomas got out of the car, the officers could see that he was having difficulty standing and was unsteady on his feet.”

Subsequent breathalyser tests showed Thomas had 62 mcg of alcohol in his system, the legal limit being 35.

Thomas, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the drink-drive charge and was represented in court by solicitor Jess Hill.

“He has family in the area and had travelled to spend time with them on Christmas Day,” she told the magistrates. “He’s very remorseful for his actions and hugely regrets his decision that day.”

Jess Hill concluded by saying that Thomas is currently “between jobs and living off his savings”.

Thomas, who gave his address as Main Road, Bredon, was disqualified from driving for a total of 18 months.

“The length of your disqualification reflects the fact that you were more than a little bit over the limit,” commented the presiding magistrates when imposing sentence.

He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 court surcharge.

The former Wales back row left his role as Swansea RFC head coach at the beginning of December 2025 as a result of ongoing health concerns. He was forced to retire from playing in 2015 on medical advice after being diagnosed with epilepsy and is one of the 390 former rugby union players currently taking part in a concussion lawsuit against the sport’s authorities.

“Long-standing issues linked to the head trauma have caused me some concern recently and it has been impossible for me to give the role everything it needs,” he said in a previous interview with the BBC.

His rugby career started out with Pembroke RFC juniors before moving to Swansea RFC, which he captained when he was 19. He then joined the Ospreys where, over a ten-year period, he won four league titles and an Anglo-Welsh Cup. He was the youngest player to captain the Ospreys and, at the time of leaving, was the joint highest appearance holder, together with Andrew Bishop, on 188 appearances.

His international career saw him play for Wales at Under-16, Youth, Under-19, Under-21 and Sevens levels. He made his senior international debut against Australia in 2003, featured at the 2007 Rugby World Cup and was part of two Six Nations Grand Slam-winning sides in 2005 and 2008. Between 2004 and 2011, Thomas was included in every Wales Six Nations squad. In his appearances for Wales, he scored seven tries.