News
Blaenporth: German motorist admits causing death by dangerous driving
A GERMAN motorist who pulled out into the path of a Blaenporth woman, killing her and her dog, has today received a suspended prison sentence.
Haki Celik, aged 37, admitted causing the death of Nicola Owen by driving without due care and attention.
Mrs Owen, 42, of Bowls Road, Blaenporth, near Cardigan, had been returning from Aberporth beach on February 19, 2015, after walking her collie pup Floss.
Her Peugeot car collided with Celik’s Skoda Yeti as he pulled out of a side road on the A487 between Blaenporth and Tanygroes.
Celik later told police he had been disturbed by a car behind him and had not paid sufficient attention to traffic using the main road. He said he did not see Mrs Owen’s car until it was only five metres away.
Swansea Crown Court heard today that Mrs Owen, who worked in catering but had once worked at Cardigan post office, was trapped in the wreckage for three hours before she could be cut free.
During that time her husband, John Charles Owen, was able to make it to the scene and to speak to his wife, who was still conscious although badly injured.
She was taken to hospital suffering from chest and other injuries and was put into an induced coma. But she died two weeks later from multiple organ failure.
Her pet dog Floss also died from injuries sustained in the accident.
Georgina Buckley, prosecuting, said witnesses saw Celik’s car “slowly” move out from a junction into the path of Mrs Owen’s oncoming car.
Celik had been working at a local farm at the time.
He was sentenced to three years in jail sentence, suspended for a year, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work for the community.
Celik was also banned from driving for 12 months.
In a victim impact statement, Mr Owen said, “I’ve been devastated at the loss of Nicola, I miss her terribly and coming home every evening to an empty house is very difficult.
“The accident happened around one and a half miles from our home and I go past the scene every day and every time I’m reminded of what happened.
“She was only forty two and had so much ahead of her. Her death was unnecessary and should not have happened. Questions about it are always on my mind and I often stop at the spot trying to make sense of what happened. My life has been completely turned around.”
Judge Paul Thomas said what happened was not a momentary lapse as Mrs Owen’s car had been visible for many seconds before the collision.
But, he said, Celik appeared genuinely remorseful. “I have seen many of these type of cases and it’s an understandable human emotion to think of oneself and the ramifications for yourself after an accident but the defendant’s approach has been remarkably different.
“He has expressed his remorse and condolences and the first thing he said to police was to say how sorry he was for the predicament of the other driver.
“From his family background and good references, it seems he will carry the guilt of this incident for many years to come.”
He added, “What happened on that February day in Cardigan was an utter tragedy, the loss of a valued life, her husband, family and friends being left bereft by the cutting short of a well loved and much valued lady.”
Business
Thousands of homes in rural Wales gain from faster 4G boost
RURAL Wales is seeing a major upgrade in mobile connectivity, with faster 4G now live in several areas. Seven locations across North, South West, and West Wales are benefitting from new 4G mast upgrades funded by the UK Government’s Shared Rural Network (SRN), aimed at closing the digital gap between rural and urban areas.
The upgrades, which went live on Thursday (Nov 14), bring improved 4G coverage to communities including Bontddu, Llanelltyd, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Penmaenpool, Tabor, Snowdonia National Park, and Bontgoch. Local businesses, emergency services, and residents are expected to benefit from faster internet access, which supports daily communication, business opportunities, and economic growth.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “Fast, reliable connectivity is essential for modern life and should be available from Cardiff to the remotest parts of Wales. Today’s upgrades bring us closer to making this a reality.”
SUPPORTING DIGITAL INCLUSION
As part of the rollout, Peter Kyle and Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant visited Ebbw Vale to discuss digital inclusion with charity and industry leaders. They met with representatives at BGfm, a digital inclusion hub in Blaenau Gwent, to learn about how connectivity impacts daily life in Welsh communities.
Telecoms Minister Bryant said: “We are working tirelessly to make sure rural communities aren’t left behind online.
“These upgrades mean businesses can now operate without connectivity limitations, 999 services are better equipped to respond, and residents and tourists can stay connected across the Welsh countryside.”
ADDRESSING CONNECTIVITY GAPS
An estimated 1.5 million homes across the UK remain without internet access, limiting people’s ability to access essential services such as banking and healthcare. In addition to the SRN upgrades, the Chancellor has allocated over £500 million in next year’s budget for digital infrastructure expansion, targeting these underserved areas.
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens highlighted the importance of this investment, particularly for rural Wales, where fast, reliable internet can be transformative.
“Connectivity is critical for day-to-day life in rural areas – from supporting local businesses to ensuring emergency services are just a call away,” Stevens said.
The upgraded masts, previously limited to EE customers and emergency 999 calls, now serve a wider user base, bringing essential internet access to more people without requiring new infrastructure.
Ben Roome, CEO of Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, said: “With the activation of five new SRN sites, Wales is seeing the tangible benefits of the Shared Rural Network, bringing crucial connectivity to rural communities.”
GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT IN REMOTE WALES
The improvements come alongside a £170 million agreement with Openreach to provide gigabit-capable broadband to 70,000 remote Welsh properties, helping future-proof digital access in even the most isolated locations.
The latest upgrades mark another step in the Government’s mission to improve mobile coverage and close the connectivity gap across Wales, creating opportunities and supporting economic growth across rural communities.
News
Milford Haven man admits to downloading indecent images of children
A MILFORD HAVEN man has been sentenced after admitting to downloading over 1,000 indecent images and videos of children, including highly explicit content involving young children. Gareth MacDonald, now 23, appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images and videos across various devices.
The court heard that police visited MacDonald’s home, which was the scene of protests after his arrest, last year following intelligence suggesting that child abuse images had been accessed there.
Officers spoke with MacDonald’s mother at the door before entering to conduct a search.
During the operation, two mobile phones, a tablet, a laptop, and two hard drives were seized.
MacDonald initially spoke to one of the officers privately, admitting to downloading the images and saying, “It’s me.” Later, in formal interviews, he revealed that he had grown “bored with legal pornography” roughly a year earlier, knowing that what he was doing was illegal but continuing regardless.
Prosecutor Emily Bennett informed the court that MacDonald’s devices held 15 Category A images, the most severe classification, 26 Category B images, and 960 Category C images. Some content depicted children as young as nine, and the most serious material involved pre-teen children in distressing situations.
Bennett also noted that MacDonald had briefly joined an online group where members self-identified as paedophiles, although he left without sharing any material. Cleaning software was also found on his devices.
Defense counsel Dan Griffiths acknowledged that MacDonald’s actions had crossed the custodial threshold, but argued that there was “a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.” He highlighted MacDonald’s cooperation with police and his willingness to comply with rehabilitation programmes.
Judge Geraint Walters, presiding over the sentencing, addressed MacDonald, saying, “For some considerable time, you have accessed this kind of imagery, fully aware of the harm it represents.” He acknowledged that MacDonald largely isolated himself and stayed at home, factors he considered in the sentencing.
MacDonald was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, with a requirement to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days and participate in the Horizon programme. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years and is subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same duration.
News
Welsh teenager jailed for creating 3D-printed gun at home
A TEENAGER who assembled parts for a viable semi-automatic firearm using a 3D printer has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
Owain Roberts, 19, purchased nuts, bolts, steel barrels, and metal rods online, constructing components of an FGC-9 gun with the aid of a 3D printer.
Detectives said that this case marks the first of its kind in Gwent, where Roberts admitted to manufacturing a firearm component. He appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday (Nov 14).
In April, firearms officers executed warrants at two Newport addresses connected to Roberts. Seized items included a 3D printer, two laptops, six plastic reels, and parts for an FGC-9 firearm.
PC Tom Meazey, from Gwent Police’s East Serious Organised Crime team, stated: “Illegally-held firearms can lead to tragic consequences and devastate innocent people’s lives. To own a firearm, including a printable one, is illegal in the UK without a valid firearms certificate. Roberts’s reckless actions in buying items capable of manufacturing a firearm placed people at direct risk.”
This rare and complex investigation involved support from the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Roberts received a prison sentence of four years and nine months.
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Mark James
January 3, 2016 at 8:06 pm
Kill someone and get a suspended sentence? He was driving without due care and attention……is it any different from these people who continue to text while driving?