Man subject to Crimewatch appeal admitted breaching lifetime notification rules after months living ‘off grid’

A REGISTERED sex offender who sparked a nationwide police hunt after disappearing on release from prison has been jailed after walking into a Pembrokeshire police station and handing himself in.

Christopher Spelman, aged 66 and of no fixed address, had been missing since July last year after refusing to comply with strict legal requirements to register his whereabouts with police.

Instead, officers were told he intended to buy a tent and live “off grid”.

The disappearance triggered an extensive search led by Lancashire Police, supported by forces across the UK. Public appeals were issued and the case was highlighted on Crimewatch in a bid to trace him.

Police believed Spelman was moving between campsites and travelling by public transport, with links to several parts of England and Wales including Merseyside, Manchester, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire.

The search ended unexpectedly on January 3 when Spelman walked into Haverfordwest Police Station and surrendered himself. He was arrested at the front desk. It is not known how long he had been in Pembrokeshire before handing himself in.

Lifetime registration

Swansea Crown Court heard that Spelman had previously been jailed for seven years in 2014 for sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 14.

That conviction placed him on the sex offenders register for life, requiring him to notify police of his address and report any changes within three days.

Prosecutor Brian Simpson told the court that after his most recent release from a Dorset prison on July 4, 2025, Spelman made it clear he would not provide an address, immediately putting himself in breach of the law.

When he failed to contact officers, a formal manhunt began.

The court also heard this was not the first time he had vanished. Following an earlier release in 2016, he similarly failed to register and remained at large for around five years before being located.

‘Unusual case’

Defence barrister Andrew Evans described the matter as “unusual”, telling the court that Spelman disputes his original conviction and has long expressed a desire to live outside society.

However, he said the defendant had now accepted that, regardless of his personal views, he remained bound by a court order and must comply with it.

Evans added that Spelman had asked the court to impose a custodial sentence to allow time for proper accommodation and supervision to be arranged for his eventual release.

Sentencing, Judge Geraint Walters said there were signs Spelman wished to change but warned that any future breaches would lead to longer prison terms.

Spelman, who has 11 previous convictions covering 29 offences, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the notification requirements.

With credit for his guilty plea, he was jailed for ten months. He will serve up to half that time in custody before being released on licence.

Haven Waterway set to become major hub for wind, hydrogen and port jobs as Wales launches investment prospectus

PEMBROKESHIRE could be in line for billions of pounds of new energy investment after a major national strategy identified Wales’ ports and heavy industry heartlands as key to unlocking more than £20bn in clean infrastructure projects over the next decade.

A new Clean Energy Investment Prospectus published this week by Net Zero Industry Wales sets out a pipeline of “investible” projects across offshore wind, hydrogen, industrial decarbonisation, ports and data centres — with the Haven Waterway widely seen as one of the most attractive locations in the country.

Industry experts say Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock already have the deep-water access, grid connections and industrial land needed to host the next generation of energy schemes.

The Herald understands that several projects linked to floating offshore wind assembly, hydrogen production and port upgrades are being explored locally as part of the wider push.

Jobs and contracts

The Prospectus acts as what organisers call a “one-stop shop” for global investors, bringing together sites, policy support and funding routes.

For Pembrokeshire, that could mean:

• port expansion and quay strengthening
• turbine assembly and maintenance bases
• marine engineering and fabrication work
• hydrogen and low-carbon fuel plants
• construction and long-term skilled jobs

Floating wind alone is expected to create thousands of roles across Wales during construction and operations, with much of the heavy lifting likely to happen in west coast ports.

With the Celtic Sea tipped to become one of Europe’s largest floating wind zones, Pembrokeshire’s existing energy infrastructure gives it a head start.

Major players already circling

Recent Welsh Government announcements linked to the programme include commitments and interest from global firms such as RWE, Eni, and Vantage Data Centres.

Support is also available through bodies including the Development Bank for Wales, aimed at helping projects move quickly from planning to delivery.

Ben Burggraaf, chief executive of Net Zero Industry Wales, said Wales offered “a unique combination of natural competitive advantages and industrial capability”.

He added: “We have significant clean energy resources, a strong industrial base, and a large and diverse pipeline of projects backed by credible organisations and skilled people — giving investors both scale and opportunity to make a real difference.”

Government backing

Wales’ Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said the country was “primed to capitalise on the UK’s clean energy revolution”.

She said: “By working together with developers and stakeholders we can boost our economy and achieve our renewable energy targets for Wales.”

Why Pembrokeshire fits the bill

Energy analysts say few places in the UK combine:

• two LNG terminals
• deep-water shipping access
• heavy industry and engineering skills
• available dockside land
• existing power connections

All of which are already present around the Haven.

That makes the area particularly attractive for assembling massive floating wind structures and servicing turbines once operational.

Local businesses — from steel fabricators to haulage firms and electricians — could benefit from supply-chain work if even a fraction of the promised investment lands in the county.

Long-term impact

While the £20bn figure covers the whole of Wales, insiders say west Wales stands to gain disproportionately because large-scale energy schemes simply cannot be built inland.

For Pembrokeshire, the Prospectus signals that the Haven Waterway’s future may be as a green energy powerhouse rather than a traditional fossil fuel hub.

If realised, it could reshape the county’s economy for a generation.

Photo caption: Milford Haven’s deep-water port and industrial shoreline are seen as prime locations for offshore wind and hydrogen investment (Pic: Herald file).

David Chadwick MP says James Evans MS ‘put career before constituents’ after party switch

A SENEDD member has defected to Reform UK, prompting sharp criticism from a neighbouring MP who accused him of abandoning his principles to protect his political future.

James Evans has left the Conservatives to join Reform UK, a move that immediately drew fire from local David Chadwick, the Welsh Liberal Democrats MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe.

Mr Chadwick said the switch raised serious questions about consistency and loyalty to voters in mid Wales.

‘Career before constituents’

In a strongly-worded statement, Mr Chadwick said: “What’s clear is that James Evans is more interested in protecting his own career than standing up for his constituents in Brecon and Radnorshire.

“You could fill a library with his past criticisms of Reform and of Conservative defectors. He has described Reform as a danger to national security because of its links to Russia, and warned they would push Britain towards an insurance-based NHS.

“Yet the moment his own seat came under threat, he jumped ship to the very people he once said had no principles.

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats are clear: our principles are not for sale. We will continue to do what we were elected to do, stand up for our constituents, not engage in political psychodrama.”

Past remarks resurface

The comments highlight a series of previous attacks made by Mr Evans on Reform UK and those who had joined the party.

He has previously questioned Reform’s leadership and direction, and suggested the party could not be trusted with the NHS, warning of a move towards insurance-based healthcare.

The Liberal Democrats also pointed to remarks made last year when Mr Evans criticised another Conservative who defected, saying she had “no principles”.

Opponents say those statements now sit uneasily with his own decision to change parties.

Growing political pressure

The defection comes amid increasing competition between parties across rural and mid Wales, with Reform seeking to capitalise on dissatisfaction with both Labour and the Conservatives ahead of the next Senedd election.

Mr Evans has yet to respond publicly to Mr Chadwick’s comments.