A MILFORD HAVEN man has appeared in court charged with burglary and inflicting grievous bodily harm, following an incident at a flat in the town earlier this week.

Charged after alleged attack inside Victoria Road flat

Stephen Collier, aged thirty-eight, of Vaynor Road, Milford Haven, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court today (Friday, Dec 5). Collier is accused of entering a property known as Nos Da Flat, 2 Victoria Road, on December 3 and, while inside, inflicting grievous bodily harm on a man named John Hilton.

The court was told the alleged burglary and assault was carried out jointly with another man, Denis Chmelevski.

The charge is brought under section 9(1)(b) of the Theft Act 1968, which covers burglary where violence is inflicted on a person inside the property.

No plea entered

Collier, represented by defence solicitor Chris White, did not enter a plea during the hearing. Prosecutor Simone Walsh applied for the defendant to be remanded in custody, citing the serious nature of the offence, the risk of further offending, and concerns that he could interfere with witnesses.

Magistrates Mr I Howells, Mr V Brickley and Mrs H Meade agreed, refusing bail and ordering that Collier be kept in custody before trial.

Case sent to Swansea Crown Court

The case was sent to Swansea Crown Court under Section 51 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Collier will next appear on January 5, 2026 at 9:00am for a Plea and Trial Preparation Hearing.

A custody time limit has been set for June 5, 2026.

Chmelevski is expected to face proceedings separately.

POLICE are appealing for information after a woman died following a collision in Tumble on Tuesday (Dec 2).

Officers were called to Heol y Neuadd at around 5:35pm after a collision involving a maroon Skoda and a pedestrian. The female pedestrian was taken to hospital but sadly died from her injuries.

Dyfed-Powys Police has launched a renewed appeal for witnesses, including anyone who may have dash-cam, CCTV footage, or any information that could help the investigation.

Investigators are urging anyone who was in the area at the time or who may have captured the vehicle or the pedestrian on camera shortly before the collision to get in touch. (Phone: 101 Quote reference: DP-20251202-259.)

THE PROHIBITION of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill has been heavily criticised for a second time in 24 hours after the Senedd’s Legislation, Justice and Constitution (LJC) Committee published a highly critical Stage 1 report yesterday.

The cross-party committee said the Welsh Government’s handling of the legislation had “in several respects, fallen short of the standard of good legislative practice that we would normally expect”.

Key concerns highlighted by the LJC Committee include:

• Introducing the Bill before all relevant impact assessments (including a full Regulatory Impact Assessment and Children’s Rights Impact Assessment) had been completed – a step it described as “poor legislative practice, particularly … where the Bill may impact on human rights”.
• Failure to publish a statement confirming the Bill’s compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The committee has recommended that Rural Affairs Minister Huw Irranca-Davies issue such a statement before the Stage 1 vote on 16 December.
• Inadequate public consultation, with the 2023 animal-licensing consultation deemed “not an appropriate substitute” for targeted engagement on the specific proposal to ban the sport.

The report follows Tuesday’s equally critical findings from the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee, which questioned the robustness of the evidence base and the accelerated legislative timetable.

Industry reaction Mark Bird, chief executive of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), described the two reports as leaving the Bill “in tatters”.

“Two consecutive cross-party Senedd committees have now condemned the Welsh Government’s failures in due diligence, consultation and human rights considerations and evidence gathering,” he said. “The case for a ban has been comprehensively undermined. The responsible path forward is stronger regulation of the single remaining track at Ystrad Mynach, not prohibition.”

Response from supporters of the Bill Luke Fletcher MS (Labour, South Wales West), who introduced the Member-proposed Bill, said he welcomed thorough scrutiny and remained confident the legislation could be improved at later stages.

“I have always said this Bill is about ending an outdated practice that causes unnecessary suffering to thousands of greyhounds every year,” Mr Fletcher said. “The committees have raised legitimate procedural points, and I look forward to working with the Welsh Government and colleagues across the Senedd to address those concerns while keeping the core aim of the Bill intact.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “The Minister has noted the committees’ reports and will respond formally in due course. The government supports the principle of the Bill and believes a ban on greyhound racing is justified on animal welfare grounds. Work is ongoing to finalise the outstanding impact assessments and to ensure full compatibility with the ECHR.”

The Bill is scheduled for a Stage 1 debate and vote in plenary on Tuesday 16 December. Even if it passes that hurdle, it would still require significant amendment at Stages 2 and 3 to satisfy the committees’ recommendations.