News

Pensioner cleared of sexual assault

Published

12 years ago

January 3, 2014

A 78-YEAR-OLD man was found not guilty at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Wednesday of last week after being accused of sexual assault.

John Joseph Colfer, of Haven Court, Monkton, had been charged with sexual assault on a woman from Monkton on two separate occasions. The first was cuddling and kissing her on May 23, and the second was grabbing her while she was in a phone box on May 25.

The Herald cannot name the woman for legal reasons. Three 999 calls were played from the two incidents. During the calls, the alleged victim refused to give her name a number of times and mumbled considerably over the phone. She was very unclear about the reason she was calling and said: “I went to use his landline. I was on my own. I was being stupid” and later “I know you won’t do **** all about it because you don’t do **** all around here”. In the last call, we hear her say “I just want him to leave me alone” and “I hate him” while crying.

She claimed that she had gone to Colfer’s home address to use his telephone. She then gave her version of events: “I went to use his phone and he asked me to sit down. He sat next to me and put his arms around me and started kissing me. I didn’t want him to. I used to live next door to him. I went to get up to leave and he said ‘You only leave when I tell you to’. I was scared. After he went to do something with the dogs, I just got up and walked out of his front door”.

She then spoke about the second incident: “I was in the phone box and I didn’t know he was there until he put his arms around me and said we’ve got to finish what we started and called me a slut. I said I didn’t start nothing and he went home”.

Defence solicitor, Kate Smith said: “You have indicated that you have known Mr Colfer for a long time and brought your children up next door to him. I understand that you no longer have a relationship with your daughters. I imagine that much be very stressing and upsetting for you?”

The alleged victim confirmed this. Miss Smith continued: “I understand you attended at his address. He was the last link to your daughters, so is the reason you attended the house not to use the telephone, but to inquire about your daughters and you got upset?”

She denied this fact and said: “We were talking earlier and he said I’m welcome any time”.

Miss Smith asked the victim why she went to the house. She said: “I was invited. He said I could come over and chill out. I knew he had a landline and I wanted to use it”.

Miss Smith then said: “You’re lying, aren’t you? Mr Colfer doesn’t have a landline and you’re lying about the conversation. Your statement says ‘I went over to Shaun’s phone to call the police. I’d been having problems with kids. He said if I ever have any problems I can use the phone’. What I’m suggesting is you’re giving a different account in the court than you did to the officer. Why didn’t you tell the police what you told us?”

The alleged victim said: “After what happened I was really upset”.

Miss Smith replied: “How do you say that affected you? Did it affect your memory?”

She told the court: “I’ve got depression and health problems and I don’t need to sit here getting a mouthful from you”.

Miss Smith then asked the victim: “Can I suggest you’re giving an inconsistent account on what happened? Mr Colfer did not have a conversation with you”.

She replied: “He did because I was with my ex-partner. He went to Nottingham a couple of weeks ago”.

Miss Smith asked again: “You went to discuss your children” and was cut off by the alleged victim, who shouted “No, I don’t want nothing to do with my children”.

Miss Smith told her that she knew it was difficult for her. Her response was: “You know something, you’re doing my bloody head in! He told me he didn’t have a phone, I went to get up but I couldn’t and said you leave when I tell you to. Now can we leave it?”

Miss Smith said: “I’m afraid I can’t. Did you tell him why you were there or did you just go in?” After not receiving an answer, she continued: “I understood you came into the property, he told you he didn’t have a phone and then you sat down. You haven’t said why you’re there, and he didn’t ask?”

The victim denied this and Miss Smith continued: “Why didn’t you leave the house after he told you he didn’t have a phone?”. She replied saying: “I couldn’t get up”.

Miss Smith asked: “Why didn’t you inform the police about the conversation about the landline? The defendant told you he didn’t have one, why is it a matter you have failed to mention? My problem is, you’re telling the court one thing and your statement says another. Can you explain why you failed to mention the conversation about the landline?”

The alleged victim had no answer.

“On two occasions in your statement you asked to use the telephone. Why didn’t you include his response that he didn’t have a phone?”

This question was asked twice. The alleged victim failed to give an answer.

Miss Smith read her 999 call: “I went in to use his phone. He kissed me all over and said I’m the Monkton slut’. Why didn’t you tell 999 what happened?”

She replied: “I know what happened”.

Miss Smith said: “You have given different accounts. There is nothing in your statement about him calling you the Monkton slut. It’s inconsistent and isn’t in your statement because it didn’t happen. The defendant’s case is you came to speak about your children”.

The alleged victim screamed: “Leave my children out of this!”

Miss Smith continued saying: “He put his hands over your shoulder to comfort you,” and was cut off by the alleged victim shouting “He was putting his hand all over me”.

Miss Smith replied: “Was he? You’ve never said that before. You’ve previously said ‘he had his arms around me’. Where did he actually have his hands?”

Her reply was: “You’re female, you should know”.

There was a pause before Miss Smith continued: “’He had his arms around me and I couldn’t move’. Where on your body did he have his hands? This defendant has been charged with extremely serious offences and I need to establish exactly what happened. Had you been drinking May 23?”

The alleged victim denied this. Miss Smith asked: “Why were you refusing to give your name?”

Her reply was: “Because the coppers know me”.

Miss Smith said: “In the incident on May 25 you were on the phone and you had just put the receiver down, and you state ‘he was right behind me. He put his arms around my waist and said we’ve got to finish what we started’. You made no mention about the comments he made over the phone. Upon being asked by Miss Smith if she claims to have told Mr Colfer to ‘sod off’ with reference to the alleged incident on May 25, she said: “Yes. Any more language? Because I’ve got plenty” and later said “I am having enough of you!”

Prosecuting, David Weale read out Mr Colfer’s statement: “She came to my house about her children, and she was crying a lot saying she is not allowed to see her children. I put my arms around her and gave her a kiss on the lips and her cheek. It lit her up a bit. It put a smile back on her face. When a woman’s in distress you give them a cuddle, in a way she gave me permission. I couldn’t help her with her problem. She did not ask to use the landline, and she left around 10 or 15 minutes after the kiss. “I didn’t call her a slut. I saw her to the door and waved goodbye. I’m 78 years of age, I lost that long ago. In the second incident I didn’t see her that day. I got off the bus around 5pm and I walked past the phone box on the way home, and I did not see anyone.”

Miss Smith pointed out in her final submission that it is concerning that there were no other eye witnesses to back up her account of what happened May 25 and that her evidence falls short.

Magistrates found Mr Colfer not guilty, and told the court: “We do not believe beyond a reasonable doubt that a sexual assault took place on either occasion”.’

Education

Last stand to save Ysgol Clydau as village launches fresh fightback

Published

8 minutes ago

April 19, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Campaigners say this is now the crucial stage in the battle to stop the closure of the rural Tegryn school, with every formal objection required to be logged and answered before a final council decision.

THE BATTLE to save Ysgol Clydau has entered its most critical stage, with campaigners urging residents to lodge formal objections before the May 11 deadline in a last-ditch effort to stop the village school from being shut.

In a fresh appeal posted on Sunday, Save Ysgol Clydau – Cadw Clydau yn Gadarn said the school was “at the heart of our community” and warned supporters that earlier consultation responses do not count at this stage.

The campaign said: “A local school is at the heart of our community. It means less time travelling and more time together, friendships that last a lifetime, and a place where every child feels they belong.

“If you haven’t already, please submit your objection to the closure of Ysgol Clydau – previous responses do not count, and every single objection must be recorded and answered.”

That message marks a new phase in the fight over the future of the Tegryn school, after Pembrokeshire County Council formally published its statutory notice to discontinue Ysgol Clydau from Aug 31, 2026.

Under the proposal, the school’s catchment area would transfer to Ysgol Bro Preseli from Sept 1, 2026, if councillors approve the closure.

The issue is already highly charged. Members of Pembrokeshire County Council voted by the narrowest of margins in March to move the closure process forward, with the proposal passing by just one vote.

That slim majority has emboldened campaigners, who believe there is still everything to fight for if enough people object during the formal notice period.

The council says the closure is the most appropriate response because of surplus places, concerns over the condition of the buildings, the long-term sustainability of education in the Preseli area, and value for money.

But for families and supporters in Tegryn, the argument is not simply about budgets or buildings.

They say the loss of Ysgol Clydau would strike at the heart of the community, forcing young children to travel further, weakening local ties, and removing a school that many see as central to village life.

Campaigners are also likely to point to the fact that Ysgol Clydau is a rural school, a category that carries added significance in school reorganisation cases in Wales.

The school’s supporters argue that once a rural school is lost, the wider damage can stretch far beyond the classroom, affecting the Welsh language, village identity, and the long-term future of the community itself.

That argument is strengthened by the school’s recent reputation. Ysgol Clydau has been described by inspectors as a happy, caring and welcoming community, with pupils feeling safe and supported.

For opponents of closure, that raises an obvious question: why shut a school that is valued by its children and families?

The latest Facebook appeal makes clear that campaigners now see the statutory objection process as the decisive battleground.

Supporters are being told to email [email protected] or write to County Hall before May 11, with campaigners stressing that each objection must be formally considered and answered.

The final decision is expected to return to councillors in June, setting up what could be a dramatic showdown over the future of one of Pembrokeshire’s rural schools.

For now, the message from Tegryn is simple: this is the stage that counts, and the fight to save Ysgol Clydau is far from over.

Local Government

Haverfordwest faces weeks of road disruption as resurfacing works roll on

Published

31 minutes ago

April 19, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Closures, temporary lights and phased schemes across key routes are set to affect drivers, businesses and town-centre traffic into May

DRIVERS in Haverfordwest are facing weeks of disruption as a programme of resurfacing works hits key roads in and around the town.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s roadworks listings show temporary traffic lights on Haven Road and Portfield from Tuesday, April 22 to Tuesday, April 29 as resurfacing work is carried out. At the same time, motorists are already dealing with delays on Main Street, where temporary lights have been in place since March 25 because of a dangerous structure.

Town council information also shows High Street is due to close for two days from Saturday, April 25, adding to concerns about congestion in the town centre and disruption for shoppers, businesses and local traffic.

And the disruption is not expected to end there. Further resurfacing works are also planned at Merlins Hill, Winch Lane and St Thomas Green during the weeks that follow, meaning drivers could face a rolling programme of delays into May.

The works form part of the council’s annual road maintenance programme and come after Pembrokeshire County Council said its newly approved 2026-27 budget would direct extra funding towards front-line services including road repairs, gully clearing and highway maintenance.

While many motorists will welcome smoother and safer road surfaces in the longer term, the timing is likely to frustrate residents and businesses already coping with traffic issues in Haverfordwest. With several schemes either under way or imminent, the impact could be felt well beyond the roads directly affected as drivers look for alternative routes.

The overlap between resurfacing works and existing restrictions is likely to increase pressure on surrounding roads, particularly at busy times of day and as spring visitor numbers begin to rise. Businesses in the town centre may also be concerned that closures and delays could affect trade.

Motorists are being urged to allow extra time for journeys and to check for updated traffic information before travelling.

News

Last chance to register for Senedd election

Published

57 minutes ago

April 19, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Pembrokeshire voters have until 11:59pm on Monday (Apr 20) to make sure they can take part in the historic May 7 poll in the new Ceredigion Penfro constituency.

PEMBROKESHIRE residents who have not yet registered to vote have only hours left to make sure they can take part in the 2026 Senedd election, with the deadline set for 11:59pm on Monday (Apr 20). The election itself takes place on Thursday, May 7, with polling stations open from 7am to 10pm.

Registering online through GOV.UK usually takes about five minutes. Voters are normally asked for their National Insurance number, but people can still register if they do not have one. Anyone who has changed address, name or nationality must register again using their new details.

Pembrokeshire County Council has confirmed that voters in the county will cast their ballots in the new Ceredigion Penfro constituency. This election marks a major change for Wales, with the Senedd increasing from 60 to 96 Members, the creation of 16 new constituencies, and six Members being elected in each one.

The voting system is also changing. Voters will now have one vote for a political party or an independent candidate. Under the closed list system, parties rank their candidates in advance, and seats are allocated after the votes are counted.

Voters in Wales do not need photo ID to vote in person at Senedd elections. People aged 16 and over can vote in the Senedd election if they are properly registered and meet the nationality and residency rules, including British and Irish citizens and qualifying Commonwealth, EU and foreign citizens living in Wales.

There are further deadlines close behind. Applications for a postal vote, or a postal proxy vote, must be in by 5pm on Tuesday (Apr 21), while ordinary proxy vote applications close at 5pm on Tuesday (Apr 28).

Disabled voters are entitled to support at polling stations, with measures such as ramps, low-level booths, pencil grips and seating expected to be available where needed. Voters can also bring their own aids, such as a magnifier or text-to-speech app, and assistance animals are welcome.

For anyone still unsure, Pembrokeshire County Council says the Ceredigion Penfro Constituency Returning Officer can be contacted by email at [email protected] or by telephone on 01545 570881.