News

Solva axe attacker jailed for 14 years

Published

10 years ago

February 15, 2016

Swansea Crown Court

A MAN attacked his adoptive father with an axe before chasing him through the streets of Solva and proceeding to attack him for a second time in a pub.

Swan, aged 40, denied attempting to murder David Swan but admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent. He was given a 14 year prison sentence.

Swansea crown court heard that police had inadvertently provided Philip Swan with the weapon and the location of his intended victim.

Swan will serve between six and nine years behind bars but after his eventual release will be liable to be recalled to prison until February, 2030, after Judge Paul Thomas passed an extended sentence.

Ian Wright, prosecuting, said the offending began on July 3 last year at Gloucester railway station.

Swan had set off to attack Mr Swan but was arrested by British Transport Police after getting into a row on the platform with a stranger.

By then Gloucester Police had told him that Mr Swan was living somewhere in Solva.

BTP found the axe in Swan’s rucksack but gave it back to him after he claimed to be “interested in bush craft.”

Swan went home but the following day travelled by train to west Wales. Early on July 5 a warden at St David’s church in Solva found him asleep on a pew.

He asked her where “David and Margery Swan” lived and was innocently directed to Anchor Down.

Swan broke into the property through a window and confronted Mrs Swan, described by Wright as an 89 year old lady suffering from advanced Alkzeimers. She was effectively his grandmother, Mr Swan having married Swan’s mother and later adopting him, but would be wounded during the violence that followed.

Swan set about removing telephone handsets and kitchen knives and hiding them on the top of a fridge and bedroom wardrobes.

About midday Mr Swan arrived but left his partner, Anna Gifford, in his car parked outside.

Mr Wright said as Mr Swan entered the house “he knew immediately that something was wrong.”

Swan ran at him and delivered a blow to his forehead with the axe.

Mr Swan managed to grapple with his son and gained control, but agreed to release him after Swan promised not to resume the attack.

But that was exactly what he did and again struck Mr Swan with the axe as Mrs Swan tried to defend him, suffering leg injuries in the process. A forensic science officer later found blood and “fatty tissue” belonging to Mr Swan in the hall, kitchen and living room.

Miss Gifford heard screams coming from the house and then saw Mr Swan running out with Swan in pursuit.

He chased Mr Swan to The George pub and both entered virtually alongside. Swan hit him to his back with the axe and Mr Swan “screamed in pain.” Mr Swan was ushered by staff into the kitchen area leaving his son “swinging the axe around above his head.”

Before police could arrive Swan returned to Anchor Down and “touched” the shoulder of Mrs Swan, before returning to the pub, to tell the landlord, “I’ll get fifteen years for this.”

On his return, staff smuggled Mr Swan out of a private door but Swan saw him, approached him and made more threats, before telling a staff member, “It was a hell of a thing to attack someone with an axe when they had put their hands up to defend themselves.

He also said, “The look of fear on my step father’s face was worth it.”

Mr Swan was taken to the critical care unit of Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest, where he spent seven days receiving treatment for a broken arm and “multiple” lacerations.

Police later discovered that Swan had put a photograph of the axe onto his Facebook page.

Questioned by police Swan refused to answer apart from offering to write a statement “that could take months to write.”

During the court hearing Swan repeatedly shouted from the dock and Judge Thomas sent him to the cells below.

James Jenkins, representing Swan, said that, while he had been in Gloucester, “it was sad that the axe had been returned to Swan when it must have been obvious that he was in a state of heightened, nervous tension.”

He added, “The police told him where David Swan lived.”

Judge Thomas said, “So, one police force gave him the axe and another gave him the address.”

Mr Jenkins said Swan had complained “for years” about having being physically abused by his adoptive father when he had been a child.

Judge Thomas said he was unable to decide whether that was true or not.

Mr Jenkins said Swan had indulged in “both legal and illegal highs.” Since his arrest he had been held in custody and was now a “very different man.”

Judge Thomas said Swan’s behaviour was unpredictable, especially after he had taken substances.

He deemed Swan, of no fixed address, to be dangerous, as defined by law.

“There have been numerous occasions in the past when he has lost his temper and become unpredictably violent.”

Judge Thomas said he noted that Swan’s criminal record included a row with a colleague at the store he was working in – Swan pushed her into a meat freezer and locked the door.

Residents of Solva who witnessed his attack on his father “must have been frightened out of their wits,” he added.

Farming

Basic Payment Scheme 2025 balance paid to 95% of Welsh farmers

Published

8 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Final year of BPS as transition to Sustainable Farming Scheme begins

The WELSH Government says more than ninety-five per cent of farm businesses have now received their full or balance payment under the final year of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), ahead of the introduction of the new Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) in 2026.

Announcing the update on Friday (Dec 12), Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, confirmed that over 15,400 Welsh farm businesses have been paid £68.7m. This comes on top of the £160m issued in BPS advance payments since 14 October.

Final round of BPS payments

The Basic Payment Scheme, which has been the backbone of farm support in Wales for a decade, provides direct income support to help farmers plan and manage their businesses. BPS 2025 marks the last year in which full BPS payments will be made before the scheme begins to be phased out.

The Cabinet Secretary said officials would “continue to process the outstanding BPS 2025 claims as soon as possible,” adding that all but the most complex cases should be completed by 30 June 2026.

Payments issued today represent the main balance due to farmers following earlier advances, giving many businesses the cash flow they need during the quieter winter period—traditionally a challenging time in the agricultural calendar.

Shift to Sustainable Farming Scheme in 2026

From 1 January 2026, the Welsh Government will begin rolling out the Sustainable Farming Scheme, a major reform to how agricultural support is delivered. The SFS will reward farmers for environmental outcomes such as habitat management, carbon reduction and biodiversity improvements, alongside continued food production.

The government has argued that the new scheme is essential to meeting Wales’ climate and nature targets while ensuring long-term resilience in the sector. However, the transition has been closely watched by farming unions, who have raised concerns about the administrative burden, income stability, and the speed at which BPS is being phased out.

Mr Irranca-Davies reaffirmed the government’s stance, saying: “This government is steadfastly committed to supporting Welsh farmers to sustainably produce quality food. This is demonstrated today in our payment of the BPS 2025 balance payments and will continue throughout the transition period.”

Sector reaction

Farming unions are expected to scrutinise the detail of today’s announcement, particularly around remaining unpaid cases. Last year, late payments led to frustration in parts of the sector, with unions calling for greater certainty as the industry faces rising input costs, supply chain pressures and continued market volatility.

The move to the SFS remains one of the most significant agricultural policy changes in Wales since devolution. Ministers insist the shift is designed to support both food production and environmental stewardship, while critics warn the transition must not undermine farm viability—especially for family-run livestock farms that dominate rural areas such as Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.

What happens next

Farmers still awaiting their BPS 2025 balance will continue to be processed “as soon as possible”, the Welsh Government said. Officials will also publish updated guidance on the Sustainable Farming Scheme ahead of its launch.

The coming year will therefore become a pivotal moment for Welsh agriculture, as the long-standing BPS framework—which provided over £200m annually to Welsh farmers—makes way for a new results-based model that will shape the industry for decades to come.

News

Improved train timetable launches across Wales

Published

8 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Extra services, later trains and boosted Sunday routes as £800m rail investment takes effect

An improved train timetable has come into force across Wales today (Sunday, 14 December), with Transport for Wales (TfW) introducing more frequent services, stronger connections and additional late-night trains on key routes.

The winter timetable update brings one of the most substantial uplifts in recent years on the Wales and Borders network, forming part of the Welsh Government’s ongoing £800 million investment in brand-new rolling stock and reliability improvements.

More trains and later journeys

Among the upgrades, passengers will see:

A new hourly additional service between Chester and Wrexham, effectively doubling the frequency on one of the region’s busiest commuter corridors.
An extra train in each direction every day on the Heart of Wales line between Swansea and Shrewsbury.
Three later last trains from Cardiff to Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil, supporting shift workers and the night-time economy.
A new hourly Sunday service on the Coryton line in Cardiff.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, said improved connectivity was “absolutely vital” for economic growth and passenger confidence.

“These changes will make a real difference to customers, who will benefit from more services and greater connectivity,” he said. “This has been made possible by our £800m investment in brand-new trains for the Wales and Borders network.

“We will see the doubling of trains between Wrexham and Chester and a later service from the capital to valley communities. In South Wales, people will continue to benefit from simpler, fairer fares through TfW’s Pay As You Go service, and its forthcoming introduction in North Wales will help even more passengers access easy, transparent pricing.”

Full details of the updated timetable are available at: tfw.wales/service-status/timetables

News

Wrecked guard boat still under watch off north Pembrokeshire coast

Published

8 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Tidal changes monitored after dramatic early-morning rescue

A GUARD VESSEL that ran aground off the north Pembrokeshire coast in the early hours of Thursday morning (Dec 11) remains under close observation as tides continue to shift.

The Resolute, a 24-metre guard boat understood to be working for an offshore wind project off the Irish coast, had been sheltering in worsening weather when she was pushed onto rocks near Aber Hywel, Dinas, shortly after 3:25am.

Four crew members were onboard when the vessel grounded in rough seas and a strong southerly wind.

Major rescue effort launched

The crew issued an emergency alert, prompting a full multi-agency response.
A coastguard rescue helicopter, both Fishguard RNLI lifeboats, and coastguard teams from Fishguard and St Davids were sent to the scene.

Turbulent air made a winch rescue impossible and Fishguard’s all-weather lifeboat was unable to get close due to cliffs and submerged hazards. The inshore lifeboat was instead deployed to attempt a transfer in extremely challenging conditions.

During the evacuation, the third crew member descending to the vessel’s life raft slipped, fell into the water and was swept away. Speaking afterwards, RNLI crew member Cedwyn Rogers said the team immediately switched into “hyper-focused” mode as training took over.

Despite the casualty drifting, helm Warren Bean — a volunteer with more than 30 years’ RNLI experience — manoeuvred the lifeboat alongside, allowing crew to haul the man to safety. The remaining crew member was then retrieved, and all four were taken aboard the all-weather lifeboat and brought ashore to Fishguard.

All rescue units were later stood down.

Vessel still stranded and taking on water

The Herald understands that the Resolute remained aground on the rocks yesterday and was taking on water. The crew were later assisted back onboard by a local fisherman to assess damage on behalf of the vessel’s operators.

Management representatives from Ireland were due to arrive to draw up a recovery plan, including arrangements to remove fuel to prevent any potential environmental impact.

Further inspections have been taking place today as the team evaluates the next steps.

Coastguard statement

A spokesperson for HM Coastguard said: “At 3.28am on Thursday morning, HM Coastguard was made aware of a vessel with four persons onboard aground on rocks at Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. RNLI lifeboats and coastguard rescue teams from Fishguard and St Davids were sent to the scene. The four people aboard were rescued by lifeboat, and the helicopter was stood down. The vessel, which is still aground, is being monitored as tidal conditions change.”