News

Solva axe attacker jailed for 14 years

Published

9 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.

Community

Baby loss remembrance service at Withybush Hospital

Published

5 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE ANNUAL baby loss remembrance service will take place on Tuesday 1 October 2024 at St Luke’s Chapel in Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest at 7.00pm.

The ‘Forget Me Not’ service is part of the health board’s commitment to Baby Loss Awareness week (9-15 October) and is arranged by Midwifery and Bereavement teams and led by the Spiritual Care Department (Chaplaincy).

Euryl Howells, Senior Chaplain at Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “Experiencing the loss of a baby is an incredibly painful experience, and the service allows parents and their families to reflect and remember surrounded by support and love.

The service has long been a source of comfort for parents and families and will include prayers and readings, as well as poems and music to reflect. The service offers the opportunity for people to come together and remember the lives of babies who are sadly no longer with us.

Euryl Howells continued: “The loss of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death is overwhelming and emotional. We meet families during some of their darkest days and to meet them sometimes after months or years after their bereavement is a privilege and special to staff.”

Should you require further information please contact Euryl Howells by telephone or email 01267 227563 or [email protected]

If you are unable to attend the service and wish to commemorate your loved one, please send a message to [email protected] by 29 September 2024.

Community

Pure West Radio gears up for DAB launch

Published

5 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PURE West Radio is poised to enter a new era in its six-year history as it counts down to the launch of Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) later this autumn. The station is awaiting the activation of five transmitters, which will enable DAB to broadcast extensively across Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire. This move is set to significantly enhance Pure West Radio’s listener base and deliver an exceptional radio sound quality.

Toby Ellis, Pure West’s director, expressed his excitement about this milestone. “This is a very exciting time for Pure West Radio as it means we’re now going to be able to continue to expand in so many different directions,” he said. “Our biggest focus has always been the people who listen to us and who’ve grown with us since we first launched back in April 2018. The way in which we’re now moving forward is due to the hard work and commitment that this dedicated team has shown.”

***PWR Director Toby Ellis (Image: Facebook)***

The station, which has been a key part of the Pembrokeshire community since its inception, boasts a workforce of 13 people, including presenters, producers, journalists, and sales personnel. Additionally, it benefits from a strong voluntary sector comprising over 100 members, contributing to its hybrid working model. This approach allows the station to maintain a strong community commitment while ensuring commercial viability.

“Our move to DAB will enable more people to remain connected to our platform as we continue delivering interviews, local news, information, and of course, a whole load of quality music,” Ellis added. Pure West Radio has grown rapidly, reaching over 500,000 people across its platforms each month. During the COVID-19 crisis, it played a crucial role in providing up-to-date information in collaboration with Pembrokeshire County Council.

The station, which celebrated its third birthday recently, has seen two million listens since its start, with an average of 50,000 listens per week. This audience engagement is approaching nearly half of the population of Pembrokeshire. The upcoming DAB launch marks a significant development for the station, allowing it to reach a wider audience and continue its mission of delivering local news, community events, and music to its listeners.

Pure West Radio has close links to the Herald, with its Director, Toby Ellis, General Manager Mathew Rickard and its Head of News, Sarah Jane-Absalom all having previously worked at The Pembrokeshire Herald or Herald Radio.

Herald Editor Tom Sinclair said: “Everyone at The Herald wishes Toby and the team the best of luck with this important milestone.

“Getting on the airwaves is what Pure West Radio needs to take it to the next level and we are very proud of what the PWR team have achieved over the last few years.”

Those interested in becoming part of the radio station can get more information by emailing [email protected].

The official DAB launch date will be announced in the near future, Pure West Radio said.

Crime

West Wales teenager sentenced for terrorism offences and assault

Published

6 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A 19-YEAR OLD male from west Wales appeared before Winchester Crown Court today (Thursday, September 19, 2024) after pleading guilty to terrorism offences and an assault that was motivated by and demonstrating hostility towards the victim based on her transgender identity.

Alex Hutton, from Swansea, who has previously been convicted of offences under the Terrorism Act was arrested in November last year after South Wales Police received a report from a member of the public stating they had viewed a video on Hutton’s Instagram in which he claims to have kicked an unidentified person in the head. The video also contained far right imagery.

Hutton has been sentenced to ten years and four months in prison.

Detective Chief Inspector Leanne Williams, Head of Investigations at Counter Terrorism Policing Wales, said: “We welcome the outcome of this case. Alex Hutton, motivated by hate, engaged in a horrendous and unprovoked attack on a defenceless young girl who was minding her own business one afternoon in a Swansea park in May 2023.

“There is no doubt that the attack will have lasting effects on this young person and I really hope today’s outcome provides her with some comfort.

“Furthermore, Hutton demonstrated a clear intention to spread his hatred across the internet encouraging acts of terrorism. Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing Wales uncovered his actions during a detailed investigation, which then led us to the assault that took place earlier in the year.

“I hope he now uses the time in custody to reflect on his actions, with a view to leading a far more productive life upon his eventual release.”

Bethan David, Head of Counter Terrorism Division at the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Alex Hutton is not simply a fantasist that held extreme views, he is a dangerous young man.

“His unprovoked attack was driven by hate and he poses a substantial risk to other groups and society as a whole.

“He celebrated terrorist acts of white supremacy and encouraged his friends and associates on various social media and messaging platforms to join him in his extreme and disturbing views.

“The CPS will always prosecute those who encourage acts of terrorism and hate to protect the public.”

Chief Inspector Lindsey Sweeney from South Wales Police said: “We are delighted with the outcome of this investigation, a case which involved a senseless, violent Hate Crime. We want to reassure the community that this behaviour will never be tolerated in our area, and the perpetrators will be swiftly identified, arrested and duly sent to prison.

“Here in Swansea, we have a great multicultural city which has been demonstrated by a series of fantastic events involving the whole community in recent weeks and months. At South Wales Police, we work every day to ensure that the city is a safe and welcoming place for people of all backgrounds.”

Anyone who sees or hears something that could be terrorist-related should act on their instincts and call the police in confidence on 0800 789 321. In an emergency, always dial 999. Visit gov.uk/ACT for more information, including how to report extremist or terrorist content that is online.