News
Solva axe attacker jailed for 14 years
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.
MILFORD HAVEN TOWN COUNCIL is inviting residents to put forward their local heroes for recognition in this year’s Citizens’ Awards.
The annual awards celebrate the efforts of individuals and groups who go above and beyond to make Milford Haven a better place—voluntarily and without any form of payment.
Nominations are now open, and members of the public are encouraged to take a moment to think about those who deserve a special thank you. Whether it’s someone who supports vulnerable neighbours, leads a youth group, organises community events, or simply goes out of their way to help others, the Town Council wants to hear about them.
A spokesperson for the council said: “These awards are a fantastic way to recognise the unsung heroes of our town—the people whose efforts too often go unnoticed. If you know someone who gives their time freely to benefit the local community, we urge you to nominate them.”
Nominations must be submitted by 12:00pm on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
To obtain a nomination form:
- Email: admin@milfordhaven-tc.gov.wales
- Contact the Town Council via its Facebook page
- Telephone: 01646 692505 to request a postal form
Please note: Awards can only be granted to those working in a voluntary capacity, and previous award recipients are not eligible for nomination.
For inspiration, you can view highlights from last year’s ceremony via Milford Haven Town Council’s Facebook page:
facebook.com/milfordhaventowncouncil/posts/pfbid02f7WhKXhjtDxEqV68ujznDvFX89yhBYe8dQgXtqqY19Yb7bC7SeNYW6Ua42E4Ehevl
The council encourages everyone to get involved and help shine a light on the incredible community spirit that defines Milford Haven.
CAPTURING the authentic sound and spirit of The Greatest Rock n’ Roll Band In The World, NOT THE ROLLING STONES have played festivals, theatres and private gigs throughout Europe, the middle east and the UK. This May, they will appear here on the Torch Stage in Pembrokeshire!
Featuring the best Mick Jagger lookalike you will ever see, truly international tribute act in demand all over Europe as well as the UK, will take you back to the Golden Age of The Stones- from Satisfaction to Sympathy for the Devil… You won’t believe it’s not Jagger!
Based on the Rolling Stones, an English rock band formed in London in 1962 and active for over six decades, they were one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the rock era and pioneered the gritty, rhythmically driven sound that came to define hard rock, and Not The Rolling Stones carry on that legacy today.
They have the unique asset of a ‘Mick and Keith’ who stagger audiences with their authenticity, also attested by the many TV and film credits they have between them.
Backed by a superb group of professional musicians that love the music they are playing; they convey their enthusiasm for the work of the world’s greatest rock and roll band.
Not the Rolling Stones will be on the Torch Theatre stage on Friday 16 May at 7.30pm. Tickets are £25. Visit the website for further details www.torchtheatre.co.uk or phone the Box Office on (01646) 695267.
Financial exports soar by 63.5% to £4.3bn
WALES has outpaced every other part of Great Britain in export growth for financial and related professional services, according to a new report by TheCityUK.
The report, Exporting from across Britain: Financial and related professional services 2025, reveals that exports from Wales surged by 63.5% in 2022, reaching £4.3bn—significantly ahead of the national average.
Across Great Britain, total financial and related professional services exports rose by 18.4% to £158bn, with nearly half (47%) generated outside London. Wales contributed 2.9% of the UK’s total financial services exports and 2% of the related professional services total.
The report provides a breakdown of 2022 data by region and nation, highlighting the growing contribution of areas outside London in strengthening the UK’s role as a global financial centre.
In terms of export destinations, 27% of Wales’s financial services exports went to the European Union, with the remaining 73% reaching markets across the rest of the world.
Tom Bray, TheCityUK Chair for Wales and Senior Office Partner (Cardiff) at Eversheds Sutherland, said: “It’s great to see such strong growth in Wales for financial and related professional services exports. Our skill and ability to provide high-quality financial and professional services plays an important role in driving growth in Wales, creating jobs and opportunities for communities across the nation.”
Anjalika Bardalai, Chief Economist and Head of Research at TheCityUK, added: “In 2022, Wales had an extremely strong year of export growth, albeit from a lower base than most regions. Nearly half of all UK exports in financial and related services now come from outside London, reinforcing the UK’s strength as an international financial hub and the importance of regional contributions.”
Policy recommendations
TheCityUK report also outlines a series of recommendations for industry, government, and regulators to support export growth in Wales and beyond. These fall under three key areas:
1. Improving access to trade opportunities
- Better coordination between UK government, devolved administrations, and investment bodies.
- Align local growth strategies with national trade goals.
- Launch a pilot national brokerage scheme to connect capital with investable projects.
2. Expanding global market access
- Finalise FTAs with Switzerland and India, ensuring better market access and digital trade provisions.
- Use talks with the Gulf Cooperation Council to promote regulatory cooperation.
- Strengthen regulatory dialogues with major markets like the US, EU, Japan, and Singapore.
- Replicate successful models like the UK-Switzerland MRA with other global financial centres.
- Encourage domestic and international investment into UK scale-up businesses.
3. Positioning the UK for future demand
- Make the UK a global hub for data, tech, and innovation.
- Establish the UK as the gateway for international investment.
- Focus development work on high-potential markets to maximise value.
The report underlines that Wales’s performance demonstrates the growing importance of the UK’s nations and regions in maintaining the country’s competitive edge on the global stage.
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