News

AM’s visit provides museum boost

Published

9 years ago

March 8, 2016

Neil Westerman Hon Curator: With William Powell AM and Alistair Cameron

TENBY Museum and Art Gallery were visited by William Powell AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for Mid & West Wales and Alistair Cameron, Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate for West Carmarthen & South Pembrokeshire on Friday (Feb 19) as the two lent their support to the campaign to keep the museum open.

They enjoyed a cup of coffee before being provided with a guided tour by Neil Westerman, Honorary Curator of the Museum. They were suitably impressed with the museum, staying for nearly two hours, and both wrote positive and supportive comments in the museum’s Visitor Book stating, “Fantastic experience, thanks!” and “Everyone should visit the museum”. Mr Powell later tweeted “Pembrokeshire has a gem here!”

Neil Westerman said, “The museum is grateful to everyone who has offered their support but we need the support to continue. There are lots of exciting new ventures coming up, including a WWI exhibition and an art show by John Knapp-Fisher and family. The regularly changing exhibitions and frequent events makes the annual ticket excellent value for money.”

Tenby Museum has been receiving support from all corners after it announced it faced closure because of spending cuts. The museum anticipates that the Local Authority funding will be nil or close to nil in future years. Tenby Museum is a successful tourist attraction with over 17000 visitors last year.

The Museum is an independent charitable trust and has been open in the town since the 1870s.

Among its many interesting displays and attractions is a recently updated gallery telling the fascinating story of Tenby from prehistory to modern times – including piratical legends and its involvement with the D-Day Landings.

The museum has won many awards over the years and recently the museum’s permanent art collection has been ranked at Number 6 in the Top 20 in Wales.

Every effort is being made by the Trustees to keep this important Pembrokeshire museum open and among the actions taken is a reduction in staff costs and a review of the admission charge.

The adult admission ticket, which is valid for one year after purchase, is a valuable stream of income; shop sales, the Friends organisation and commission from Art sales complement this. Accompanied children are welcomed free of charge at all times.

News

Welsh teenager jailed for creating 3D-printed gun at home

Published

44 mins ago

November 14, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A TEENAGER who assembled parts for a viable semi-automatic firearm using a 3D printer has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.

Owain Roberts, 19, purchased nuts, bolts, steel barrels, and metal rods online, constructing components of an FGC-9 gun with the aid of a 3D printer.

Detectives said that this case marks the first of its kind in Gwent, where Roberts admitted to manufacturing a firearm component. He appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday (Nov 14).

In April, firearms officers executed warrants at two Newport addresses connected to Roberts. Seized items included a 3D printer, two laptops, six plastic reels, and parts for an FGC-9 firearm.

PC Tom Meazey, from Gwent Police’s East Serious Organised Crime team, stated: “Illegally-held firearms can lead to tragic consequences and devastate innocent people’s lives. To own a firearm, including a printable one, is illegal in the UK without a valid firearms certificate. Roberts’s reckless actions in buying items capable of manufacturing a firearm placed people at direct risk.”

This rare and complex investigation involved support from the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Roberts received a prison sentence of four years and nine months.

News

Milford Haven man caught with indecent images of children spared jail

Published

1 hour ago

November 14, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A MILFORD HAVEN man, Gareth MacDonald, 23, has been sentenced after pleading guilty to downloading over 1,000 indecent images of children.

MacDonald, of Meyler Crescent, was arrested in March 2023 following a police search of his home. Acting on intelligence, officers seized multiple electronic devices, and MacDonald admitted to downloading the illegal images.

Swansea Crown Court heard that MacDonald accessed material spanning all severity categories, including images depicting the rape of pre-teen children.

He reportedly told police he had “become bored with legal pornography” roughly a year prior to his arrest.

Judge Geraint Walters sentenced MacDonald to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. As part of the sentence, MacDonald must:

Complete 20 rehabilitation activity days
Participate in the Horizon programme
Register as a sex offender for 10 years
Comply with a 10-year sexual harm prevention order

Judge Walters remarked that MacDonald had been accessing illegal content “for some considerable period of time” despite knowing it was wrong.

However, MacDonald, who has health problems, dodged being sent to jail and was able to leave the court a free man.

Crime

Ceredigion man sentenced for selling £150,000 in illegal DVDs

Published

1 hour ago

November 14, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A CEREDIGION man has been sentenced for selling counterfeit DVDs worth £150,000 under major brand names without authorization.

David Robert Thomas, 47, from Sarnau, ran a sophisticated online operation, producing and selling fake DVDs labeled with brands like Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Sony, and Universal City Studios LLC. Thomas used seven different websites and managed multiple bank and PayPal accounts, including those of family members, to carry out his business.

Councillor Matthew Vaux, Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “Counterfeiting is often thought of as a victimless crime, but it harms the local economy by undermining legitimate businesses that pay taxes and create real jobs. This result sends a clear message that counterfeit sales will not be tolerated, and we will act against offenders.”

Thomas pleaded guilty at Swansea Crown Court on Monday (Nov 11) and was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. His sentence includes a four-month curfew and fifteen Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.

Under the Crime Act 2002, forfeiture proceedings will follow to reclaim the financial benefits from Thomas’s criminal activities. Judge Richards took into account the market value of equivalent genuine goods, the sophisticated setup of Thomas’s business, and his previously clean record in reaching the sentencing decision.

The case was brought forward successfully by Ceredigion County Council’s Trading Standards Service.