News

Paying the price for road rage

Published

5 years ago

March 15, 2016

CHARGED with two offences of threatening behaviour, 43-year old Graham Cox from Rosemary Close in Crundale pleaded guilty at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (Mar 1).

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said that the first offence happened at around 9am on November 6, 2015.

A female complainant was driving towards Morrisons’ roundabout when she realised she needed to change lanes. She slowed down, waiting for a gap, and four or five cars went past her before a car flashed her in.

Cox, who had been slightly delayed, wound down his window and shouted: “”Get in the right lane, you stupid c**t! Get off the road if you can’t drive.”

The complainant said that she was left shaking inside; she was shocked and it played on her mind all day.

On November 16, less than two weeks later, another female victim was driving in Haverfordwest. Her car cut out suddenly and she put on her hazard lights.

She managed to start the car again, but she kept her hazard lights on to show that she was not driving at normal speed.

The complainant pulled up outside the spice shop in Dew Street and the defendant slowed beside her. She thought that Cox was going to ask if she was okay, but instead, he said: “You stupid f***ing b***h, I’ve got your number!”

This has left the victim worried for her safety and she now locks her car door when she is in it.

Mark Layton, defending Cox, said that his client is a long distance lorry driver who has “something of an unfortunate habit.”

“He witnesses a lot of bad driving, which he finds frustrating, and he shouts out comments which could be considered abusive,” said the lawyer, “Perhaps he had his window down on these occasions.”

Mr Layton added that the defendant does not accept saying that he had the second victim’s number. Magistrates said: “We have a very, very dim view of your behaviour; it’s discourteous and totally lacking in empathy. As a lorry driver, you should know better.”

Cox was fined £400 and will have to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £40 victim surcharge.

News

Judith Rhead murder investigation – Detectives given more time to question suspect

Published

9 hours ago

February 24, 2021

Thomas Sinclair

POLICE have been given more time to question a 43-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder.

The man has been in police custody since Saturday night, after being arrested over the death 68-year-old Judith Rhead.

She was found in a residential property in Market Street.

The police now have until Thursday afternoon (Feb 25) to question the suspect.

News

All people eligible for vaccination will get theirs by end of July

Published

13 hours ago

February 24, 2021

James Hemingray

PEOPLE eligible for the coronavirus vaccine will get theirs by the end of July, the Health Minister has said.

Wales achieved its target of getting everyone in the first four priority groups vaccinated by the middle of February and is now working on offering the vaccine to those in groups 5 to 9.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has set out that people with severe or profound learning disabilities or with a mental illness will be among priority group 6.

Mr Gething said that they were would make sure that no one is left behind.

The latest figures from Public Health Wales show that 878,506 people had received their first dose of the vaccine.

59,279 people have received both doses of the vaccine.

Vaughan Gething, Minister for Health and Social Services, said: “We have achieved our first milestone of offering everyone in the first four priority groups vaccination by mid-February.

“We are now making progress in achieving our next milestone, which is to offer the vaccine to all individuals in priority groups 5 to 9.

“The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has set out that people with a severe/profound learning disability and individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, or any mental illness that causes severe functional impairment, should be invited for vaccination as part of priority group 6.

“There are challenges with identifying individuals within these groups, particularly given the JCVI language is not generally in use in Wales, and we are working hard to make sure that no one is left behind. Today we have published guidance on identifying eligible individuals in these groups and on how to support them to take up their vaccine offers.

“The JCVI has also said that some of our invaluable unpaid carers should be included in priority group 6.

“Today we have also published guidance on identifying those unpaid carers eligible for vaccine prioritisation and the process around this. I am grateful to the national carers’ organisations for their support with this work.”

News

Council want your help to keep Pembrokeshire active

Published

15 hours ago

February 24, 2021

Andy Chandler

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL is asking residents to give their views on local walking and cycling routes.

The Council aims to make journeys on foot and by bicycle easier, safer and more enjoyable for everyone.

In order to design a network that works for all, the Council would like to get the views of as many people as possible, particularly those who don’t currently walk or cycle. This will help ensure the routes built for walking and cycling work for the whole community.

The consultation focuses on the main towns and villages in Pembrokeshire which have been selected by Welsh Government as the designated localities in the County. These are:

Fishguard & Goodwick
Haverfordwest
Johnston
Milford Haven
Neyland
Pembroke Dock
Pembroke
Tenby
Saundersfoot
Narberth

Pembrokeshire Council is currently undertaking an Active Travel Network Map consultation (ATNM) which will run in 3 stages

Consultation 1: Residents can take part in the consultation exercise online, hosted by Commonplace at https://Pembrokeshire.commonplace.is/

The interactive map allows participants to flag issues, problems and successes on a plan of the active travel settlement and add comments. Such points could be for example, a pavement that is too narrow or a newly built cycle route that is regarded as a success.

The first stage of the consultation will close on 31 st March 2021.

Consultation 2: Following this, the second step of the consultation will see the Council share the initial findings and ask people what they think of the plans
proposed as a result of the feedback received.

Consultation 3: The third stage of the consultation will give members of the public a final say on the Active Travel Network Maps before they are sent to Welsh Government for approval. These maps will have been produced taking into account public feedback and ideas from consultations 1 and 2.

By upgrading facilities and creating new walking and cycling routes, the Council plans to make Active Travel the popular choice for local journeys, to increase the attractiveness of local communities as places to live and work, improve health and well-being, and help tackle air pollution.

Cllr Phil Baker, Pembrokeshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “This consultation exercise will produce an Active Travel Network Map which will be a plan of routes the Council will use to inform where improvements to walking and cycling should be made in Pembrokeshire.

“It will help to make journeys on foot or by bicycle easier and safer for everyone, particularly those who don’t currently walk or cycle often and people who use mobility aids and will build on the increased level of walking and cycling that we have seen over the last 12 months during the pandemic.”

See more information on Active Travel at: https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/fitness-and-well-being/active-travel