News

Letterston: Construction firm boss sentenced following tragic trench death

Published

9 years ago

April 11, 2016

FOLLOWING the tragic incident in June 2012 where employee and father of five children Glyndwr Richards died after a drainage ditch collapsed, the firm’s owner has been jailed for six months.

The construction company which is owned by William Ryan Evans was working on a Pembrokeshire housing Association housing estate in Letterston, Pembrokeshire when a recently excavated trench Glyndwr was in collapsed.

Swansea Crown Court heard that when the trench collapsed a colleague on site made desperate attempts to save the 54-year-old, digging at the soil that covered Mr Richards with his bare hands, but he could not be saved.

The court heard that Mr Richards died from traumatic asphyxia caused by being crushed by the weight of the soil.

Evans, aged 54, of Blaenwaun Twr, Trelech, Carmarthenshire, pleaded guilty to breaching his duty of care to an employee on Monday (Apr 11) when in the dock.

The court heard a clerk of works for the housing association who had visited the site the week before the death had raised concerns with Evans about the lack of supports for the sides of the trenches being dug.

Similar concerns had also been raised by one of Evans’ employees.

On June 26 Mr Richards had gone into the trench in question to remove a clod of soil which had fallen and was blocking the newly laid drainage pipe when, without warning, the side of the trench collapsed on him.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service sent two fire crews from Haverfordwest and Fishguard to the scene, as well as specialists from the fire service’s urban search and rescue team based in Earlswood near Briton Ferry. Paramedics also rushed to the scene, but nothing could be done.

The court heard Evans was an experienced contractor with no previous convictions.

Judge Peter Heywood said the dangers of trench collapse were well-known in the construction industry, and Evans had chosen to ignore specific warnings given to him about the Letterston earth-works, this was described by the judge as ‘wilful blindness’.

Evans was jailed for six months.

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

27 mins ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

Published

53 mins ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”

News

Protest in Lampeter to save Wales’ oldest university

Published

1 hour ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Wales’ oldest university staged a march and demonstration last Friday (Dec 20) in a bid to highlight the plight of the Lampeter campus.

The protest, organised by the Lampeter Society, brought together former and current students, along with local residents, to oppose plans by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) to relocate humanities courses to Carmarthen next September.

The rally began at Lampeter Rugby Club at 10:30am, with demonstrators marching to the university campus. Despite the timing—on a weekday and so close to Christmas—organisers reported a strong turnout.

Ieuan Davies, one of the organisers and a Lampeter alumnus from the 1980s, said: “We wanted to show support for the students whose education is being directly affected by these plans, and to remind decision-makers of the devastating impact this will have on the local economy and culture.”

Established in 1822, Lampeter is Wales’ oldest higher education institution. In 2009, it merged with Trinity College Carmarthen and later joined with Swansea Metropolitan University to form UWTSD.

The proposed relocation of the humanities faculty has sparked concerns about the long-term sustainability of higher education in Lampeter. Campaigners argue that losing the faculty would mark the end of over 200 years of academic heritage in the town.

The Lampeter Society has also launched a petition calling on the university and the Welsh Government to create a ‘viable, sustainable plan’ for the campus’s future. The petition requires 10,000 signatures to trigger a debate in the Senedd and can be accessed at https://petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/246410.