News

Two brothers unite for rescue mission

Published

10 years ago

April 19, 2016

Matt and Dan Church: Brothers 100 miles apart join forces in RNLI rescue mission

TWO brothers, who are usually stationed over 100 miles apart, recently joined forces to attend an emergency call-out for Penarth’s volunteer lifeboat crew.

31-year-old Matt Church and his brother Dan Church, aged 27, were called away from their Mother’s Day celebrations with their family to aid a broken down vessel.

Dan joined the RNLI seven years ago and is stationed at Little Haven and Broad Haven.

Following in his little brother’s footsteps a year later, Matt is a volunteer crew member at Penarth RNLI.

Consistency in training across all of the RNLI’s lifeboat stations allowed the two to work together seamlessly with the other members of the volunteer lifeboat crew.

The defective six metre Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) was towed back by the Penarth lifeboat and its crew to its home in Cardiff Bay.

Matt said: “We were both brought up on the water in Pembrokeshire, so joining the RNLI seemed natural to both of us. We are very close as brothers so it felt second nature – we’re naturally on the same wave length.

“Even though we’ve both been volunteering for a number of years, we’ve not been at sea together before. The call came whilst we were in Penarth for Mother’s day.

“Mum was fine with it, and proud we were called out to help together. My flat overlooks the channel so the family were watching the whole shout from my balcony.

“We both respect the sea, and have a willingness to help. For me, not being from Penarth, it has helped me integrate into the local community and be part of a ready-made lifeboat family.

“Both of us intend to be helms eventually, but I am expecting my first child and Dan has regular shortterm contracts in Australia for a few months at a time, but progression is very much on our ‘radar’.”

Matt works as a commercial manager at Cardiff Blues and Dan is a self-employed carpenter, but both have found the time to volunteer with the RNLI.

Paul Eastment, RNLI Divisional Operations Manager for South Wales, said: “The fact that a crew member from a different station was able to join his brother on this call at Penarth shows the strong commitment to lifesaving possessed by our volunteers.

“Even though Dan was not at his home station, his skills were able to benefit another community. This really is an excellent example of professionalism and transferable skills across the RNLI.”

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

12 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include:

Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
Common assault
Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

12 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second count of assault
Criminal damage
An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

12 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional non-fatal strangulation
Common assault on a woman
Criminal damage in a domestic context
Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.