News

New Welsh medium school approved

Published

10 years ago

May 6, 2016

IN AN Extraordinary Council meeting on Thursday, (Apr 21). Pembrokeshire County Council agreed on a site for the proposed 3-16 Welsh school in Haverfordwest.

The new school is planned to be located at Withybush opposite the Lost Coins pub on the main roundabout connecting Fishguard and the north of the county with Haverfordwest via the A40 and neighbouring the roundabout which connects Haverfordwest with the north and east of the county on the B4329.

Concerns were expressed by councillors that the location of the proposed school had been announced after the consultation period had ended and that parents of potential parents at the new school were unable to make the assessment.

Cllr Tom Tudor read a letter from a parent on St Thomas Green who would like her son to attend a Welsh Medium School but due to their own disability would be unable to walk their child to school, while school transport would not be a viable option for a five year old.

Cllr Jamie Adams confirmed that nine sites had been considered and repeated his untrue assertion that the Tasker-Milward site was unavailable because charity trustees would not support the location of a purely Welsh Medium school on the site.

That misstatement was picked up upon by Cllr Bob Kilmister who told councillors that the truth was that the Council had made a complete mess of the schools consultations as a result of incorrect advice given to them at the outset by Council officers.

Cllr Mike Evans expressed his concern that the new provision was not being located where most of the drive for separate welsh language provision was coming, in the south of Pembrokeshire.

He poured scorn on Jamie Adams’s attempts to misquote his own words back to him by way of response and expressed his continued concern that the Cabinet member for Education appeared to be unable to answer straight questions without assistance from the officer sitting next to her.

Cllr Evans eventually extracted a satisfactory answer from Cllr Perkins after repeatedly enquiring whether sixth form Welsh Medium Education would be offered in the future at the school.

Cllr Perkins eventually and after much prompting, managed to explain that it was an option but that the Council could not be bound to the location of such provision at this point, although there was sufficient land available for the Council’s money to provide such a facility.

Cllr David Bryant quoted a rumoured price of £1m for the purchase of the land and asked for confirmation that was the sum involved.

Cllr Jamie Adams replied that he would not disclose the purchase price for reasons of commercial sensitivity. It was forcefully pointed out by David Bryant that councillors were being asked to sign a blank cheque for the purchase of the land.

Council then had to move into private session to be told the price of purchasing land to be owned by the public with public money for the building of a school to be financed by the public.

After a short interval, the webcast resumed and the public debate continued.

However, the cat was effectively let out of the bag by an intervention from chair Wynne Evans, who warned Cllr Jacob Williams at a later stage in the debate when he quoted a £1m purchase price for the land.

Councillors were repeatedly reassured by Cllr Adams and – occasionally by Cllr Perkins – that everything was legal and above board and there were no legal issues regarding the consultation and that all schools potentially affected had been contacted and consulted, although Cllr Perkins appeared unable to substantiate a claim that parents had been consulted on the school’s location.

While councillors overwhelmingly voted in favour of the plan going to further consultation – there will now be a formal objection period for further observations and responses – a considerable number of councillors expressed misgivings about costs and the transport issue, to suggest that the next stage will be anything but smooth.

After the meeting, Bethan Williams, Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s area officer for Dyfed said: “Now that a site has been designated for a 3-16 Welsh school in Haverfordwest, the plan is a step closer, and the need for Welsh provision needs to be addressed elsewhere in the county.

“The report before councillors today recognises the fact that many areas have been added to the catchment area of the proposed new school, as a strategy for Welsh education is lacking in those areas.

“What the Council needs to do is move all schools in the county along the linguistic continuum gradually, with the aim that all schools are Welshmedium over time. That way, no one would be deprived of an education in Welsh.”

Crime

Teacher assaulted by pupil with weapon at Milford Haven school

Published

17 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Teenager arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after lockdown triggered

A TEACHER was assaulted by a pupil brandishing a weapon at Milford Haven School on Tuesday afternoon (Feb 4), triggering an emergency lockdown and a major police response.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police were called to the school at around 3:20pm following reports that a member of staff had been attacked.

A lockdown was immediately implemented, with doors secured and pupils and staff told to remain inside classrooms and offices while the situation was dealt with.

Most pupils had already left at the end of the school day, but some remained on site for after-school activities.

Police confirmed that the injured teacher’s wounds are not believed to be stab injuries and they are currently receiving medical treatment.

Superintendent Chris Neve said: “We can confirm police are at Milford Haven Comprehensive School, following a report of the assault of a teacher by a pupil brandishing a weapon at the school at approx. 3.20pm.

“The teacher’s injury is not a stab injury. A lock down was implemented but has now been lifted. The teacher is receiving medical treatment for their injuries.

“All pupils at the location are safe, and most have gone home. Officers remain at the school.

“A 15-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of attempt murder and is in police custody.”

Parents told The Herald they were alerted to the lockdown shortly after 3:00pm via messages and social media, with some describing staff and pupils being kept inside rooms for safety as a precaution.

The lockdown has since been lifted, but officers remain at the scene while enquiries continue.

There have been no reports of any injuries to pupils.

The Herald has also contacted Pembrokeshire County Council for further comment.

Photo caption: Police vehicles outside Ysgol Aberdaugleddau Milford Haven School following Tuesday afternoon’s incident (Pics: Herald).

Crime

Lockdown at Milford Haven School after emergency services called

Published

37 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A LOCKDOWN was put in place at Milford Haven School shortly after the end of the school day on today (Feb 5), with police and other emergency services attending the site and the situation ongoing as of late afternoon.

Staff used the tannoy system just after 3:00pm to announce that the school was entering lockdown.

While most pupils had already gone home, a number remained on site for after-school clubs and activities. As part of the procedure, doors were locked and those inside were instructed to stay in classrooms or offices.

One member of non-teaching staff wrote on social media that they had been “locked in a room” for protection.

Several marked vehicles from Dyfed-Powys Police were seen outside the school gates, with officers remaining at the scene.

The exact nature of the incident has not yet been confirmed.

The Herald has contacted both Pembrokeshire County Council and police for clarification, but no official statement had been issued at the time of publication.

Lockdown procedures are standard in schools and are designed to keep pupils and staff safe by restricting movement and securing buildings while a potential risk is assessed.

Parents told The Herald they were informed that children were safe but that movement around the campus had been temporarily restricted.

There have been no confirmed reports of injuries.

It is not yet clear when the lockdown will be lifted.

This is a developing story and will be updated as soon as further information becomes available.

Photo caption: Police vehicles outside Milford Haven School during Tuesday afternoon’s lockdown (Pics: Herald).

Crime

Sex offender who vanished after release jailed after walking into police station

Published

48 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Staff Writer

Man subject to Crimewatch appeal admitted breaching lifetime notification rules after months living ‘off grid’

A REGISTERED sex offender who sparked a nationwide police hunt after disappearing on release from prison has been jailed after walking into a Pembrokeshire police station and handing himself in.

Christopher Spelman, aged 66 and of no fixed address, had been missing since July last year after refusing to comply with strict legal requirements to register his whereabouts with police.

Instead, officers were told he intended to buy a tent and live “off grid”.

The disappearance triggered an extensive search led by Lancashire Police, supported by forces across the UK. Public appeals were issued and the case was highlighted on Crimewatch in a bid to trace him.

Police believed Spelman was moving between campsites and travelling by public transport, with links to several parts of England and Wales including Merseyside, Manchester, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire.

The search ended unexpectedly on January 3 when Spelman walked into Haverfordwest Police Station and surrendered himself. He was arrested at the front desk. It is not known how long he had been in Pembrokeshire before handing himself in.

Lifetime registration

Swansea Crown Court heard that Spelman had previously been jailed for seven years in 2014 for sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 14.

That conviction placed him on the sex offenders register for life, requiring him to notify police of his address and report any changes within three days.

Prosecutor Brian Simpson told the court that after his most recent release from a Dorset prison on July 4, 2025, Spelman made it clear he would not provide an address, immediately putting himself in breach of the law.

When he failed to contact officers, a formal manhunt began.

The court also heard this was not the first time he had vanished. Following an earlier release in 2016, he similarly failed to register and remained at large for around five years before being located.

‘Unusual case’

Defence barrister Andrew Evans described the matter as “unusual”, telling the court that Spelman disputes his original conviction and has long expressed a desire to live outside society.

However, he said the defendant had now accepted that, regardless of his personal views, he remained bound by a court order and must comply with it.

Evans added that Spelman had asked the court to impose a custodial sentence to allow time for proper accommodation and supervision to be arranged for his eventual release.

Sentencing, Judge Geraint Walters said there were signs Spelman wished to change but warned that any future breaches would lead to longer prison terms.

Spelman, who has 11 previous convictions covering 29 offences, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the notification requirements.

With credit for his guilty plea, he was jailed for ten months. He will serve up to half that time in custody before being released on licence.