News
S4C programme to focus on Pembrokeshire murderer John Cooper
IN THE THIRD programme of the S4C series Y Ditectif (The Detective) on Tuesday, 24 May, 9.30pm, Hinterland actress-turned-presenter Mali Harries meets the detective who was tasked with interviewing one of Wales’ most notorious killers.
Five years ago, on 26 May 2011, serial killer John Cooper was given four life sentences for the 1985 double murder of brother and sister Richard and Helen Thomas, and the 1989 double murder of Peter and Gwenda Dixon.
It had taken two decades to convict the Milford Haven man, born in 1944, who had a history of crime and had previously been imprisoned for serious burglary and violent offences
In the programme, available with English subtitles, Mali finds out how the local man evaded the police for so long and how his appearance in 1989 on the popular game show Bullseye, hosted by Jim Bowen, in the long run helped Dyfed-Powys Police close the net on the cold, heartless killer.
The programme features a special interview with one of the officers given the responsibility of interviewing Cooper when he was arrested in May 2009.
In a revealing interview, DS Gareth Rees, discusses the techniques used to interview the murderer who will never be released on parole.
DS Rees, who retired last year as a detective sergeant in Cardigan, said: “I’ll never forget the feeling and what happened on the day I first came face to face with Cooper.”
DS Rees explains how “he had lived with these crimes” every day for many years as a police officer.
He said, “I will never forget the effect on the families – I met with several members of the families. I’m still in touch with the Dixons family and I meet up with them each year when they visit Pembrokeshire to remember their parents.”
News
Visitor levy and accommodation register proposals to boost tourism
THE Welsh Government has announced plans to introduce new legislation to support the tourism industry and local communities across Wales. Two proposed Bills aim to give local authorities the power to introduce a visitor levy and create a national register for visitor accommodation.
The announcement, made by Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford and Economy Secretary Rebecca Evans, outlines a Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill set to be introduced to the Senedd on 25 November, pending approval.
Under the new proposal, local councils would have the authority to introduce a small levy for overnight stays in visitor accommodations, generating additional funds to support sustainable tourism initiatives. Each local authority would decide on the levy based on local needs, potentially easing the burden on resources in popular tourist areas.
Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said that the levy would be “a small charge,” intended to help councils manage the impacts of tourism and invest in community infrastructure. “This will support the long-term sustainability of our tourism industry,” he added, emphasising that the approach is in line with the Welsh Government’s commitment to collaborative tax development.
Consultations led by the Welsh Revenue Authority highlighted the importance of a registration system to support the proposed levy. Feedback from stakeholders led to the decision to include a national register of all visitor accommodation providers in Wales as part of the Bill, aimed at ensuring quality standards across the sector.
In addition to the visitor levy, the Welsh Government previously consulted on a licensing scheme for visitor accommodation to create a fair playing field for providers and ensure visitors receive high-standard services. The proposed registration scheme within the Bill marks a first step toward this broader licensing framework.
The second phase of the initiative will involve a separate Bill aimed at establishing a statutory licensing scheme for visitor accommodations. This would allow providers to demonstrate compliance with certain conditions, enhancing transparency and standards. Welsh Government representatives confirmed they would continue discussions with tourism stakeholders, accommodation providers, and local authorities as the proposals progress.
If approved, the Bills will mark a significant shift in how Wales manages its tourism sector, balancing visitor demand with community needs and sustainable practices.
Business
Small business briefing hosted by Local MS
A BRIEFING event which considered how to best support small businesses in Wales has been hosted by Preseli Pembrokeshire Senedd Member Paul Davies. Mr Davies hosted the event in partnership with the Development Bank of Wales, Economic Intelligence Wales and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Wales at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay. The theme of the event was ‘productivity’, given that Wales has had a persistent productivity gap with the UK as a whole and with other international competitor regions.
Mr Davies said, “It’s always a pleasure to help facilitate discussions on how we can support small businesses across Wales. 99.3% of businesses in Wales are small or medium enterprises (SMEs) and it’s important for us to explore the opportunities there are to boost SME growth.”
“Business-friendly policies are needed to address Wales’s persistent productivity gap, and we heard from the speakers today that more support is needed in areas like skills development, infrastructure enhancements and planning.”
“As I’ve said before, the Welsh Government has some significant economic levers, and it must now use those levers to create conditions for growth in Wales. We know that when small businesses thrive, they create jobs, spread prosperity and keep our communities vibrant and it’s crucial that governments at all levels do more to support our small businesses and enable them to grow.”
Business
Bristol Trader to temporarily serve menu at the Castle Hotel
The team of a popular riverside pub in Pembrokeshire, devastated by a recent fire, will relocate to a new town centre location while repair work is carried out on the original site.
On Wednesday, 6 November, a fire broke out at The Bristol Trader, situated on Haverfordwest’s riverside, causing significant damage to the building. The fire affected two floors of the pub as well as the roof space, forcing its closure. Smoke from the blaze was visible across the town as firefighters from Haverfordwest and Milford Haven worked for two hours to extinguish the flames.
Following the incident, the pub’s owners expressed their sadness, describing the team as “absolutely heartbroken” but determined to reopen and come back stronger. They extended their gratitude to the regulars, locals, friends, and family who have offered their support during this difficult time.
In the meantime, The Bristol Trader team will continue operating from an alternative venue. Beginning Monday, 18 November, the pub will relocate to the restaurant of the Castle Hotel, located on Haverfordwest Square, where they’ll serve the same menu.
“While repairs are being made to The Bristol Trader, Team Trader are being temporarily relocated to The Castle Hotel Restaurant from Monday the 18th of November,” announced the team in a social media post. “All our menus are attached to our Facebook page, and the phone lines are being redirected.”
Anyone with a booking at The Bristol Trader who hasn’t been in touch since the fire on 6 November is encouraged to contact the team at 01437 762122.
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JK Rogers
January 8, 2018 at 10:38 am
John William Cooper is now behind bars for the rest of his life. The Police, the justice system and forensics are to be congratulated for putting him there, although I consider they took far too long in doing so. He has been convicted of four murders, sexual assaults and armed robbery, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. He terrorized the whole of Pembrokeshire, Family members and neighbours who knew his crimes were too scared to inform the Police for fear of their own lives. I believe if they talked now he could be convicted of a further five murders at least. The ratepayers of Pembrokeshire have paid out tens of millions of pounds in convicting John Cooper, I for one do not want to see any more money spent on convicting him for more murders, which I think could number in excess of 12 people. If it is any consolation to the families affected, we have now to assume that all sudden and unexplained deaths that have happened in Pembrokeshire from 1970 to 1998 could have been the work of this notorious serial killer.