Woman likened to Jaws after bite incident

Published

12 years ago

January 16, 2014

THREE shocked strangers looked on as a furious Cardigan woman sank her teeth into a White Fiat 500 car roof after a roadside argument after a night out in Aberystwyth.

Aberystwyth Magistrates heard Rhian Jeremiah, aged 26, left teethmarks in the bodywork of the car – and was likened in court to villain Jaws in the James Bond movies.

Her astounded victims heard a “metal crunching” sound as Jeremiah’s teeth pierced the polished metal – causing £220 damage.

Car owner Selina Day, 23, and her two friends looked up through the sun roof to see Jeremiah biting the frame above the door.

Prosecutor Gerald Neave said: “Jeremiah approached the occupants of the Fiat at 2am after she had been drinking.

“She became aggressive and angry but the three people in the car could not understand what she was saying and drove off.

“They were parked outside a takeaway restaurant called Lip Lick’n Chicken when Jeremiah arrived and tried to wrench open the passenger door.

“She sank her teeth into the car’s frame between the roof and the door.

“The occupants could hear a loud screeching noise as she bit down on the roof.

“They could see what was happening through the sun roof.”

Magistrates heard Jeremiah had been drinking at a memorial night for her late boyfriend Simon Jones who drowned off the coast of Aberystwyth.

The court heard she was retracing his last known movements in Aberystwyth on what would have been his birthday when she bit the Fiat 500.

Car owner Miss Day told the court: “She came up to the car and tried to rip the door open.

“I couldn’t understand what she was saying – she was very drunk and was abusive.

“There was a bit of an argument and she sunk her teeth into the part of the car above the window. I could hear metal crunching.

“I had never seen this lady before in my life. I didn’t know what she was talking about.”

David Folland, defending, told the court the incident was “not quite like” the scene involving the character Jaws in a James Bond film.

He said: “My client was the worse for drink that night. She was clearly upset.”

Jeremiah denied causing £220 criminal damage to the car by biting it but was found guilty.

She also admitted assaulting two police officers who were called to arrest her for getting her teeth into the car.

Jeremiah was given a 12-month community order and told to attend 20 alcohol abuse help sessions.

Chairman of the bench Professor Ian Roffe told her: “You have used alcohol inappropriately to deal with your issues.”

Hywel Dda warns of ‘significant pressure’ as A&E departments remain packed

Published

37 minutes ago

March 3, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Patients urged to use NHS 111 as Withybush, Glangwili and Bronglais face continued strain

HYWEL DDA University Health Board has warned that its emergency departments remain under “significant pressure,” with particular concern at Withybush Hospital.

In a statement issued on Monday (Mar 2), the Health Board said A&E departments at Withybush, Glangwili and Bronglais hospitals were continuing to experience high demand.

Patients were urged to contact NHS 111 Wales for advice if they are unsure where to seek help, and to use community pharmacies and minor injury units for non life-threatening conditions.

The Health Board said: “Help us to help you get the right care in the right place.”

It added that those with serious or life-threatening emergencies should always call 999.

Delayed discharges impacting flow

The statement also highlighted pressures caused by delayed discharges, urging families to support relatives who are medically fit to leave hospital but are waiting for homecare or community health support.

Bed-blocking, often linked to shortages in social care packages, is widely acknowledged as a key factor in A&E overcrowding, as patients cannot be moved from emergency departments into inpatient wards.

When wards are full, ambulance handovers slow and patients can face long waits for assessment and treatment.

Withybush under particular strain

Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest was singled out as being under “particular” pressure.

There were no signs yet that things were improving today (Tuesday).

The Health Board did not release figures for waiting times, ambulance delays, or bed occupancy rates in its statement.

However, it confirmed that demand remains high across west Wales.

Alternative services highlighted

The public were reminded that:

NHS 111 Wales can provide 24-hour advice.
Option 2 via 111 offers urgent mental health support.
Community pharmacies can treat a range of common ailments without appointment.
Minor injury units are available for non life-threatening issues.

The Health Board thanked residents for their support and cooperation during what it described as a challenging period.

News

Vote.wales: Information website launched to give people voting confidence

Published

12 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Vote.wales to host all essential election information for the Senedd election

A BRAND new voter information website, vote.wales, has been launched today (2 March) by the Electoral Management Board for Wales, part of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru.

Vote.wales is the first website of its kind in Wales and tells people everything they need to know about the election, including advice about voting, information about the Senedd, and a postcode search function to provide tailored local information.

The website holds information about who can register to vote, how voting works in polling stations, as well as postal and proxy voting, and what accessibility support people can expect when they go to vote.

A postcode search function on vote.wales allows voters to see which of Wales’ 16 new constituencies they will be voting in, as well as telling them where their local polling station is located.

Once nominations have closed, the website will also inform voters which political parties and independent candidates are standing in their area.

The website explains how the Senedd works and what it does, highlighting which policy areas are devolved to the Senedd and which remain the responsibility of the UK Parliament. It also sets out the difference between the Senedd and the Welsh Government.

Further developments are expected in the coming weeks. In a first for Welsh elections, voters will soon be able to access detailed accessibility information about their local polling station. Political parties and independent candidates will also be able to publish their election leaflets on the platform, so voters can see not only who is standing but what they stand for.

Following the election, vote.wales will publish the full election results.

Commenting on the launch, Shereen Williams MBE OStJ, Chief Executive of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru, said:

“An important election is coming on 7 May, and vote.wales is the place to go to find out all about it.

“We know that people across Wales are looking forward to making their voices heard at this election, but many people don’t feel they have all the information they need before they go and vote.

“If you have questions about this election, then head to vote.wales. Voting confidence starts here.”

Crime

Pencoed: Assault victim dies and murder investigation launched

Published

15 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE POLICE investigation into the serious incident which happened on Felindre Road, Pencoed, in the early hours of Saturday, February 28, is now being treated as murder.

We can confirm the 58-year-old man who was critical in hospital passed away earlier today – his family are being supported by specially trained officers at this time, and our thoughts are with them.

The Major Crime Investigation Team at South Wales Police is now leading the investigation, and the 26-year-old man arrested remains in police custody.

Detectives investigating the incident are appealing to anyone who may have been in the vicinity of Felindre Road, Pencoed, between midnight and 5am on Saturday to get in touch.

Motorists are urged to their check dashcams for any footage which may be relevant.

Detectives would like to speak to two potential witnesses – two elderly people who are believed to have walked along Felindre Road between 12.30am and 4am on Saturday.

Detective Inspector Graham Williams, from the Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “Sadly, a 58-year-old man has died in hospital following the incident on Saturday morning. Our thoughts are with his family at this time and they are being supported. I would like to reassure the local community that we have somebody in custody and are not looking for anybody else at this time. I thank everyone in the community who has helped our investigation so far, and I urge anyone with information which may be relevant to our investigation – particularly the two potential witnesses – to get in touch.”

If anybody does have information, they should contact 101 quoting reference 2600063517. Alternatively, they can submit information via the Major Incident Public – https://mipp.police.uk/operation/62SWP26C30-PO1