News

Neighbour tried to record the sound of Natasha being beaten to death

Published

8 years ago

September 1, 2016

Tom Sinclair

Natasha Bradbury

A NEIGHBOUR tried to record the sound of Natasha Bradbury being beaten to death, a jury heard today (Sep 1).

Timothy Down became so worried about the “loud, aggressive” noises coming from her flat that he hung his mobile telephone out of his bedroom window in an attempt to record them.

And then he made an electronic note on his mobile that read, “There seems to be some kind of domestic aggression coming from apartment A. Seems to be a male. The time is approximately 12.45am. Banging and shouting. Do I go across or call the police. I feel it is better to stay away.”

The prosecution at Swansea Crown Court say that, unknown to Mr Down, he had been listening to Miss Bradbury’s on-off boyfriend Luke George Jones beating her to death.

Jones, aged 33, of Haven Drive, Milford Haven, denies murdering Miss Bradbury at Flat A, Imperial Court, off the High Street, Haverfordwest, in the early hours of February 22.

Mr Down, who lived in Flat D, said he was woken by the sound of “serious, heavy banging” coming from Flat A.

He said he heard a man say, “I f***ing loved you.”

A minute later he heard the same man say, “Now look what you have made me f***ing do.”

Paul Lewis QC, prosecuting, asked why he hadn’t telephoned the police.

Mr Down said he rang his father who advised him not to get involved.

The prosecution claim that Jones, a pipe welder, had been worried about his relationship with Miss Bradbury and just days before her death he had told his doctor that he had difficulty controlling his temper.

The night before she was killed Miss Bradbury had stayed with a friend, Rhiannon Watts, where she had had sex with Darryl McGuckin, the brother of Miss Watts’ boyfriend Daniel McGuckin.

Miss Watts told the jury she became “angry, very angry” because they had used the bed of one her children and the following morning she contacted Jones via Facebook to tell him Miss Bradbury had slept with another man.

Jones turned up at her home, she said, but looked to her to be more upset than angry.

Daniel McGuckin said he and his brother returned to Swansea, early on February 21. Later that evening he began to exchange “sexy” messages with Miss Bradbury, even though she had slept with his brother the night before.

The messages from Miss Bradbury stopped suddenly at 10.10pm.

“I thought it was a bit strange. I never heard from her again,” he said.

The prosecution claim that Jones killed Miss Bradbury a short while later, because at 2.48am he telephoned for an ambulance and told the operator she was already “freezing cold, her lips are blue.”

Miss Bradbury died from extensive blunt force injuries that included fractures to her neck and a wrist, bleeding in the sack containing her heart and massive bleeding from a cut to her liver.

The jury has heard that after his arrest Jones gave prepared statements to the police in which he said that Miss Bradbury had caused the injuries to herself by falling down.

The trial continues.

Entertainment

Other Voices Cardigan celebrates record attendances

Published

29 mins ago

November 7, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE fifth Other Voices Cardigan 2024 Festival was a record breaker, having attracted more than 15,000 music fans from across the world to the pretty Mid Wales coastal town over three days.

The event, which ran from October 31to November 2, featured a curated programme celebrating music, friendship, language, ideas and culture from both sides of the Irish Sea and beyond.

Festival highlights included stellar performances from Nadine Shah, Bill Ryder Jones, and Fabiana Palladino.

St Mary’s Church audiences were treated to an acoustic performance by Manics’ frontman James Dean Bradfield, who performed special renditions of the classics ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’, ‘A Design for Life’, and ‘Ready for Drowning’.

Other Church performers this year include Charlotte Day Wilson, Melys, Victor Ray, and Georgia Ruth.

Providing an extraordinary and inspiring programme across a myriad of musical genres, events took place in cafes, bars, places of worship and arts venues.

More than 42 established and emerging acts from Wales and Ireland played the Music Trail and around 300 artists and crew worked and performed. The festival also boosted the local economy, with many businesses reporting increased foot traffic and sales during the event.

Over the past weekend, the festival saw more than 15,000 individual event admissions to more than 100 performances across the weekend, representing a 36% increase on 2023.

Visitors from outside Wales also increased significantly by 41%, with music fans coming from Ireland, Italy, New York, Sweden and Germany.

“This year has been another fantastic success,” said Dilwyn Davies, chief executive of Mwldan, co-producers of the event. “We’ve celebrated the vibrancy and vitality of the music scenes on both sides of the Irish Sea, and the spirit of our communities.

“The audience response has been incredibly positive and joyous, and we can’t wait to bring everyone together again in 2025.”

Phillip King, founder of Other Voices, added: “Cardigan/Aberteifi came alive with great music and stimulating and provocative banter when Other Voices came to town this past weekend.

“The event is growing and expanding year on year, attracting more visitors to this beautiful town. It’s a real delight to bring Other Voices across the Irish Sea, to collapse between Ireland and Wales and to bring us together in a way that deepens and strengthens every aspect of our relationship.”

Church performances were live-streamed on Other Voices YouTube channel and simultaneously streamed to the big screen at Mwldan in Cardigan. Highlights will be later broadcast on BBC Wales TV, BBC iPlayer and RTÉ and RTÉ Player via media partners. The event was presented by BBC DJ and Other Voices regular Huw Stephens.

Other Voices Cardigan is staged with the support and investment of Welsh Government and Government of Ireland, The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and The Department of Foreign Affairs’ Reconciliation Fund.

The festival is produced by South Wind Blows in partnership with Mwldan and Triongl. This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, supported by Ceredigion County Council.

News

Kurtz backs west Wales businesses at Cardiff net zero Event

Published

5 hours ago

November 7, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THIS week, local businesses and industry leaders from across Wales gathered at a Confederation of British Industry (CBI) event in Cardiff to discuss Wales’ journey toward a Net Zero future.

Among those championing the potential for West Wales was local Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz, who serves as the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Energy.

The event featured a panel discussion, with Mr. Kurtz joining other key speakers, including Luke Fletcher MS and representatives from major Welsh energy projects. Together, they highlighted the exciting opportunities that renewable energy investments could bring to Wales and discussed ways to overcome the challenges of infrastructure and development in this sector.

A major focus was the critical role that Pembrokeshire will play in Wales’ transition to renewable energy. Local projects such as the Celtic Freeport, developments at the Port of Milford Haven and key local employers such as RWE, Valero and others were showcased as vital components in the nation’s Net Zero strategy. Luciana Ciubotariu, CEO of Celtic Freeport, and Steve Edwards from Green Gen Cymru were on hand to share insights on how Pembrokeshire’s ports and energy projects are set to bring economic benefits and clean energy to the region.

Following the event, Mr. Kurtz expressed his enthusiasm for the role that West Wales can play in supporting sustainable economic growth through green initiatives:

“It was fantastic to see such a strong turnout of business and industry leaders all focused on a shared goal for Wales’ Net Zero ambitions. A partnership between government and industry, grounded in smart investment, is essential if we are to secure both our energy future and sustainable jobs in our communities.

“Here in West Wales, we have a huge opportunity to create skilled, well-paid jobs in areas like hydrogen fuel, floating offshore wind, and through the Celtic Freeport project. With the right support, these initiatives can deliver lasting prosperity for our communities.

The CBI event in Cardiff emphasized the importance of local investment and collaboration to make Wales a leader in renewable energy. By leveraging the strengths of Pembrokeshire’s natural resources and local talent, Mr. Kurtz and fellow attendees underscored that West Wales is ready to play a leading role in building a cleaner, greener economy for future generations.

News

Family pays tribute to A40 collision victim Joshua

Published

5 hours ago

November 7, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE FAMILY of Joshua Jones-Rogers, 29, who tragically lost his life in a collision on the A40 near Canaston Bridge Roundabout, has paid tribute to him following the incident on Friday (Nov 1) at 11:15pm.

In a heartfelt statement, Joshua’s family said: “Joshua, we are lost without you. Despite your antics, you were our little troublemaker. The messages we have received show just how much you were loved by everyone. We will love you always. Forever our boy, forever a father, forever our brother, forever our grandson, forever our friend.”

The family extended their gratitude to the emergency services and members of the public who were present on that fateful night.

Police are investigating the collision and urge anyone who may have been on the A40 near Canaston Bridge Roundabout at the time to come forward. Officers are particularly keen to speak with any motorists who may have dashcam footage from the area around that time.

Anyone with information can contact the police either online at DPP Contact Online, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101.