News

Fifteen councillors want answers over grants scandal

Published

12 years ago

January 23, 2014

HAKIN councillor Mike Stoddart has submitted a requisition signed by 15 members to Pembrokeshire County Council chairman Cllr Arwyn Williams calling for an extraordinary meeting to reconsider his notice of motion to allow members access to information about the Pembroke and Pembroke Dock property grants.

His original notice of motion was rejected by the Independent Plus Political Group’s block vote at the December meeting of council.

But Cllr Stoddart claims that the process was flawed because the vote was based on a series of misleading and downright false statements by Cabinet member Cllr David Pugh.

Cllr Pugh was forced to issue an “unreserved apology” with respect to his claim that Cllr Stoddart’s failure to take into account “a third side elevation” at No 25 Dimond Street was either a “deliberate untruth” or “sheer incompetence” when the Hakin councillor proved conclusively that the third side elevation was a figment of Cllr Pugh’s imagination.

He is also challenging Cllr Pugh’s claim that most of the retail space at No. 29 Dimond Street (Paul Sartori) – the refurbishment of which is supposed to have cost £53,000 – was given over to an area set aside for storing and cleaning clothes.

Cllr Stoddart says the area in question amounts to about seven square metres out of a total of 50 square metres – less than 15%.

When he contacted Cllr Pugh to seek an explanation for this misleading claim, the cabinet member replied that he didn’t wish to continue the correspondence.

The original notice of motion followed a series of failed freedom of information requests and Cllr Stoddart also claims that Cllr Pugh gave a false account of the law on this subject.

Mike Stoddart’s website oldgrumpy.co.uk quotes Cllr Pugh as telling council: “ Before confidential information can be released permission has to be received from third parties” but he says this idea that third parties have a veto over the release of information is simply wrong, because, while they may be consulted, the final decision rests with the council after applying a public interest test. Indeed Cllr Stoddart points out that the council’s procedure manual, which is sent to all grant applicants, states quite clearly that, with regard to requests under the FoI Act, “it will be for the council alone to determine whether the documentation should be released” i.e. third parties do not have the final say.

Mike Stoddart told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “The decision taken on December 12 was based on patently false information and was in my view fundamentally flawed. I therefore emailed all councillors asking if they would support my quest to have the matter reconsidered at an extraordinary meeting of council where the issue can be decided on the basis of the truth. I am pleased to say that I had more than enough positive responses to enable me to collect the fifteen signatures required. Strangely, not a single member of the IPPG – the members who were persuaded to vote against my motion by Cllr Pugh’s false testimony – replied.”

The Chairman will now have seven days in which to call the meeting and, if he fails to do so, a request can be made to the council’s legal department to force the council to hold the meeting.

Mike Stoddart told our reporter: “It will be interesting to see whether our impartial chairman decides to act quickly, or whether he will try to delay proceedings by sitting on the requisition for the full seven days allowed in the constitution.”

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.