News

National Park helps NRW with hay meadow management

Published

9 years ago

November 14, 2016

Natural Resources Wales Senior Conservation Officer Chris Lawrence and South West Operations Manager Andrea Winterton: With National Park Authority Chief Executive Tegryn Jones and Wardens Mike Horton and Phil McCarthy at the Llys Afon offices in Haverfordwest.

RECENTLY the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority has helped Natural Resources Wales (NRW) turn over a new leaf as it works to transform some of the grassy areas around its Llys Afon offices in Haverfordwest into a wildflower meadow.

The grass surrounding the buildings used to be cut regularly and held little biodiversity interest, but the lawns were mown tightly for the final time last year and wildflower seeds were spread.

The area was allowed to grow over the summer of 2016, with bees and butterflies attracted to the wildflowers on show. National Park Authority Wardens visited the site in October to cut and bale the first year’s growth and kick-start the hay meadow management.

National Park Authority Chief Executive, Tegryn Jones said: “The Authority has been employing a similar scheme at its Llanion Park headquarters in Pembroke Dock since 2013, with a rich variety of pollinating insect and bird friendly plants and grasses growing, including cowslips, daisies, red clover, wild rose, and even an orchid.

“One of our main aims is to conserve the environment for future generations, and with the documented decline of pollinating insect friendly habitats in the UK, it’s important to develop sites with the potential for increasing biodiversity.”

Senior Conservation Officer for Natural Resources Wales, Mary Chadwick added: “We have been delighted with the progress made so far in transforming this grass-dominated lawn into a flower-rich meadow, to benefit pollinators and a whole range of wildlife.

“We are indebted to National Park Authority staff for cutting and baling the grass, which prepared the ground for sowing wildflower seed. We have sown seed collected from a local site including the semi-parasitic flower yellow-rattle, which helps suppress the dominance of grasses.

“Baling the grass removes nutrients from the system, which reduces the vigour of grasses and enables flowers to flourish. NRW would be happy to advise others regarding increasing biodiversity on areas of grassland around offices and industrial units.”

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

27 minutes 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

49 minutes 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

56 minutes 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.