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News

Dyfed Powys Police supporting awareness of Child Sexual Exploitation

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DYFED-POWYS POLICE is supporting the National Awareness Day for Child Sexual Exploitation on Saturday (Mar 18), which is led by the charity National Working Group (NWG).

The aim of the day is to highlight the issues surrounding child sexual exploitation, to encourage everyone to think, spot and speak out against abuse and adopt a zero tolerance to adults developing inappropriate relationships with children.

Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Ifan Charles, Protecting Vulnerable People Department, Dyfed Powys Police, said: “It is vitally important that we gain greater knowledge and understanding of Child Sexual Exploitation in order to effectively target activity at local, regional and national level. Police officers are being actively trained to recognise the early signs that can identify children at risk. We all have a role to play in ensuring that children have a safe environment to grow up in.

In the week leading up to the day, front line staff will be visiting local groups and organisations to raise awareness.

DCI Ifan Charles added: “We recognise the importance of investing in identifying and tackling CSE and have invested additional resources into this complex area of safeguarding. We continue to work with our statutory partners and voluntary groups and recognise that the support of the public is absolutely vital to achieving better outcomes.”

School Community Police Officers across the force area will be delivering targeted age appropriate CSE sessions in schools as part of the wider All Wales School Liaison Core Programme.

Bethan James, the Dyfed-Powys Police School Liaison Coordinator, said: “It is vital that we raise awareness of CSE with our children and the staff working in our schools. Designated School Officers have been trained to deliver these sessions. They have the current, up to date knowledge and understanding in order to inform, prevent and protect our future generations.”

At the beginning of March, Dyfed-Powys Police launched a specialist team to help tackle the threat of Child Sexual Exploitation. The Police On-Line Investigation Team (POLIT), made up of Detectives, Digital Media Investigators, Forensic Examiners and analytical staff, will target offenders, in particular those operating online, who share and distribute indecent images of children.

Temporary Detective Sergeant, Mathew Davies, said: “Our team of specialist staff and officers will target those who exploit children, carrying out warrants across the whole Dyfed-Powys force area. The work of POLIT will help to speed up the investigation of offences and bring more offenders to justice. We are also working with the ‘Stop It Now’ project to provide support for family members of offenders, who have been affected by their illegal behaviour.”

Social Media will be used on the day to further raise awareness of CSE. You can look out for the hashtags on Twitter: #CSE #CSEDay16 #HelpingHands.

Crime

Milford Haven man to face trial over knife charge

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A MILFORD HAVEN man is set to stand trial accused of carrying a pocket knife with a blade exceeding the legal limit.

Lee Lock, 37, is alleged to have had the knife hidden beneath a car seat while driving through Honeyborough Industrial Estate, Neyland, on June 5, 2024.

The Crown Prosecution Service claims the blade measured 7.62 centimetres in length—over the 7 cm threshold permitted by law.

Lock appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week via video link from HM Swansea Prison, where he pleaded not guilty to possessing a knife blade in a public place.

His trial has been scheduled for June 9 at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court.

Lock, of Coombs Road, Milford Haven, was remanded in custody due to concerns he may fail to surrender to bail.

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Crime

Pembrokeshire woman to face trial over crash after alleged cocaine use

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A PEMBROKESHIRE woman is to stand trial accused of crashing an Audi into a wall and failing to stop after allegedly driving under the influence of cocaine.

Ruby Owens, aged 33, of Wayside Close, Simpson Cross, Haverfordwest, was arrested on December 21 following a collision at Prospect Place in Pembroke Dock.

She was later charged with four offences: driving with 22 micrograms of cocaine and 480 micrograms of benzoylecgonine (a cocaine metabolite) in her system, driving without due care and attention, and failing to stop after an accident.

Owens appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week, where she denied all four charges.

Her trial is set to take place at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on June 19. She was released on unconditional bail.

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Business

Withyhedge incident team disbanded as complaints fall

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THE MULTI-AGENCY group set up to deal with ongoing issues at Withyhedge landfill has now been stood down.

The Incident Management Team (IMT), made up of Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Pembrokeshire County Council, Public Health Wales, and Hywel Dda University Health Board, was formed earlier this year to coordinate the response to widespread complaints about odours and gas from the site near Haverfordwest.

The landfill had temporarily closed in May 2023 before reopening in January 2024, after NRW confirmed that necessary compliance measures were in place.

Public Health Wales: We are reassured that the air quality data does not suggest an ongoing risk to public health (Pic: RML)

Now, with reports of odour significantly reduced and pollution levels staying below World Health Organisation (WHO) thresholds, NRW has confirmed that the IMT is no longer required.

In line with the improved conditions, a dedicated reporting system for odour and gas complaints has also been wound down. However, residents can still raise concerns through NRW’s standard incident reporting process, either online or by calling 0300 065 3000.

Independent monitoring of air quality will continue for at least another year, funded by site operators RML. Pembrokeshire County Council will continue to review this data to ensure accuracy and public transparency.

The static air quality monitor installed at Spittal School will remain in place until April 2026, with weekly results still shared with the council. However, Public Health Wales has said it will no longer routinely review the data.

Between January and March, the monitor recorded hydrogen sulphide levels above WHO’s odour annoyance limit on 13 occasions—all on a single day. No further breaches were recorded in the following seven weeks. Other monitoring in the area has not found any exceedances of either short-term or long-term hydrogen sulphide guidelines.

Public Health Wales said: “We are reassured that the air quality data does not suggest an ongoing risk to public health. With complaints now significantly reduced, we will no longer review the data regularly.”

NRW said it will continue unannounced inspections at the landfill to ensure the site remains compliant with its environmental permit. Its investigation into previous breaches is still ongoing.

The site operator, RML, has applied to vary the conditions of its permit, and NRW has confirmed that a public consultation will be held before any decision is made.

All agencies involved in the former incident response group said they will continue to share relevant updates with one another where necessary.

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