News

Serious sex offender jailed for 10 years traced by shoe print and DNA

Published

7 years ago

March 27, 2017

Andrew Edwin Check: A footprint contributed to his arrest

A SHOE print, DNA and traditional policing helped Dyfed-Powys Police track down a dangerous offender who committed a serious sexual assault in Tenby.

In the early hours of Monday, January 9, Andrew Edwin Check, aged 30, climbed through a window of a house, found the victim in her bed and subjected her to a serious sexual assault whilst in possession of a knife.

Today (Mar 27) he was sentenced for 10 years after admitting two counts of assault by penetration. He will be on licence after his eventual release until 2034 after a judge ruled he was a dangerous offender as defined by law.

Nicola Powell, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court how the woman woke in the middle of the night to find Check standing over her in her bedroom.

He was wearing black gloves and holding a knife.

Check, a stranger to the woman, put his hands over her mouth to prevent her from screaming and later placed a pillow over her face.

Miss Powell said his victim feared she was going to be raped and thought that he was carrying out a scene he had seen in a pornographic film. But she maintained sufficient presence of mind to eventually talk him out of continuing the attack.

In a victim impact statement she said she now suffered from nightmares, anxiety and panic attacks

“I am unable to sleep and I don’t know how and when I will recover my life again,” she added.

Check’s barrister, Catherine Richards, said he now realised he had been addicted to adult pornography.

Judge Keith Thomas said Check should be viewed as a dangerous offender and, as such, would not be released from jail until he was no longer a threat to society.

He told Check: “Such an offence rightly frightens and horrifies people in equal measure.

“You carried out the attack in a callous and determined way.”

During the investigation, a footwear mark was recovered by Crime Scene Investigators, which was believed to belong to the offender.

Using specialist technology, a national database and the eye of the force’s footwear specialist, the type of footwear was identified as a particular type of Fred Perry trainer.

This information was passed on to officers undertaking house to house enquiries in Tenby and helped identify Check as a suspect.

DNA evidence of the victim was later found on a glove located in the home of Check.

This evidence proved conclusively that Check was responsible for the crime and led to him submitting a guilty plea at Swansea Crown Court.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Ifan Charles said: “This was a particularly disturbing incident and I am pleased to see justice served today for the victim and the community of Tenby with the sentencing of Andrew Edwin Check.

“There is no doubt that the specialist work of the Scientific Support Unit coupled with the vigilance of officers during their local enquiries led to Check being identified, arrested, charged and convicted.

Footprint: A picture from the police’s evidence

“I must also thank the victim of this horrible crime for her bravery during the investigation. Despite going through a most distressing experience she remained composed, provided police with a detailed description of the offender, vital information of the incident and followed advice on preserving evidence, which assisted greatly in the investigation to catch her attacker.”

Nicola Powell, Senior Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “The evidence obtained and support of the victim meant the CPS could advise on charges at an early stage. It also meant that we had a strong case which resulted in a guilty plea. What happened to the victim was truly frightening, and the guilty plea removed the need for her to relive the incident at Court. Her cooperation throughout this process has led to Andrew Check being brought to justice.”

After receiving a report of the incident, CSI attended and worked through the night capturing potential evidence from the scene. They recovered a footwear print from the scene and processed the image allowing it to be analysed by the force’s footwear specialist back at police Headquarters.

Dyfed-Powys Police uses the latest advancements in footwear identification, including footwear scanning equipment, access to a national databased containing almost 38,000 images of different classifications of footwear prints and providing appropriate training and qualifications for the specialist role to be performed.

Footwear Officer, Adele Benjafield, said: “The evidential value of footwear is becoming more recognised. Its value is on a par with finger prints and DNA samples and scans of footwear are routinely taken of people who come through our custody suites.

“In this investigation, we were fortunate to retrieve footwear prints from the scene, which is down to the weather conditions that night and the fact that the victim had not touched or moved anything prior to CSI attending.”

Adele spent several hours scanning the database searching for a pattern match. She found a shoe that matched the various elements of the pattern and it was a particular design of Fred Perry trainer.

Database: The police searched for a hit

“I urge officers not to become transfixed on the brand of shoe normally, as it’s the pattern of the sole that is important, however the brand proved crucial in this investigation,” she said.

Officers took the footwear analysis work on board and during local enquiries spotted a pair of Fred Perry trainers matching the description. While this turned out not to be the actual pair of shoes worn during the attack, it provided a substantial link to the suspect. He was arrested soon after.

She said: “When I found out the footwear analysis had provided a link to the suspect my first reaction was feeling pleased that the work I’d carried out had led to this dangerous man being located. I then felt impressed that the police officers making local enquiries had understood the importance of the footwear analysis. The science is only as good as the humans using it. I did the work to identify the footwear, but if officers had not taken that on board and used the information they had, it would not have been worth anything.”

Another key piece of evidence in the prosecution case was the finding of the victim’s DNA on a black glove found at the suspect’s home. DNA-17 – the latest DNA profiling methodology – was used.

Assistant Director of Scientific Support, Glan Thomas, said: “We use the latest technology and methods to retrieve DNA from pieces of evidence and scenes of crime. DNA-17 methodology was used in this investigation and we were able to retrieve the victim’s DNA from a black glove found at the suspect’s home, which positively linked him to the attack.

“I’m pleased the Scientific Support Unit was able to play such a pivotal role in helping bring Check to justice. We have a team of highly-skilled, experienced specialists who work alongside hard-working and effective detectives. Solving a crime such as this and preventing anyone else from being harmed is what this job is all about.”

News

Cornerstone 4G phone mast unconditionally backed

Published

17 hours ago

April 15, 2024

Bruce Sinclair Local Democracy Reporter

A NEAR 70-foot-high 4G telecommunications tower scheme in north Pembrokeshire has been unconditionally backed by county planners.

Applicant Cornerstone sought what – in planning terms – is called prior approval for the installation of a 21-metre lattice tower supporting three antennas and associated works on land at Castle Farm Villa, Llanreithan, Hayscastle.

A report for planners says the radio base station “would allow a shared rural network in this rural area of Hayscastle for two of the main operators, to provide 4G connection, which would provide a reliable and fast communications services; to facilitate significantly improved connectivity for residents, businesses and visitors to locality.”

The application was supported by local community council Brawdy.

Cornerstone, in a supporting statement, says: “To keep up with growing demand from mobile phone users we need to upgrade existing base stations or build new base stations. An upgrade can be done in a number of ways, often by redeveloping the site to enable an increase in the number of technologies, or increasing the number or height of the antennas. However, even after these upgrades, in some busy areas the demand for services can still exceed the capability of the local base stations.”

It adds: “We recognise that the growth in mobile communication has led, in some cases, to public concern about perceived health effects of mobile technology, in particular about siting masts close to local communities.

“Quite naturally, the public seeks reassurance that masts are not in any way harmful or dangerous. We are committed to providing the latest independent peer-reviewed research findings, information, advice and guidance from national and international agencies on radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields.

“Cornerstone ensure that our radio base stations are designed and built so that the public are not exposed to radio frequency fields above the guidelines set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). In fact, radio base stations operate at low power and emit levels of radiofrequency fields many times lower than the ICNIRP general public guidelines.”

An officer report says a site visit was carried out to assess the impact of the proposed development, considering that the siting and design of the mast and associated structures would be acceptable.

“As such, the prior approval of the local planning authority is not required,” the report concluded.

Recent plans by Cornerstone for a 20-metre-high, timber-clad telecoms tower on land opposite the National Trust car park at Trehilyn West, Trefasser, near Goodwick, were turned down by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park planners.

News

Pembrokeshire stands against Israeli apartheid and Genocide

Published

20 hours ago

April 15, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PALESTINE solidarity groups in Pembrokeshire and West Wales are mobilising for a powerful protest in Haverfordwest, Castle Square, this Saturday 20th April at 2pm. They aim to vehemently condemn the relentless Israeli onslaught on Gaza and send a clear message to the UK government and local MPs Simon Hart and Stephen Crabb: End the complicity now! We demand an immediate ceasefire and an end to arms sales that fuel this brutal oppression.

The Nakba, or ‘catastrophe’ in Arabic, refers to the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestine by Israeli forces, following the forcible displacement of 750,000 Palestinians (almost half the population) in 1947-49 in order to establish the state of Israel. Israel’s current assault on Gaza is an escalation of the ongoing Nakba and threatens to be the largest mass expulsion of Palestinians since 1948. The international community has an immediate responsibility to intervene to stop Israel’s ethnic cleansing today. Any delay in implementing practical measures constitutes complicity and/or participation in the ongoing Nakba.

This rally is a collective outcry against the crimes perpetrated by Israel and a rallying cry for the boycott of Israeli products.

“It’s sickeningly hypocritical that Israel strikes nations and communities first, claims victimhood when faced with resistance, and then receives unwavering support from the U.S., the UK, and Germany!” lamented one protester.

“For too long, the international community has turned a blind eye to Israel’s flagrant violations of human rights, granting it impunity while innocent lives are lost.”

“Six months of relentless violence. Six months of Israel slaughtering innocent Palestinians. Six months of Israel killing over 14,000 children! That’s an average of around 76 children a day and what has our government done? Profited from arms sales, turning a blind eye to the bloodshed,” remarked another protester.

This protest is a clarion call to all who stand for justice: It’s time to disrupt the status quo and challenge our complicit government. “We will never give up,” declared a participant. “To dismantle apartheid, we must disrupt the everyday and refuse to be complicit in Israel’s crimes against humanity!”

Join us at Castle Square at 2pm this Saturday to lend your voice to the 2 million people who suffer from a forced famine and brutal occupation in Gaza. Together, we will demand justice, accountability, and an immediate end to the bloodshed, the genocide and ethnic cleansing.

News

Dragon LNG ‘monitoring’ scrap car blaze in Waterston

Published

21 hours ago

April 15, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A BLAZE has broken out at the Waterston Car Dismantler’s business in Waterston, Milford Haven.

Dragon LNG which is situated near the site said that the fire was not related to their operation and confirmed that the that emergency services were at the scene.

Residents living nearby have been advised to keep windows and doors closed whilst the incident is being dealt with.

“We are aware of a fire in Waterston with the emergency services present,” said a spokesperson for Dragon LNG.

“The incident is not related to Dragon LNG and Dragon Energy. We are monitoring the situation and are co-ordinating with the emergency services.”

A spokesperson for Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue Service told The Herald: “At 11.09am on Monday, April 15th, the Milford Haven, Pembroke Dock, Narberth, Fishguard, Carmarthen, Tenby and Haverfordwest crews were called to an incident at a commercial premises in the Waterston Industrial Estate, Milford Haven.

“Crews responded to approximately 150 vehicles on fire, at the height of the incident, 12 fire appliances were in attendance. Crews utilised six breathing apparatus sets, nine hose reel jets, two ground monitors and approximately 1,000 litres of foam to extinguish the fire.

“Properties in close proximity to the fire were evacuated and nearby roads were closed. The incident required a multi-agency response, with Dyfed-Powys Police, the Ambulance Service and the Local Authority also in attendance.

“Crews began to leave the scene at 2.11pm.

“Please be advised that as a precaution:

“If you are in an area still affected by smoke, you are advised to stay indoors, close windows and doors, and turn off any air conditioning or ventilation units.

“Motorists who must travel through areas still affected by smoke should keep windows closed, turn off air conditioning and keep air vents closed.”