News

Storms take toll on seabirds

Published

12 years ago

March 10, 2014

THE RECENT storms have taken its toll on a number of seabirds which are being washed up on Pembrokeshire beaches.

Following one of the stormiest winters on record, the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales is reporting that wrecks of dead seabirds are now being recorded in Wales.

The Wildlife Trust, which manages the internationally important seabird islands of Skomer and Skokholm on the Pembrokeshire coast, says that following recent reports of wrecks on the English and French coasts, many are now also being reported from beaches like Newgale, Broad Haven and Ferryside.

Between them Skomer and Skokholm are home to over 20,000 puffins as well as around 28,000 guillemots and 9,000 razorbills, which makes up the most important colony of cliff nesting seabirds in southern Britain. There seems little doubt that many local birds are amongst the recent casualties at sea.

Skomer Wardens Ed Stubbings and Bee Büche visited Newgale beach on February 23 with local birders Anna and Steve Sutcliffe.

Ed Stubbings said: “We found around sixty dead seabirds, almost half were razorbills. Like wrecks of birds recorded elsewhere on the coast, many were clearly malnourished, and had suffered badly in the stormy conditions”.

This was confirmed by Pembrokeshire veterinary volunteer John Walmsley, whose post mortems clearly demonstrated the emaciated condition of the dead birds. Ed added: “One of the birds we found on the weekend had an individually marked ring on its leg which, when traced will reveal where the bird had come from. If anyone finds dead birds on the beach please look for metal rings and report the numbers to the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)”.

Dr Lizzie Wilberforce, Conservation Manager with the Wildlife Trust, believes the unprecedented combination of threats facing our seabirds make them a priority for research. She said: “We are recording declines in breeding success of many colonies which we believe to be connected to climate change. Together with storm impacts and pollution events, we have reason to be very concerned for these iconic species.

“However, we are also seeing significant cuts to the funding that supports seabird research and monitoring, just when we need it most. Natural Resources Wales has withdrawn funding altogether from one forty year old programme of monitoring Skomer’s guillemots, led by the University of Sheffield, which generates absolutely critical data. The timing couldn’t be worse- we really need to understand how our birds are reacting to these threats if we are to be equipped to help them.”

Ed Stubbings went on to say: “We’re hoping to go back out to Skomer in the next couple of weeks in preparation for the coming season. We will be doing everything we can to assess the effects of recent events on our Pembrokeshire birds as the breeding season progresses, but we may not know the true impact for some months or even years.”

Please note if you find a dead bird with a metal ring on its leg please contact the B.T.O., if the bird has a geolocator attached to it please contact us.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

3 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

3 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

3 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.