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Crackdown on crime during Dyfed-Powys Police’s Force Day of Action.

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A CRACKDOWN on crime is underway in west Wales during Dyfed-Powys Police’s Force Day of Action.

Police officers, PCSOs, special constables and multi-agency partners are putting #TotalFocus on tackling the crimes that are impacting on vulnerable people within communities. In addition, they’re offering tailored support for victims and witnesses of crime to help them through their experience.

Communities can expect to see an increased police presence as they execute arrest warrants, undertake spot checks on identified individuals, properties and businesses and provide practical and emotional support to victims and witnesses of crime.

Chief Constable Mark Collins said: “Members of the public can expect to see a big police presence today throughout the Dyfed-Powys force area during our second Force Day of Action as we work to ensure we continue to police the safest towns and villages across England and Wales.

“There will be proactive policing work seeking out those who are known to be offending and targeting the more vulnerable people in our communities, putting a #TotalFocus on issues including drugs supply and misuse, travelling criminals, Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), domestic abuse and cyber-crime.

“There will also be a strong focus on caring for victims and witnesses of crime. Being a victim or witness of crime can be a terribly traumatic experience that takes time and effort to overcome. There are services available that are ready and waiting to help and our officers or partners will be able to help.

“We also need members of the public to tell us if they suspect that others are being taken advantage of. If you know about it, report it.”

Officers and staff will be providing victims and witnesses of crime with details of a victim and witness service called Goleudy, which is funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn. Goleudy will have Victim Service officers available throughout the day to speak to offer practical and emotional support via the Goleudy hotline 0300 123 2996.

Mr Llywelyn said: “Highly skilled staff and volunteers from Goleudy are helping out on the Day of Action to ensure any victims identified by police officers as requiring support can call the Goleudy victim service phone number that day.

“Victims do not have to have reported the crime to police to access this service, and they can get access to practical support, including security improvements at their home, and emotional support.”

Goleudy was launched in April 2017 and has brought together the Victim Service and The Witness Care Unit.

The Victim Service contacts victims to offer emotional and practical support via phone or face to face.  They can also offer target hardening tools, advocacy and referrals to external agencies.

The Witness Care Unit keeps victims and witnesses fully informed of the progress of their case from first hearing through to the conclusion of the case, coordinating special measures and pre-trial court visits through Citizens Advice Witness Service.

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Welsh Lib Dems urge First Minister to return dodgy donation

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THIS week in the Senedd, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have urged the First Minister to return the £200,000 donation he received from a company linked to environmental crimes.

Speaking to the Senedd on Wednesday, party leader Jane Dodds MS urged FM Vaughan Gething to return money donated to his campaign by Dauson Environmental, a refuse and recycling business owned by David John Neal.

Mr Neal received a 3-month suspended prison sentence in 2013 for illegally dumping waste at a conservation site on the Gwent levels.

His companies Atlantic Recycling and Neal Soil Suppliers were also prosecuted and given fines and costs of £202,000.

Then in 2017, Mr Neal was given another suspended sentence of 18 weeks, with fines and costs of £230,000 after failing to remove the waste.

The Welsh Lib Dems have called on the FM to return the donation, as part of wider calls for a shift away from the influence of “big money” in Welsh politics.

Commenting, the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said:

“This entire episode has casted a dark shadow upon Welsh democracy and has rightfully led to many questioning the integrity of Vaughan Gething’s leadership campaign and the way our democracy works here in Wales.

Unfortunately for many of us this is hardly surprising, as our political system has been broken for quite some time now.

A system that empowers the elite donor class whilst simultaneously shutting out the voice of the voter is a perversion of democracy itself.

This is why our wider goal must be to remove the influence of ‘big money’ from Welsh politics once and for all.

We cannot have another government that prioritises the interests of its financial benefactors over those of the Welsh people.

We need to take a firm stance in rooting out the influence of cash in Welsh politics, for the sake of our communities we must start prioritising their interests and needs instead of having more self-serving politicians.”

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Council seeking legal advice to address Withyhedge enforcement

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PEMBROKESHIRE County Council says it has sought legal advice and is contemplating legal proceedings against Withyhedge Landfill operators RML, in regards to the ongoing odour issues at the site.

The Council intends to ask the Court for an injunction requiring RML to abate the public nuisance odour arising from the landfill. Failure to comply with the injunction would be contempt of court, which carries a penalty of up to two years’ imprisonment and unlimited fine.

Following significant work undertaken by RML the Authority is disappointed that the problem has not been resolved and residents continue to be impacted by the odour.

Working in collaboration with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Public Health Wales (PHW), we fully appreciate that the communities affected cannot tolerate this any longer.

NRW announced that the first set of deadlines for the completion of actions to tackle the ongoing odour issues at Withyhedge Landfill have been met, one week on following the issuing of further enforcement action on 18th April.

This will be closely monitored by NRW to ensure the operator complies with all the actions set out in Notice by 14 May.

It was deemed appropriate to wait until the operator had carried out mitigation to comply with the enforcement requirements by NRW prior to considering this additional action.

To that end, on 26th April 2024, the Council served RML with a letter of claim and invited them to give legally binding undertakings to abate the odour nuisance or face legal proceedings. The Council also asked for disclosure of documents relevant to the proceedings, including records of waste brought in or removed from the landfill.

The Council has given RML until 14th May 2024 to respond to its letter of claim. This aligns with the current deadline set by NRW under its enforcement notice.

Pembrokeshire County Council Chief Executive Will Bramble welcomed the move. He said: “We are extremely disappointed that RML has not delivered the necessary action to stop the completely unacceptable smells from the site.

“We fully support the additional enforcement action being taken by NRW and continue to work closely with them to do all in our power to correct the situation.

“Our intention to ask the Court for an injunction requiring RML to stop the odour nuisance arising from the landfill, is another part of our collaborative approach. The smell from Withyhedge is having a major impact on residents and visitors. This situation has gone on too long and it is unacceptable.”

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Beautiful, funny and lovely: Family pay tribute to Sian Batchelor

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THE family of a woman has paid tribute to a “beautiful, funny, lovely person.”

Sian Batchelor, aged 32, was found on a beach near Pennar, Pembroke Dock on Tuesday evening, April 30th, 2024.

Her family has issued a statement to say: ‘We are devastated by our loss. Sian was a beautiful, funny, loving person. We will treasure the good times we had with her.

“We would now like time to grieve and would ask to be given privacy in which to do so.”

The circumstances surrounding Sian’s death are being investigated and police would like to hear from anyone with information, sightings of Sian or contact from Sian, between Thursday April 25 to Tuesday April 30.

Police can be contacted either online at: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908.

Quote reference: DP-20240430-284

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