News

Advice of officers ‘changed’ on grants

Published

12 years ago

March 14, 2014

CABINET Spokesperson for Economy, Tourism and Communities David Pugh has confirmed to Councillors what The Pembrokeshire Herald previously told its readers: the method of auditing the multi-million pounds schemes DID NOT ensure the integrity of all transactions. Speaking at Full Council yesterday, Cllr Pugh did not reveal how the sample of transactions used to justify payments under the scheme were selected. Cllr Pugh did confirm that it was only after a referral to the Director of Finance and Leisure by Councillors Mike Stoddart and Jacob Williams in relation to an irregularity in the documentation relating to the redevelopment of 10 Meyrick Street, Pembroke Dock, that a referral to the Police was made.

Cllr Pugh appeared to misspeak himself and state that there was confusion by Cllrs Stoddart and Williams as to the nature of the information they had uncovered.

Councillor Pugh also confirmed that advice tendered to Cabinet members by senior officers had changed in light of the detailed examination of the documents ordered by independent Audit Committee chair John Evans MBE.

Cllr Paul Miller had earlier prompted the leader to explain why Councillors were repeatedly told there were no problems with the scheme and why the IPPG had tried to stymie debate and slur Cllr Stoddart’s good name. Defending his administration, Cllr Adams suggested that the advice given to Cabinet by officers was contrary to the allegations raised by Cllr Stoddart.

Responding to Cllr Pugh, Cllr Jacob Williams raised a point of order in which he clarified that it appeared to him that two copies of the document concerned had appeared on the file. One with handwritten annotations highlighting a number of arithmetical “errors” and one without.

In another petty dig at Cllr Mike Stoddart, IPPG leader Jamie Adams pointed out that it was the local authority which had referred the matter to the Police and not the member for Hakin.

The referral to the Police, as revealed in the Pembrokeshire Herald, was not made at 17:15 on Tuesday February 11, 2014, as claimed by Cllr Adams. A Council spokesperson previously confirmed to the Herald that a formal referral had been made only after the EGM on February 14, 2014.

News

Hakin motorist banned after driving 14 times over drug limit

Published

1 hour ago

June 9, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A HAKIN motorist has been banned from driving for three years after being caught behind the wheel with cocaine and benzoylecgonine in his system.

Mark Briskham, 53, of Waterloo Square, Wellington Road, Hakin, was stopped by police on January 5 as he drove a Ford Kuga along Steynton Road, near Milford Haven.

Blood tests carried out at the police station showed he had 800mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system. The legal limit is 50mcg.

He also had 64mcg of cocaine in his system. The legal limit is 10mcg.

Briskham pleaded guilty to two drug-driving charges when he appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

Magistrates disqualified him from driving for three years, taking into account a previous drug-drive conviction from 2020.

He was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.cr

Crime

Begelly man remanded over alleged May Day assault

Published

1 hour ago

June 9, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A PEMBROKESHIRE man has been remanded in custody following an alleged May Day assault against a woman in Begelly.

Tomas Baker, 34, of Ty Dee, New Road, Begelly, is accused of assaulting the woman, causing actual bodily harm, at an undisclosed location in Begelly on May 1.

Baker appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week by video link from Swansea Prison.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

His trial will take place at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on June 22.

Crime

Waterston man denies child rape and sexual assault charges

Published

2 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A WATERSTON man has appeared before magistrates charged with 13 sexual offences against children, including three allegations of raping a girl under the age of 13.

Chaisee Price, 25, of Biggins Hill, Waterston, Milford Haven, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

He faces three charges of raping a girl under 13, eight charges of sexually assaulting girls aged between five and eight, and two charges of intentionally inciting girls under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between 2014 and 2019.

Price denied all charges.

Because of the seriousness of the allegations, magistrates declined jurisdiction and the case will now proceed to Swansea Crown Court on July 10.

Price was released on conditional bail.

The conditions include a daily electronically monitored curfew between 6:00pm and 6:00am, no contact with the prosecution witness, no unsupervised contact with children under 18, and a requirement to surrender his passport to police.