News

Farmer loses appeal over suffering to ponies punishment

Published

8 years ago

November 10, 2017

A ST DAVIDS farmer has today (Nov 10) lost an appeal against his sentence for causing unnecessary suffering to five ponies.

Ian Morgan Griffiths, aged 54, had pleaded guilty at Haverfordwest magistrates’ court and had been made the subject of an 18 week jail sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work for the community.

Griffiths, who runs two farms at Berea as well as providing bunks style accommodation for 400 people plus camping and caravan sites, was also banned from keeping horses for five years.

During an appeal hearing at Swansea Crown Court barrister Craig Jones said Griffiths had staged a festival on his land and someone complained about the state of three Shetland ponies and two Welsh Mountain ponies.

The RSPCA were alerted and found that their hooves were seriously overgrown to the extent they could not walk properly if at all.

Mr Jones said the necessary treatment would have cost as little as £15 per pony and there were plenty of people available to carry out the work.

David Williams, representing Griffiths, argued the sentence was unjustly high.

One consequence, he said, was that Dyfed Powys police had withdrawn Griffiths’ shotgun licence because the sentence was over three months long. As a result he could no longer stage clay pigeon shooting events.

He said Griffiths’ wife had died in 2010 and he had found himself looking after three children as well as two farms and extensive accommodation.

Mr Williams said Griffiths was of the ninth generation to farm the land and this had been the first prosecution in the family’s history.

“He’s deeply upset at what has happened. As soon as the entent of the problem was made clear to him he handed the ponies over the RSPCA,” added Mr Williams.

He said Griffiths would be appealing against the withdrawal of his gun licence.

Judge Geraint Walters, sitting with two magistrates, dismissed the appeal.

He said the mitigation available to Griffiths had been reflected in the magistrates’ decision to suspend the prison sentence.

Griffiths, he added, had had the resources to pay for the animals to be looked after properly and it was no excuse that he had been too busy.

Judge Walters said the magistrates had made a mathematical error in that Griffiths had been entitled to a one third discount in return for his early guilty plea. As 26 weeks was the maximum sentence available 18 weeks represented more than two thirds.

Consequently, the 18 weeks suspended sentence was reduced to 16 weeks.

Crime

Broad Haven man remanded in custody over sexual harm prevention order breach

Published

16 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Court Reporter

Defendant admitted using Xbox without informing police as required under court order

ANTHONY COOMBES, aged 26, of Sand Banks, Broad Haven, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Mar 20) charged with breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard that between February 26 and March 19, 2026, at Haverfordwest, Coombes repeatedly breached the order by using an Xbox device without informing police within three days, as required.

The offences relate to a sexual harm prevention order imposed at Swansea Crown Court on October 20, 2021.

Coombes indicated guilty pleas to the offences at the first hearing.

Magistrates committed the case to Swansea Crown Court for sentence.

He was remanded in custody ahead of the next hearing, which is due to take place at 9:00am on Friday, April 3, at Swansea Crown Court.

The court refused bail on the grounds that he was likely to offend, citing the nature and seriousness of the offences and his previous record and character.

A pre-sentence report was ordered.

News

Man arrested after suspected drugs-related death in Haverfordwest

Published

16 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Police say death not suspicious as 46-year-old arrested over alleged Class A drug supply

A MAN has died following a medical emergency at a property in Haverfordwest, police have confirmed.

Emergency services were called at 3:18pm on Wednesday (March 18) after a report of a medical incident.

A man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Dyfed-Powys Police said the man’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers.

The death is not being treated as suspicious at this time.

However, police confirmed that a man, aged 46, was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

He has since been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

No further details about the deceased have been formally released.

Crime

Illegal dog breeders ordered to pay over £129,000 after council probe

Published

17 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

FOUR people from Mynyddygarreg, Kidwelly, have been ordered to pay more than £129,000 following a successful prosecution for illegal dog breeding.

At Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday (Mar 10), before His Honour Judge Thomas KC, Stacey May June Edwards, Peter John Edwards, Sian Eleri Thomas and David Malcolm James Thomas, all of Sea Breeze, Mynyddygarreg, pleaded guilty to offences under the Breeding of Dogs (Wales) Regulations 2014.

The court imposed confiscation orders totalling £129,873.41 under the Proceeds of Crime Act across the four defendants. They were also ordered to pay £8,000 in costs, while each defendant received a £2,000 fine.

The investigation began in April 2021 after Carmarthenshire County Council’s Animal Health team received an enquiry from Peter Edwards about obtaining a dog breeding licence. Although licensing guidance was provided and a partial application was submitted in February 2022, this was later withdrawn.

In March 2024, the council received a complaint that puppies were being advertised for sale without the required licence. Officers subsequently contacted online advertising platforms and issued data requests to assess the scale of activity.

Analysis of records from Pets4Homes, Freeads and Gumtree revealed multiple litters being advertised by members of the same household.

Correspondence under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act confirmed that up to 25 dogs were kept at the property, including between 16 and 19 breeding females.

While some defendants claimed joint ownership of the dogs, others attempted to minimise their involvement.

The Herald understands that numerous puppy advertisements were posted between July 2020 and April 2025, demonstrating a sustained pattern of unlicensed breeding.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability, Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen, said: “This case demonstrates the council’s firm stance against unlicensed and illegal dog breeding.

“These regulations are in place to protect animal welfare and ensure that breeding activities are subject to proper oversight. The scale of activity uncovered at this property was entirely unacceptable, and we welcome the court’s decision to issue significant confiscation orders under POCA.”

He added: “We urge anyone with concerns about illegal dog breeding to report it. Our Animal Health officers will continue to investigate thoroughly and take action against those who disregard the law.”

Residents are reminded that anyone breeding and selling dogs must comply with licensing regulations designed to protect both animal welfare and consumers.