News

St Clears: Controlling partner shot with rubber bullet and jailed

Published

9 years ago

November 20, 2017

A ST CLEARS man who controlled his partner to the extent of refusing to let her have keys to their home has been jailed for 12 months today.

Liam Jenkins-Dyson, 28, smashed mobile telephones belonging to his partner to prevent her from speaking to other people, demanded to know all her social media passwords and threatened to kill anyone she became friendly with.

Jenkins-Dyson, of Clos Griffith Jones, ordered the 21 year old mother of two to cut ties with her own family as his “controlling and possessive behaviour” spiralled out of control.

Stephen Rees, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court the offending culminated on August 4 when she telephoned her mother to warn her Jenkins-Dyson was “kicking off again.”

When she arrived from her home nearby Jenkins-Dyson threatened to kill her and to set fire to the house “with the kids still inside.”

Jenkins-Dyson left, armed with a pruning saw, and when police caught up with him near the local leisure centre he asked them to shoot him dead. He also threatened to cut his own throat with the saw.

Mr Rees said after a lengthy “stand off” police shot him with a rubber bullet and arrested him.

It was then discovered that he had indeed injured his neck with the saw.

Judge Geraint Walters said he accepted “without a shadow of a doubt” that Jenkins-Dyson had psychiatric issues but one step he could take would be to control the amount of alcohol and drugs he consumed.

“Until you confront those issues you are likely to lash out at those closest to you,” he added.

Jenkins-Dyson admitted coercion, assaulting Sandra Dicks, possessing an article with a blade in a public place and possessing a small amount of cannabis.

Jenkins-Dyson was jailed for 12 months but Judge Walters said he would be on licence from prison for an additional 12 months after his release.

Crime

Carmarthen man admits takeaway burglaries

Published

21 hours ago

June 27, 2026

Court Reporter

Phillip Roberts stole cash from USA Chicken and returned the following day with intent to steal

A CARMARTHEN man has admitted a string of burglaries at the same takeaway business on consecutive days.

Phillip Roberts, 44, of Brewery Road, Carmarthen, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to three offences connected to USA Chicken on Blue Street.

The court heard that on June 4, Roberts entered the premises as a trespasser and stole a tip jar containing cash. He also admitted a second burglary at the same business on the same date, during which £50 cash was stolen.

A further offence took place on June 5, when Roberts entered USA Chicken as a trespasser with intent to steal.

Magistrates adjourned sentence for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. The report will consider all sentencing options, including possible committal to the Crown Court.

Roberts was granted conditional bail. He must not enter USA Chicken, Blue Street, and must not contact Mustafa Baksi, either directly or indirectly.

He is due to return to Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on July 1 for sentence.

Health

Welsh Ambulance Service urges public to ‘choose wisely’ as pressures continue

Published

22 hours ago

June 27, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH AMBULANCE SERVICE has issued a fresh appeal to the public following the declaration of a critical incident on Friday (June 26), as exceptionally high demand continues to place pressure on crews across Wales.

In a social media post published today (Saturday, June 27), the Trust warned that hot weather is contributing to a rise in ambulance call-outs, including incidents involving heat-related illness, falls, breathing difficulties and existing medical conditions worsened by the heat.

The message comes less than 24 hours after the service declared a critical incident amid unprecedented demand, with ambulance resources stretched across Wales.

The Trust is urging people to call 999 only for serious or life-threatening emergencies, contact NHS 111 Wales for urgent health advice, and use local pharmacies for minor illnesses and ailments.

It said choosing the right service can help ambulance crews reach the sickest patients more quickly while pressures remain high.

Crime

Six arrested after immigration raids at Florentino’s restaurants

Published

23 hours ago

June 27, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SIX people have been arrested following Immigration Enforcement raids at Florentino’s Italian restaurants in Tenby and Carmarthen.

Officers visited the Tenby branch in St Julian’s Street on June 18, where two Romanian nationals were identified as allegedly having no right to work in the UK. Both were arrested on suspicion of illegal working.

The Tenby operation followed an earlier raid at Florentino’s in Carmarthen in February, where four workers — two Romanian nationals, a Bangladeshi national and a Mongolian national — were also arrested on suspicion of illegal working.

The Herald previously reported in March that the Carmarthen restaurant had been linked to a major HMRC case, after Claudio Cernat Ltd, formerly trading as Florentino’s on Jacksons Lane, was listed over a £278,000 deliberate tax underpayment and a further £186,000 penalty.

Immigration officials say inquiries are now under way to establish who may be liable for employing the individuals. Employers found to have breached illegal working rules can face civil penalties of up to £60,000 per worker.

One of the Tenby workers has already returned, while the other is in the process of returning. Of the Carmarthen workers, two have returned, one was placed on immigration bail and another was de-arrested with a warning.

Immigration Enforcement Lead for Wales, Richard Johnson, said: “I want to thank my officers who showed the highest levels of professionalism under challenging circumstances on these operations.

“Immigration Enforcement teams in Wales continue to work round the clock to ensure businesses play by the rules and those with no right to be in the UK are tracked down and returned at the earliest opportunity.”

The Home Office says illegal working enforcement has increased significantly since July 2024, with raids and arrests rising across the UK and Wales.

No finding has yet been made against the restaurant operators in relation to the latest arrests.

Florentino’s has been approached for comment.