News

New band are the ‘oldest swingers in town’

Published

12 years ago

March 31, 2014

THE Starlite Swing Band is the hottest ‘new’ band on the county’s music scene – and the five members of the band have a staggering combined age of 390 years!

The band boasts a total of 304 years in the entertainment business and they rehearse at the Milford Haven British Legion Club every Tuesday morning. They have already played at a couple of small venues and they specialise in the Big Band Sound, with numbers like “S’wonderful”, “Aint she sweet” and “Bye bye blackbird”.

Dennis Wheeler will celebrate his 88th birthday later this month and is the band’s trumpeter. He says he has been blowing his own trumpet for the last 80 years. He started playing with the Salvation Army at the age of seven and went on to run his own 19-piece dance orchestra in Lincoln. After retiring in Pembrokeshire, Dennis was enticed to take up the baton again to direct the Fishguard and Goodwick Brass Band.

Denis Wheeler (no relation) is the band’s 73-year-old alto/baritone sax player and was formerly head of the music department at Greenhill School, Tenby. Now living in Martletwy, Denis can still be seen at a few local jazz venues, including the Jefferston Arms.

Billy Jenkins is their 73-year-old accomplished keyboard player. Virtually self-taught, Billy has a wonderful ear for music, which is just as well as he doesn’t read a note. Billy has been on the local scene since the late 50s when he was with the Rebels. He later joined Don Wade and the Wayfarers and still goes out with this partner as “Jock-a-Billy”.

Eighty-seven-year-old Nick Carter is the bass player, who came to the county with the Fleet Air Arm and was stationed at Brawdy. Nick had the dubious pleasure of playing “slap bass” with a few of the dance bands at various venues. He also played tenor or bass horn with the Milford Haven Town Band and bass guitar with rehearsal band Opus 18. Having had his guitar stolen a number of years ago, Nick made one out of an old scaffolding plank and no-one has ever tried to steal it!

Finally the ‘youngster’ of the band is Roger Arnold, coming in at a sprightly 69 years. Another non-reader of music, Roger has been playing locally for almost 58 years, starting in school with Billy Bleep and the Satelites, and eventually graduating to Don Wade and the Wayfarers, the City Gents Six and 25 years with the well remembered Knight & Daye.

Roger says: “It’s wonderful to have something to look forward to again, but it would be much nicer to play in front of an audience again, that’s what we’re all best at.”

The Starlite Swing Band is ready and willing to appear at any function, whether it be an afternoon tea dance, birthday party of swing-era themed night.

For details call Roger Arnold on 01646 698003.

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

4 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

4 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.