News

Debates continue about paedophile hunters following local conviction

Published

8 years ago

April 11, 2018

Simon Fleet: Arrested by police at Pembroke Dock train station

THE DEBATE rages on as to whether the police are relying too heavily on so-called paedophile hunters in investigations regarding child grooming.

In Wales, from 2015 to 2017 there were 31 cases where the police began proceedings against grooming suspects, in 19 of which, police used evidence gathered by vigilante groups.

Despite an investigation by the BBC finding that police in England and Wales used such evidence at least 150 times in 2017 – a seven-fold rise in two years, Dyfed-Powys Police have denied using evidence gathered from vigilante groups. Over the past three years, Dyfed-Powys Police recorded 82 cases, and took proceedings forward against just one person, but have not used the evidence gathered in any cases.

This comes after a man from Pembroke Dock was caught by paedophile hunter vigilante group Silent Justice, and jailed for 28 months in February. Simon Fleet, aged 43, had turned up at the town’s railway station with the aim of meeting an underage girl for sex, but instead he was met by police officers who arrested him. Fleet, of Water Street, admitted attempting to engage in sexual activity with an underage girl.

Swansea Crown Court had heard how Fleet had swapped messages with the ‘girl’ via the internet and thought he had talked her into meeting him. In fact he was exchanging messages with a group posing as children and waiting to be contacted by adults. They then try to identify those that are attempting to groom children, tracking them down and confronting them before police are called.

Judge T Mervyn Hughes warned Fleet that if the girl had existed he would have received a far longer sentence. Fleet was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and told to register with the police as a sex offender, both for the next 10 years.

Silent Justice are so-called ‘Child Protection Enforcers’ with a Facebook page liked by over 5,000 people, with members acting as ‘decoys’ posing as children online. They are not without controversy, removing a post from its Facebook page following the suicide of an alleged offender in Northern Ireland in August 2017.

Last year, a Cardiff judge was critical of such groups, and accused them of giving misleading evidence after the collapse of an alleged sex offender’s trial.

Judge Thomas Crowther QC had said: “This case underlines why criminal investigations should be conducted carefully, meticulously and by those who are trained and qualified to do so.”

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has spoken out on the issue, saying that: “While we have every sympathy for people concerned about suspected abusers, we believe that identifying offenders and investigating crimes is best left to the police.

“When members of the public take the law into their own hands it can run the risk of driving offenders underground, endanger on-going police work and the legal process or result in innocent people being targeted – all of which may put more children at risk of harm.

“If someone has concerns about a child’s safety the best way they can help is to alert the police. By speaking out they may be able to help investigations and contribute vital evidence.”

The debate about paedophile hunters has recently been the focus of a Channel 4 documentary, in which filmmakers followed around a group of the vigilantes.

Charity

Music event to support disabled access project at Dale seafront

Published

2 hours ago

June 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A CHARITY concert aimed at improving access to the coast for disabled people is set to take place at Dale Seafront later this month.

The event, called Music for Changing Places, will be held on Saturday, June 27, and will raise money for a new toilet and changing facility designed to help disabled people enjoy time on the water and at the beach.

Organisers say the project will support greater accessibility in Dale, helping more people enjoy watersports and the coastline through specialist facilities and equipment.

The afternoon and evening event will feature a range of live music acts, with free admission for visitors, although donations will be welcomed to support the cause.

Music will begin at 2:30pm with performances from the Music for Fun group, followed by the Cleddau Flutes at 3:45pm.

At 5:00pm, the Malva Ukrainian band will take to the stage, before the day concludes with folk music from the Varifolkals folk band at 6:15pm.

The fundraiser is linked to the Dale Changing Places project, which aims to create a specialist accessible toilet and changing facility for disabled visitors, helping ensure more people can enjoy Pembrokeshire’s coastline regardless of mobility needs.

The project also supports accessible water activities, with adapted equipment helping disabled users get onto the water safely.

Organisers are encouraging residents and visitors to attend, enjoy an afternoon of music by the sea, and support a cause designed to make Dale more inclusive for everyone.

Community

Christians gather at Pembroke Castle for day of prayer and praise

Published

3 hours ago

June 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

HUNDREDS of worshippers gathered at Pembroke Castle today for a major Christian event bringing churches together from across Pembrokeshire and beyond.

The Picnic, Prayer and Praise event took place on Sunday (Jun 14), with people invited to bring chairs, blankets and picnics for an afternoon of worship inside one of Wales’ most historic castles.

***Faith at the castle:*** **The mayor of Pembroke, Cllr Jonathan Grimes** **and Town Crier, Cllr Gareth Jones, attended the event**

The event was led by Sound of Wales, alongside local churches, and also included Korean Christians from London who took part in their own distinctive style.

The programme began at 1:00pm, with free entry for worshippers between 12 noon and 5:00pm.

***Visitors: Mayor of Pembroke, Cllr Jonathan Grimes, and Pembroke Town Crier, Cllr Gareth Jones, with members of the SCON Korean Christian youth group***

Organisers said the aim was to unite Christians in prayer for Pembrokeshire and Wales, while celebrating faith through music, worship and fellowship.

Castle Trustee Roger Baker previously described the gathering as “an extraordinary opportunity to unite Christians in one of the great castles of Wales.”

***Faith at the castle: Worshippers gathered at Pembroke Castle for the Picnic, Prayer and Praise event on Sunday (Pic: Herald).***

He said: “What a way to give Pembrokeshire a united voice of praise to our God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The event has become a growing fixture in the Pembrokeshire Christian calendar, with previous gatherings attracting large crowds despite challenging weather.

Today’s event made full use of the castle’s dramatic setting, with worshippers gathering within the ancient walls for an afternoon of praise, reflection and community.

***Faith at the castle: Excellent weather for Prayer and Praise event on Sunday (Pic: Herald).***

Community

Milford Haven School pupil praised after stepping in during real-life emergency

Published

3 hours ago

June 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A YEAR 11 pupil at Milford Haven School has been praised after putting his first aid training into action to help an injured member of the public following an accident.

Aryan, who is currently working towards lifesaving qualifications, including first aid training, found himself faced with a real emergency when a woman suffered a head injury after a fall.

Rather than panic, the teenager stepped in immediately and calmly took control of the situation.

According to Milford Haven School, Aryan used a first aid kit to treat the injury, helped make the woman comfortable, and provided clear aftercare advice while remaining calm and compassionate throughout the incident.

School staff said his actions demonstrated maturity, confidence and professionalism beyond his years.

Applying first aid in a genuine emergency can be far more challenging than practising in a classroom setting, but Aryan rose to the occasion and put his training into practice when it mattered most.

Milford Haven School said it was “incredibly proud” of the Year 11 pupil, describing him as “a fantastic example of courage, responsibility and care for others.”

The school added that Aryan’s response showed the importance of young people learning practical lifesaving skills and highlighted the positive impact they can have within the community.

Da iawn, Aryan — a credit to Milford Haven School and the wider community.

Photo caption: Helping hand: Year 11 pupil Aryan has been praised after using his first aid training to help an injured member of the public following a fall (Pic: Milford Haven School).