A MILFORD HAVEN man, Gareth MacDonald, 23, has been sentenced after pleading guilty to downloading over 1,000 indecent images of children.

MacDonald, of Meyler Crescent, was arrested in March 2023 following a police search of his home. Acting on intelligence, officers seized multiple electronic devices, and MacDonald admitted to downloading the illegal images.

Swansea Crown Court heard that MacDonald accessed material spanning all severity categories, including images depicting the rape of pre-teen children.

He reportedly told police he had “become bored with legal pornography” roughly a year prior to his arrest.

Judge Geraint Walters sentenced MacDonald to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. As part of the sentence, MacDonald must:

• Complete 20 rehabilitation activity days
• Participate in the Horizon programme
• Register as a sex offender for 10 years
• Comply with a 10-year sexual harm prevention order

Judge Walters remarked that MacDonald had been accessing illegal content “for some considerable period of time” despite knowing it was wrong.

However, MacDonald, who has health problems, dodged being sent to jail and was able to leave the court a free man.

A CEREDIGION man has been sentenced for selling counterfeit DVDs worth £150,000 under major brand names without authorization.

David Robert Thomas, 47, from Sarnau, ran a sophisticated online operation, producing and selling fake DVDs labeled with brands like Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Sony, and Universal City Studios LLC. Thomas used seven different websites and managed multiple bank and PayPal accounts, including those of family members, to carry out his business.

Councillor Matthew Vaux, Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “Counterfeiting is often thought of as a victimless crime, but it harms the local economy by undermining legitimate businesses that pay taxes and create real jobs. This result sends a clear message that counterfeit sales will not be tolerated, and we will act against offenders.”

Thomas pleaded guilty at Swansea Crown Court on Monday (Nov 11) and was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. His sentence includes a four-month curfew and fifteen Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.

Under the Crime Act 2002, forfeiture proceedings will follow to reclaim the financial benefits from Thomas’s criminal activities. Judge Richards took into account the market value of equivalent genuine goods, the sophisticated setup of Thomas’s business, and his previously clean record in reaching the sentencing decision.

The case was brought forward successfully by Ceredigion County Council’s Trading Standards Service.

YOUNG people have again created a fitting tribute in honour of Remembrance Day with a Poppy Walk established along Hamilton Terrace.

On Monday (Nov 11) veterans working for the youth service identify young people to support them in using wreaths laid at the cenotaph to mount them along the railings between the Royal British Legion in Milford down to the Cenotaph itself.

This has now become an annual event with the service, in previous years young people from Milford Haven School and members of Milford Haven Youth Club have completed this work. This year it was young people and staff from Futureworks who helped youth workers.  

In previous years the feedback from the public has been extremely positive and this year was no exception with members of the public stopping and speaking to the young people to ask what they were doing and to share their thanks for adding to the community in a respectful way. 

Milford Town Council has supported the Poppy Walk since its inception and again were grateful to the youth service and the young people for leading on this work.

Jimmy Wilson, youth worker and former member of the Kings’ Own Royal Border Regiment said: “The fact that these young people have come in on their day off to volunteer their time to create the poppy walk shows that they value the service of the armed forces and understand the significance of remembrance day and the sacrifices made by both serving and ex forces members.”

The above picture includes Alfie, Kaden, Lily, Megan and Jenna with staff from Pembrokeshire Youth Service and Futureworks.