News

Town Council slams authority

Published

10 years ago

June 2, 2014

MONKTON County Councillor and IPPG member Pearl Llewellyn stormed out of a meeting of Pembroke Town Council last Thursday evening, announcing her resignation from it “forthwith”.

Councillor Llewellyn’s resignation took place during a discussion on a no confidence motion placed before the Council by Cllr John Harvey. In his address to the meeting, Cllr Harvey set out the lamentable and scandal-laden record of the IPPGled County Council: the discredited Commercial Property Grants Scheme, unlawful payments made to Bryn Parry Jones and the conduct of Deputy Leader Rob Lewis in using Council infrastructure to run the IPPG’s election campaigns in 2008 and 2012. Former IPG County Councillor Clive Collins suggested avoiding a vote on the proposal, claiming that the motion was political in nature whereas the Town Council had always been apolitical. Cllr Arwyn Williams, another County Councillor and IPPG member also left the meeting. In an embarrassing turn of events, IPPG uber-loyalist County Councillor Daphne Bush arrived at the meeting late and then left before the vote of no confidence was heard. The vote was carried by seven votes to two with four abstentions. Those voting against the motion were Cllrs Clive Collins and former mayor Keith Nicholas. One of the abstaining Councillors was County Councillor and Pembrokeshire Alliance member Jonathan Nutting. He commented: “I thought Jamie Adams should be given the opportunity to explain himself and the antics of the IPPG. The majority did not feel it was necessary. They had had enough of all the goings on in the political side of the County Council. As I had voted for this amendment I did not feel able to vote on the main agenda item. I will say though I fully understand why the others did not want to mess around further and listen to Jamie Adams’ platitudes. Pembroke and the south of the county have been treated badly for long enough. Well done those who stuck to their principles.” Cllr John Harvey, said: “I put the motion forward and took a fair amount of flak from those IPPG members present. There are good councillors sitting at County Hall; notably Mike and Viv Stoddart, Tessa Hodgson, Paul Miller, Rhys Sinnett, Tony Wilcox and Jacob Williams, to name a few. As for the IPPG, I just hope the good folk of Pembrokeshire have long memories when it comes to the next election as that is the only chance we have to get them out!” The Pembrokeshire Herald invited Cllr Llewellyn to comment on events at the meeting and her decision to resign from the Town Council. Cllr Llewellyn told The Herald: “A notice advertising a causal vacancy for the Monkton Ward on Pembroke Town Council was published online this week. Nominations are scheduled to close within fourteen days.”

Crime

Motorist disqualified after cannabis-fuelled traffic collision

Published

2 seconds ago

November 13, 2024

Court Reporter

A 21-YEAR-OLD driver has been disqualified after a traffic pile-up on the A40 following cannabis use.

Officers attended Arnold’s Hill, Slebech, on March 29 in response to a multi-vehicle collision involving Kayleigh Taylor, 21, whose Toyota Aygo was on the opposite carriageway.

“There was a smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle, so a drugs wipe was conducted, which returned a positive result,” said Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan. Further tests showed Taylor had 7.7 mcg of Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol in her blood, above the legal limit of 2.

Taylor, of Princess Royal Way, Haverfordwest, admitted to driving over the specified drug-drive limit and possessing 266.1 grams of cannabis found in her vehicle.

District Judge Mark Layton sentenced her to a 12-month community order with 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days. She was disqualified from driving for 17 months, fined £80, and ordered to pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 costs.

Crime

Woman admits intentional strangulation in Fishguard assault

Published

3 mins ago

November 13, 2024

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKESHIRE woman has been sent to Crown Court for sentencing after admitting the intentional strangulation of a man at her property.

Holly James, 33, pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place at her home on Hamilton Street, Fishguard, on the night of March 14, 2024.

District Judge Mark Layton, sitting at Haverfordwest magistrates court, was told that following an argument, James pinned the victim to the sofa, placing her hands around his throat and restricting his breathing for five to ten seconds.

After reviewing a probation report, Judge Layton declared his sentencing powers insufficient, and James will now be sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on December 3. She was released on conditional bail.

Crime

Disqualified driver jailed for ferry offence in Pembroke Dock

Published

8 mins ago

November 13, 2024

Court Reporter

A MECHANICAL engineer has been jailed after he drove a BMW off the Pembroke Dock ferry despite being a disqualified driver.

James Phillips, who was disqualified from driving in 2022 and again in October 2023, was seen driving a vehicle off the ferry into Pembroke Dock just before 1:00 am on November 11.

This week, Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told District Judge Mark Layton that Phillips, 35, claimed during a police interview that he believed his disqualification had ended. However, in court, he alleged he had arranged for another person to drive the car off the ferry.

“If he believed his disqualification had ended, why arrange for someone to come and collect the car?” questioned Ms Vaughan.

Phillips claimed he’d gone to Ireland to purchase the car for his partner, arranging for it to be driven onto the ferry, but the driver failed to assist in Pembroke Dock, prompting Phillips to drive. Officers on duty at the port witnessed the incident.

Judge Layton, after considering the facts, sentenced Phillips to eight weeks’ custody. Phillips, of Gerdd Lingfield, Whitland, will serve half in custody and the remainder on post-sentence supervision. He was ordered to pay a £154 court surcharge, £85 costs, and was disqualified from driving for 28 months.