News

Haverfordwest: Man with twelve months to live jailed for seven years

Published

6 years ago

November 23, 2018

Tom Sinclair

A ROMANIAN said to have just 12 months to live has been jailed this afternoon for seven years.

Vasile Mărgineanu, aged 34, attacked a woman and the man he thought she was having an affair with.

Mărgineanu, of Bridgend Square, Haverfordwest, admitted assault, false imprisonment and wounding.

John Hipkin, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that Mărgineanu had been in a relationship with Isnela Zimbru but formed the belief that she had begun an affair with Stephan Gherasim. All three had rooms at the same address.

On June 24 he burst into Miss Zimbru’s room while armed with a knife and told them they should look at each other for the last time as he was about to kill them both.

He then beat both of them with his fists and cut Miss Zimbru with the knife.

At one stage she managed to escape but Mărgineanu ran after her and dragged her back into the room where he resumed the beatings after locking the door.

“Using graphic details he repeatedly told them they were about to be killed,” added Mr Hipkin.

A man called Ben Popa arrived and managed to disarm Mărgineanu while Miss Zimbru ran into the street and begged for help from a passing motorist.

After his arrest police made inquiries in Romania and discovered that Mărgineanu had convictions there for attempted murder, robbery and aggravated theft.

His barrister, Craig Jones, told the court that Mărgineanu had been diagnosed in Romania with colon cancer. Doctors had told him he had 12 months to live and that he should make the most of them.

Judge Geraint Walters ruled that Mărgineanu should be regarded as a dangerous offender as defined by the law and passed an extended sentence of seven years.

He said Mărgineanu would serve a minimum of four years behind bars and should not be released until the authorities were satisfied he was no longer a danger.

In reality, added Judge Walters, Mărgineanu would be deported back to Romania while serving his sentence and it would be up to the authorities there to decide when to release him.

“You have the potential to cause serious harm and even death. It is a miracle your victims were not more seriously hurt,” he said.

Crime

Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property

Published

6 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.

Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.

The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.

The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.

The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.

News

Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’

Published

6 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”

The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.

Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”

NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.

“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.

“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”

The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”

This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.

Community

Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed

Published

8 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.

The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.

Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.

Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.

The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.

With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.

“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”