News

Milford Haven School: Police called over 120 times in just two years

Published

6 years ago

January 17, 2019

FIGURES obtained by The Pembrokeshire Herald have highlighted the scale of police involvement in Milford Haven School over the last few years.

The investigation comes days after police attended the school to break up a fight between pupils. A video of that incident went viral on social media.

Since that story broke, a teacher at Milford Haven School has spoken to The Pembrokeshire Herald on condition that they are not named in this newspaper.

The Herald was told by the member of staff: “Some of the pupils at the school are totally out of control. The police are called often, sometimes several times in one week.

Our source added: “I would say that there are near riot conditions. I know that some of the staff have spent time off work, and they have told me that this is because of stress-related issues.”

The Herald checked with the local authority who said that emergency services had attended Milford Haven school 127 times since January 2017.

Of these calls, 110 were to the police’s 101 service, and 17 were to the 999 emergency call centre.

It is not known at this stage of the 999 calls how many were to ambulance or fire brigade – but it is understood from our source that nearly all of these calls were to Dyfed-Powys Police.

In 2017 there were 63 calls to the 101 service and eight to the 999 service.

In 2018 there were 45 calls to 101 and again eight calls to the 999 service.

So far in 2019, just days into the new term there have been two calls to 101 and one 999 call.

The council said that these figures, which they supplied, ‘show 101 calls declining and 999 calls stable’.

As the school is open for 190 days a year, the numbers demonstrate that the police are contacted on average two or three times a week during term time.

A spokesperson for Pembrokeshire County Council said: “It is important to point out that 101 calls cover a range of issues and 999 could be for the other emergency services, ambulance and fire.

The spokesperson added: “The police do attend the school for a variety of reasons, for example, if a young person is reported missing; to deliver assemblies to students, lunchtime workshop.”

In relation to work-related stress, the Council said: “There are no teachers currently absent from work with work-related stress.”

The council added, in a statement: “The school wishes to make clear that it takes the safety of pupils and staff very seriously and all incidents are dealt with under tested policies and procedures.

“This ensures that pupils are provided with the best possible opportunities to achieve their potential. The school would like to thank parents/carers and the wider community for their continued support.”

In December police were carrying out high visibility searches to stop drugs being brought into the school.

Police officers along with a drugs dog sent time on the school premises where some pupils were searched – but nothing was found.

PC Adam Bateman said: “This was a proactive exercise to show pupils at the school that if they thought about taking drugs onto school grounds we would be able to find them.

“As a precautionary measure, an area of the school grounds was searched by the police dog in order to establish whether any drugs were present.”

Headteacher Ceri-Ann Morris said: “We have confidence that this is an effective part of an overall drugs education strategy.”

Crime

Police issue update following incident at Tenby multi-storey

Published

1 day ago

January 3, 2025

Luke Sinclair

Dyfed-Powys Police have confirmed this morning that they are investigating a collision on the ground floor of the multi-storey car park in Tenby, at around 4pm on Thursday, January 2.

The collision, police said, involved a grey Nissan Qashqai and a young child.

The child remains in a critical condition in hospital.

The family are being supported by specially trained officers.

One man, aged 33, has been arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury through dangerous driving, drink driving, and drug driving. He remains in police custody.

Police issued a statement saying: “This is a tragic incident and is a live investigation.

“We ask that you do not speculate the circumstances and allow our officers to carry out their enquiries.

Anyone with information or dashcam footage that could help officers with their investigation is asked to report it to us, either online at: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101.

Quote reference 25*6238”

News

Milford sex offender’s child abuse images ‘most disturbing imaginable’

Published

1 day ago

January 3, 2025

Court Reporter

A 40-YEAR-OLD man from Pembrokeshire has been sentenced to 22 months in prison after being found with nearly 40,000 indecent images of children, including some of the most disturbing nature imaginable. Jason Church, a father of young children, appeared at Swansea Crown Court where he faced multiple charges related to child exploitation.

The investigation began when police traced suspicious online activity linked to Church’s home in Milford Haven. On August 23, 2023, officers executed a search warrant at his residence, during which Church admitted to having incriminating material on his mobile phone. He explicitly stated to the police, “It’s on my phone, what you’re looking for” when questioned about the nature of the images.

Upon examination of his Samsung device, authorities uncovered a staggering collection: 2,688 images classified as Category A (the most severe), along with 4,160 Category B images and an alarming 32,205 Category C images. Among these horrific images were videos depicting the sexual abuse of very young children, including a baby. Additionally, officers discovered a 170-page manual that provided detailed guidance on how to exploit children and evade detection.

In court, prosecutor Ashanti-Jade Walton highlighted the graphic content of the material found and emphasised the seriousness of Church’s offences. Despite his previous clean record, Church pleaded guilty to all charges against him. His defence barrister noted that Church was aware of the severity of his actions and had sought help from organizations aimed at preventing child exploitation.

Judge Huw Rees condemned Church’s actions as “unhealthy” and a significant danger to children. He stated, “These are not just images; they represent real victims,” reinforcing the gravity of Church’s crimes and the impact they have on real lives.

In addition to his prison sentence, Church is required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years following his release.

Community

Welsh Water distribute free cold weather lagging kits

Published

1 day ago

January 3, 2025

Tom Sinclair

AS the winter season is in full swing and the temperature drops, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water is offering free winter lagging kits to help households across Wales prepare for the colder months. With over 2,500 kits available, the initiative aims to assist residents in protecting their homes against frozen pipes and costly bursts.

Frozen pipes can lead to unwanted damage and unnecessary stress during the winter season, but with the right preparation the risks can be minimised.
The winter lagging kit includes pipe insulation and a tap jacket – with lagging designed to protect exposed pipes and a tap jacket to prevent outdoor taps from freezing and bursting.

“We understand how challenging winter can be for many people, which can be made worse should the unexpected happened – such as a experiencing a frozen or burst pipe,” said Euan Hampton, Water Demand – Delivery Manager at Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. “To help ease the pressures winter can bring, we’re offering free pipe lagging kits and tap jackets as part of our ongoing commitment to helping communities stay safe, warm, and secure throughout the colder months.”

In addition to distributing free lagging kits and tap jackets. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water recommends the following tips to help residents prepare their homes:

Locate your stop tap: Knowing the location of your stop tap is essential in the case of an emergency. If your pipes freeze or burst, you’ll want to shut the water off to minimise damage.
Clear your gutters: Blocked gutters can lead to excess water accessing your home, especially during a storm.
Insulate pipes: Not only outdoor pipes need preparing, think of areas that may be at risk to cold weather – attics or uninsulated cupboards.
Fix those drips: Dripping taps can increase the risk of frozen pipes. Fixing it will also save you litres of water every day, saving both energy and money on your water bill.
Away from home? Empty buildings are at particular risk. If you’re leaving your home for a prolonged period, turn off your stop tap and drain down the system – so there is no water in the system to freeze. If you’re away for a short time, if you can, we suggest keeping your heating on low to help keep your home warm and prevent pipes from freezing.
The free kits are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To request a free winter lagging kit or tap jacket, customers can visit: www.dwrcymru.com/en/winter-ready

Alongside the helpful tips to prepare your home this winter and advice on how to manage any issues should they arise. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water are also offering free water efficiency home visits to all domestic customers – and the free lagging kit and tap jackets can be installed as part of the visit.

If you would like to find out more ways you could start saving, visit: www.dwrcymru.com/en/help-advice/cartref/water-efficiency-home-visit