News

Milford Haven: Two child slaves found in Mount Estate drug den

Published

7 years ago

March 4, 2019

TWO child slaves were found in a Milford Haven drug den having been trafficked to Wales from London, Swansea Crown Court heard last week (Mar 1).

When police searched a house on Elm Lane, Mount Estate, on September 26 2018, they found a boy aged 17 and a girl aged 15.

The court heard how the girl has a stash of cocaine and heroin hidden in an intimate part of her body.

Inquiries by the National Crime Agency soon found that the children were victims of modern slavery.

25-year-old drug dealer Junior Renford was also found, alongside 34 wraps of heroin, 21 wraps of crack cocaine, £360 in cash, and a sheathed machete.

This search was part of a wider effort to halt ‘county lines’ drug dealing.

Criminal organisations from areas such as Birmingham and Liverpool are sending young people without criminal records to sell class A drugs such as crack cocaine and heroin in more rural areas.

These are often vulnerable people that are used to avoid suspicion.

Renford, of Deer Park Terrace, Charlton, London, was on bail at the time of the Milford Haven arrest, for inflicting grievous bodily harm on another dealer in Yeovil.

Prosecutor Stephen Rees told Swansea Crown Court that in that incident Renford had punched a fellow dealer after he had refused to carry a deactivated handgun. The punch shattered the victim’s spectacles, with a shard of glass hitting his eye.

His sight was saved by doctors, but it has been compromised. Renford also has previous convictions for theft matters, affray, and drug trafficking. At Elm Lane, he had been obstructive towards the police, and ultimately had to be manhandled into the police van.

Barrister Dyfed Thomas explained that his client Renford had been sent to Pembrokeshire by those higher up in the drug gang’s hierarchy. In 2017, Renford was arrested for another drug dealing matter, and the gang’s mobile phone was seized. It is thought that he had then been sent to Milford Haven to pay off the debt of losing that phone.

Judge Peter Heywood said that having read a psychiatric report into Renford, and it was clear there was suggestibility and gullibility to the defendant. The court heard how the appropriate sentence for the section 20 wounding would have been 20 months prison, reduced to 15 months given his guilty plea.

The appropriate sentence for possession with intent to supply charges would have been 48 months concurrently, reduced to 43 for his guilty plea.

No charges were brought over the machete.

The sentences will run consecutively, meaning overall 58 months.

Renford will serve half of it in custody before serving the remainder on licence in the community.

Junior Renford (Pic: Dyfed Powys Police)

Crime

Scaffolder banned after cannabis smell reported from van

Published

3 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A SCAFFOLDER has been banned from driving for 14 months after an off-duty police officer smelt cannabis coming from his Volkswagen Transporter as it travelled through Slebech.

The report was made to police at around 10.30am on February 15. When officers located the vehicle, they discovered it was being driven by 46-year-old Christopher Bennett.

Further blood tests showed Bennett had 16.8 mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system. The legal limit is 2.

This week Bennett, of Queensdown Gardens, Brislington, Bristol, pleaded guilty to drug-driving when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates. He was represented in court by Alaw Harries.

“The defendant is remorseful for his actions and recognises the seriousness of the offence,” Ms Harries told the Bench.

“He suffers significant pain following operations to his shoulders and has been prescribed codeine. But this causes drowsiness, so he began self-medicating using cannabis.

“On the day of the offence, he was in worse pain than usual, so he used cannabis earlier than he normally does.”

Ms Harries said the conviction would have serious financial consequences for Bennett, who works as a self-employed scaffolder.

“His driving licence is fundamental to his livelihood,” she said.

“The financial consequences are going to be significant to him, as well as to those who are dependent on him.”

Magistrates fined Bennett £600 and ordered him to pay a £240 surcharge and £85 costs.

He was disqualified from driving for 14 months.

Crime

Estate agent banned after drug-drive crash in Milford Haven

Published

3 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Alison Walker had nearly five times the legal benzoylecgonine limit in her system

A PEMBROKESHIRE estate agent has been banned from the road after admitting driving through Milford Haven with nearly five times the legal limit of a cocaine metabolite in her system.

Alison Walker, 59, was arrested on February 2 after her white MG was involved in a two-car collision on Great North Road, Milford Haven.

“Fortunately there were no injuries, just damage to the vehicles,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

After providing a positive roadside drug swipe, Walker was arrested and asked to provide blood samples. These showed she had 240mcg of benzoylecgonine in her system. The legal limit is 50mcg.

Walker, of Woodland Crescent, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to drug-driving and was represented in court by solicitor Tom Lloyd.

He told the bench that prior to the offence, Walker had been employed as an estate agent.

“She has a good relationship with her boss, and as soon as this conviction is dealt with and her sentence has been served, he will be happy for her to return to her employment,” he said.

After considering a comprehensive probation report, magistrates disqualified Walker from driving for 20 months.

She was fined £80 and ordered to pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 costs. Walker must also carry out a 12-month community order, during which she must complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Crime

Pembroke Dock motorist banned after driving with cocaine in system

Published

4 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKE DOCK motorist has been banned from the roads after being caught driving with more than seven times the legal cocaine limit in her system.

Naomi Grant, 47, was stopped by police on the night of February 6 as she drove her Vauxhall Astra along the A477 near Pembroke Dock.

After providing a positive roadside drug swipe, Grant, of Cheriton Road, Pennar, Pembroke Dock, was taken for further tests.

Blood analysis showed she had 74mcg of cocaine in her system. The legal limit is 10mcg. She also had 1,200mcg of benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine, where the legal limit is 50mcg.

This week Grant, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to two charges of drug-driving when she appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates.

She was represented by solicitor Tom Lloyd, who told the court that his client is currently prescribed a considerable amount of medication for a number of medical issues.

“She also has her own personal assistant as a result of her medical needs,” he said.

“She has done everything that has been asked of her in relation to this offence and has engaged with the Dyfed Drug and Alcohol Service to help her move forward.”

Magistrates disqualified Grant from driving for 12 months and fined her £120.

She must also pay £85 court costs and a £48 surcharge.