News

Not on our patch: No Easter rave thanks to police and partners

Published

7 years ago

April 26, 2019

CLOSE partnership working between Dyfed-Powys Police, Gwent Police, Natural Resources Wales, local authorities, Brecon Beacons National Park and LandMarc saw off three raves this Easter.

23 potential sites across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys were patrolled over the bank holiday weekend, in an operation known as Flamenco.

As part of #OpFlamenco, police urged members of the public to report suspicious activity immediately, so gatherings could be disrupted before they grew.

An event in the Brechfa forestry, Carmarthenshire, was thwarted when Natural Resources Wales staff spotted a suspicious bag of stones, and ribbons tied to gates and hedges, designed as a signpost. Police seized the items and the gathering was cancelled.

One resident in Gwynne Fawr, Powys, reported vehicles arriving in the valley, allowing three Dyfed-Powys Police units and a Gwent Police unit to attend and disperse five vehicles from the area.

A gathering of 14 vehicles was moved from the Tal-Y-Bont on Usk reservoir, Powys, after a report from a Welsh Water Ranger alerted police. A sound system was packed away but a number of people were made to stay in a layby because they were too intoxicated to drive away.

On Twitter, PS 298 Owen Dillon said: “Dispersed a small gathering at the Takybont on Usk [sic] reservoir after call from @DwrCymru then turned vehicles back from Gwynne Fawr assisted by @gwentpolice to disrupt their plans. Officers left to cover the road. #OpFlamenco.”

Illegal raves are extremely disruptive for communities and cause damage to farmland and the countryside. Dai Rees, land management team leader from Natural Resources Wales, said:

“Our forests and countryside should be available for everyone to enjoy but illegal raves can damage the environment, impact on wildlife and leave it in a dangerous state for other people.

“These events cause misery for visitors and local communities, and we’re already taking measures to make it more difficult for people to organise them on our land. But spotting the signs early and reporting them is also really important and means that we can take action early to stop large gatherings forming.

“Working together with the Police and local communities has proved invaluable and we continue to encourage people to report anything suspicious to the Police on 101.”

In a Tweet, Temporary Deputy Chief Constable of Dyfed-Powys Police, Claire Parmenter, thanked the police officers and staff who worked on the operation, saying:

“Thank you to all the Dyfed-Powys Police officers and staff that have worked over the Easter break, some excellent proactivity and several illegal raves prevented through partnership working and intelligence sharing, diolch.”

Efforts to crack down on the events are continuing in the coming months, working to tackle the issues that unlicensed events bring, such as:

· Safety concerns: people are under the influence of drink and drugs with no first aid or medical facilities at hand. It is difficult and sometime impossible to get ambulances to casualties.

· Drink and drug driving.

· Rubbish and human waste left at sites and the subsequent hygiene issues this brings.

· Risk of fires.

· Criminal damage and theft.

· Illegal drug dealing.

· Underage drinking.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

10 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include:

Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
Common assault
Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

11 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second count of assault
Criminal damage
An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

11 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional non-fatal strangulation
Common assault on a woman
Criminal damage in a domestic context
Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.