News

Fishguard: Stiff sentences for £240 million drugs haul

Published

6 years ago

January 27, 2020

TWO men who hid £60 million worth of cocaine on a yacht travelling from South America to the UK have been jailed for a total of 33 years for drug smuggling, following a National Crime Agency investigation.

Swift Kilgour 380x225In August 2019, the NCA, working closely with the Spanish National Police, identified the SY Atrevido as carrying a large cocaine shipment.

The Border Force cutter HMC Protector was dispatched to intercept the yacht, locating it approximately half a mile off the coast of Wales in the early hours of Tuesday 27 August 2019. British nationals, Gary Swift, 53, and Scott Kilgour, 41, both from Liverpool, were arrested on board.

The vessel was escorted into Fishguard port where NCA officers and Border Force’s Deep Rummage team carried out a search, discovering 751 kilos of cocaine with a purity of up to 83%. The quantity found would have had a wholesale value of around £24 million and a potential street value of £60 million once cut.

As part of the parallel financial investigation, the NCA has seized the SY Atrevido, as well as a second sailing yacht, the SY Mistral, both believed to have been used by the OCG, as well as three Rolex watches, a Panerai watch, and Tag Heuer watch.

1080 logo NCAOfficerAndBFBoatInvestigators have also obtained court orders to restrain a third sailing yacht, caravans, five cars, two vans, and a house in France.

Upon arrest, Swift said to officers: “I just want to say that I am guilty. I have got something substantial on the boat and they will find it.”

He later admitted “I’m the bad one here,” and asked custody officers to pass a message to the NCA revealing the number of packages on board the yacht.

In December 2018, Kilgour had bought the vessel, paying €50,000 for it from a seller in Mallorca, Spain.

Swift and Kilgour were sentenced to 19 years 6 months and 13 years 6 months respectively today (Monday 27 January) at Swansea Crown Court, after pleading guilty to importing class A drugs into the UK at an earlier hearing.

Four others – three men aged 23, 31, 47, and a woman aged 30 – arrested in Liverpool and Loughborough in connection with the seizure remain on bail.

Jayne Lloyd, NCA Regional Head of Investigations, said: “Today’s result shows what will happen if you try to flood our streets with millions of pounds worth of potentially deadly drugs – you will be caught and you will face the consequences.

“Drugs aren’t just damaging to the people that take them, they fuel violence and exploitation, damaging communities and leaving destruction in their wake.

“It’s thanks to the work of the NCA, Border Force officers, and the Spanish National Police, that two highly organised criminals are behind bars and that these drugs haven’t made their way onto the streets.

“Our investigation does not stop here; we are now going after their assets to strip them of their illicit wealth and make sure they don’t profit from their crimes.”

Deputy Director Steve Whitton, from Border Force’s Maritime Command, said:

“The work of the crew of HMC Protector, as well as our specialist deep rummage search officers, played a crucial role in this case. Their work was a key part of an investigation which has ultimately put two significant drug smugglers behind bars.

“Border Force’s maritime teams will continue to work closely with the NCA to ensure organised criminals like Swift and Kilgour are caught and brought to justice.”

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

12 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

12 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

12 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.