News

Audit Office continues pension probe

Published

13 years ago

October 13, 2013

THE PEMBROKESHIRE HERALD can exclusively reveal the Wales Audit Office – the body responsible for checking the accounts of Wales’ public bodies – is to meet with Council Officers to investigate further
The auditors met with the legal representatives of both Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire County Councils last week to discuss the legality of both the payments and the decision-making process itself.
The Herald understands from a separate source that it is likely that the Wales Audit Office will issue a Public Interest Report into the conduct of Pembrokeshire County Council.
By law, the appointed auditor is required to consider whether to issue a report in the public interest on any significant matter coming to his or her notice in the course of an audit, and to bring it to the attention of the audited body and the public.
The Leader of the IPPG ruling group on Pembrokeshire County Council struck a confident pose this week when he attacked Labour Group leader Paul Miller’s attempt to scrutinise the payments in an interview in the Western Telegraph.
But Councillor Adams’ assertion that the conduct of the meeting is not open to question flies in the face of documents seen by The Herald relating to the conduct of Caerphilly Council prepared by the Wales Audit Office.
In Caerphilly’s case, the presence of officers at a meeting which discussed their remuneration packages was ruled unlawful.

News

Hakin motorist banned after driving 14 times over drug limit

Published

4 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A HAKIN motorist has been banned from driving for three years after being caught behind the wheel with cocaine and benzoylecgonine in his system.

Mark Briskham, 53, of Waterloo Square, Wellington Road, Hakin, was stopped by police on January 5 as he drove a Ford Kuga along Steynton Road, near Milford Haven.

Blood tests carried out at the police station showed he had 800mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system. The legal limit is 50mcg.

He also had 64mcg of cocaine in his system. The legal limit is 10mcg.

Briskham pleaded guilty to two drug-driving charges when he appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

Magistrates disqualified him from driving for three years, taking into account a previous drug-drive conviction from 2020.

He was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.cr

Crime

Begelly man remanded over alleged May Day assault

Published

4 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A PEMBROKESHIRE man has been remanded in custody following an alleged May Day assault against a woman in Begelly.

Tomas Baker, 34, of Ty Dee, New Road, Begelly, is accused of assaulting the woman, causing actual bodily harm, at an undisclosed location in Begelly on May 1.

Baker appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week by video link from Swansea Prison.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

His trial will take place at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on June 22.

Crime

Waterston man denies child rape and sexual assault charges

Published

4 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A WATERSTON man has appeared before magistrates charged with 13 sexual offences against children, including three allegations of raping a girl under the age of 13.

Chaisee Price, 25, of Biggins Hill, Waterston, Milford Haven, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

He faces three charges of raping a girl under 13, eight charges of sexually assaulting girls aged between five and eight, and two charges of intentionally inciting girls under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between 2014 and 2019.

Price denied all charges.

Because of the seriousness of the allegations, magistrates declined jurisdiction and the case will now proceed to Swansea Crown Court on July 10.

Price was released on conditional bail.

The conditions include a daily electronically monitored curfew between 6:00pm and 6:00am, no contact with the prosecution witness, no unsupervised contact with children under 18, and a requirement to surrender his passport to police.