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Terrified family trapped inside home as arsonist targets the wrong house

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A TERRIFIED family was left trapped inside their smoke-filled home when a Cardigan man started a fire outside the wrong house.

Nathan Lee Jones, of Golwg y Castell, set bin bags on fire outside a house in Castle Street in an act of arson earlier this year.

However the 42-year-old had targeted the wrong house, leaving a young family of four fearing for their lives as their only exit caught ablaze.

Jones was identified and arrested following a rigorous investigation by Dyfed-Powys Police detectives, with support from teams across Ceredigion.

He has now been jailed for four years for arson with intent to endanger life.

Officer in case Detective Constable Damon Watmough said: “This was a very serious and traumatic incident, which could have had devastating consequences for the victims.

“The defendant was determined to cause fear or harm by starting the fire, and put the lives of a family with two young children at risk.

“We hope this sentence will provide reassurance to the community and victims following this distressing incident.”

Police were made aware of the fire at around 3am on June 16, 2020, and an investigation was immediately launched.

Despite initial suggestions that it was accidentally caused by a lit cigarette, detectives were able to prove the blaze had been started deliberately.

Enquiries carried out into conversations on social media identified the defendant as being involved in the incident, and he was swiftly arrested.

DC Watmough said: “As the investigation progressed, we discovered the fire was started intentionally, but not at the home Jones intended to target.

“He actually went back to try and put the fire out, however it appears a black bag was still smouldering, and spread to the other refuse outside the house.

“By the time the occupants were aware, they had no means of escape, and a gas pipe had been damaged and was leaking into their home.”

A large amount of CCTV footage from the scene was reviewed, showing Jones in the location at times consisted with the fire starting.

Jones was charged with arson with intent to endanger life.

On Friday, September 25, he pleaded guilty at Swansea Crown Court and was sentenced to four years in jail.

DC Watmough said: “This is an excellent result, and is testament to the work officers from teams across the division put in to a rapid and intense investigation.

“Over four days, enquiries were carried out by Ceredigion CID, the Cardigan response team, CSI, intelligence bureau and technical support unit, who all helped to build the file of evidence against Jones.”

Crime

Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property

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A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.

Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.

The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.

The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.

The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.

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News

Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’

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THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”

The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.

Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”

NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.

“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.

“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”

The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”

This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.

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Community

Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed

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RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.

The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.

Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.

Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.

The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.

With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.

“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”

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