News

Prolific conman jailed for befriending and confusing cashiers in betting shops

Published

5 years ago

March 29, 2021

A PROLIFIC conman has been jailed after scamming bookmakers in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire by befriending and confusing cashiers.

Jason Haddigan was so well-versed in fraud that he had even written a book entitled “How and Why I Conned the Bookies.”

Despite fleeing the country after carrying out scams in Ammanford and Narberth, sufficient evidence was secured by Dyfed-Powys Police during a determined investigation to charge the 49-year-old with six offences.

Officer in case PC Jade Probert said: “This was a very protracted and complex investigation, which saw enquiries being carried out over the course of 18 months.

“Haddigan is a notorious conman, who was banned from entering every bookmakers in England and Wales, and had even written a book about how he had defrauded staff.

“His technique was to befriend cashiers in betting shops, gaining their trust. He would then deliberately scribble and forge vetting slips, and use his knowledge of the working procedures and equipment they use to con the cashier with a sleight of hand technique to switch the original slip for a forged one.”

Dyfed-Powys Police received a call from a betting shop in Ammanford on May 27, 2019, reporting suspicions that the cashier had been scammed by a man claiming to have won £1,600.

The caller stated that the man had placed a ‘slow bet’ on a dog race and spent the afternoon at the shop, befriending the cashier. At the end of the race, he ‘played dumb’ and claimed he could not remember who he had bet on.

The cashier had then handed him the original betting slip, which he fraudulently amended with the winning numbers. He was handed £1,000 and asked to return the following day for the remaining £600.

PC Probert said: “Haddigan then used a similar technique at a shop in Narberth, where he placed a bet on a horse race as close to the start of the race as possible.

“A few minutes later, he asked for his betting slip back, claiming he had forgotten to include the numbers of the horses – but by then he knew the result of the race and filled in the winners.

“This gained him over £1,700 in winnings.”

After committing the two offences, Haddigan fled the country and travelled to Ireland. He later returned to England, but proved incredibly difficult to locate.

He was finally arrested at Gatwick Airport as he again tried to leave the country under an alias.

Ammanford Sergeant Dylan Davies said: “Throughout police interviews, Haddigan refused to comment which resulted in a significant amount of work for investigating officers.

“However, thanks to their determination – and particularly that of PC Jade Probert – sufficient evidence was secured to charge him with six offences, which he finally admitted at court.”

Jason Haddigan was charged with two counts of fraud, two counts of fraud by false representation and two breaches of antisocial behaviour orders.

He appeared at Swansea Crown Court on March 19, where he was handed a reduced prison sentence of 21 weeks for his guilty plea.

Crime

Neighbourhood policing boosted across Dyfed-Powys

Published

30 seconds ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS POLICE has announced a significant expansion of its Neighbourhood Policing and Prevention Teams (NPPT), with more officers being deployed to frontline roles where demand is greatest.

From Monday (Mar 16), teams across the force area have been strengthened, with a renewed focus on tackling antisocial behaviour and preventing crime at its source.

The force says the move is aimed at reducing repeat demand by addressing the root causes of offending, rather than simply responding to incidents.

To achieve this, a number of officers have been redeployed from central departments back into frontline policing, while new posts are also being created to bolster capacity.

Temporary Chief Superintendent Steve Davies, head of uniform policing, said: “These changes are about increasing frontline visibility and ensuring we have the right resources in the right places.

“They form part of a wider programme of improvements across the force to enhance effectiveness and efficiency, while also supporting the wellbeing of our officers and staff.

“This is positive news for our communities, who will benefit from stronger neighbourhood teams focused on local priorities and proactive policing.”

The expansion has been made possible through Home Office funding under the Neighbourhood Guarantee scheme, which is designed to strengthen community safety and crime prevention.

Dyfed-Powys Police has been allocated £1.4 million for 2025/26, enabling the recruitment of police staff and freeing up officers previously in support roles to return to operational duties.

As a result, four sergeants and 29 police officers have now been reassigned to neighbourhood teams across the force.

Each NPPT area will also have a named officer, with full team details available via the ‘Your Area’ section of the Dyfed-Powys Police website.

The force has also secured early access to 2026/27 Neighbourhood Guarantee funding, which will see a further 12 officers recruited between April and the autumn—adding to overall officer numbers in the region.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said: “Neighbourhood policing is about more than numbers—it’s about relationships.

“Greater visibility helps build trust, strengthens community ties, and reassures the public that policing is present, responsive, and committed to keeping people safe.

“I remain committed to improving police visibility across our communities, and these additional officers will help turn that ambition into reality.”

Crime

Broad Haven man remanded in custody over sexual harm prevention order breach

Published

5 minutes ago

March 20, 2026

Court Reporter

Defendant admitted using Xbox without informing police as required under court order

ANTHONY COOMBES, aged 26, of Sand Banks, Broad Haven, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Mar 20) charged with breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard that between February 26 and March 19, 2026, at Haverfordwest, Coombes repeatedly breached the order by using an Xbox device without informing police within three days, as required.

The offences relate to a sexual harm prevention order imposed at Swansea Crown Court on October 20, 2021.

Coombes indicated guilty pleas to the offences at the first hearing.

Magistrates committed the case to Swansea Crown Court for sentence.

He was remanded in custody ahead of the next hearing, which is due to take place at 9:00am on Friday, April 3, at Swansea Crown Court.

The court refused bail on the grounds that he was likely to offend, citing the nature and seriousness of the offences and his previous record and character.

A pre-sentence report was ordered.