News

Former RAF man now on the medical frontline

Published

5 years ago

June 25, 2021

THIS week (21-27 June) is Armed Forces Week, and the Welsh Ambulance Service is celebrating the service personnel, past and present, who now work for the organisation.

An ex-Royal Air Force paramedic who served “outside the wire” in Afghanistan is now settling into the frontline of medical response back home in Wales.

Ryan Briggs, 41, from Haverfordwest joined the Welsh Ambulance Service in March 2020 after a 22 year career as a medic in the RAF.

Ryan said: “I’d always wanted to be a paramedic and went into the RAF at 17 as a bit of a stop-gap.

“I did my basic training and then did my medical training to initially become an RAF Medic.

“In 2008 I started my Emergency Medical Technician training with what was then Great Western Ambulance Service and gained my foundation degree in paramedicine in 2011 from Birmingham and became a paramedic from there.”

It was a career that took him all over the world and to numerous conflict zones.

He continued: “I served two tours of Iraq in 2003 and 2007 on the helicopters and then on the frontline in Afghanistan in 2012 – the Big Three as I call them.

“The most memorable though was being deployed to the British Virgin Islands in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma which ripped up much of the North Caribbean with 230mph winds.

“Being there as a solo medic in a humanitarian crisis was way out of my comfort zone.

Ryan taking a rest on-base in Afghanistan

“The conditions were pretty awful and I was doing all sorts that you don’t expect to be doing as a paramedic – GP visits, wound management and even primary care visits.”

The married father of two boys decided to come back home and put down roots with his family when he reached pensionable age in the RAF and as is well documented with many ex-forces personnel, struggled at first to adjust to civilian life.

Ryan said: “Transition was hard and to be honest it took me about six months to feel comfortable in my new role.

“I was initially on relief shifts and I needed a bit of stability so I spoke to my Locality Manager, Matthew Jones who was really supportive and put me on a line with an experienced paramedic who I worked with for almost a year.

“I am now fairly settled and enjoying my role.

“Because everything was new to me joining as the first lockdown hit, I didn’t have much of a problem adjusting to the new ways of working.

“Dealing with change is something I’d done for 22 years.”

Crime

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

Published

11 hours 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.

News

Man arrested after suspected drugs-related death in Haverfordwest

Published

11 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Police say death not suspicious as 46-year-old arrested over alleged Class A drug supply

A MAN has died following a medical emergency at a property in Haverfordwest, police have confirmed.

Emergency services were called at 3:18pm on Wednesday (March 18) after a report of a medical incident.

A man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Dyfed-Powys Police said the man’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers.

The death is not being treated as suspicious at this time.

However, police confirmed that a man, aged 46, was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

He has since been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

No further details about the deceased have been formally released.

Crime

Illegal dog breeders ordered to pay over £129,000 after council probe

Published

12 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

FOUR people from Mynyddygarreg, Kidwelly, have been ordered to pay more than £129,000 following a successful prosecution for illegal dog breeding.

At Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday (Mar 10), before His Honour Judge Thomas KC, Stacey May June Edwards, Peter John Edwards, Sian Eleri Thomas and David Malcolm James Thomas, all of Sea Breeze, Mynyddygarreg, pleaded guilty to offences under the Breeding of Dogs (Wales) Regulations 2014.

The court imposed confiscation orders totalling £129,873.41 under the Proceeds of Crime Act across the four defendants. They were also ordered to pay £8,000 in costs, while each defendant received a £2,000 fine.

The investigation began in April 2021 after Carmarthenshire County Council’s Animal Health team received an enquiry from Peter Edwards about obtaining a dog breeding licence. Although licensing guidance was provided and a partial application was submitted in February 2022, this was later withdrawn.

In March 2024, the council received a complaint that puppies were being advertised for sale without the required licence. Officers subsequently contacted online advertising platforms and issued data requests to assess the scale of activity.

Analysis of records from Pets4Homes, Freeads and Gumtree revealed multiple litters being advertised by members of the same household.

Correspondence under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act confirmed that up to 25 dogs were kept at the property, including between 16 and 19 breeding females.

While some defendants claimed joint ownership of the dogs, others attempted to minimise their involvement.

The Herald understands that numerous puppy advertisements were posted between July 2020 and April 2025, demonstrating a sustained pattern of unlicensed breeding.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability, Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen, said: “This case demonstrates the council’s firm stance against unlicensed and illegal dog breeding.

“These regulations are in place to protect animal welfare and ensure that breeding activities are subject to proper oversight. The scale of activity uncovered at this property was entirely unacceptable, and we welcome the court’s decision to issue significant confiscation orders under POCA.”

He added: “We urge anyone with concerns about illegal dog breeding to report it. Our Animal Health officers will continue to investigate thoroughly and take action against those who disregard the law.”

Residents are reminded that anyone breeding and selling dogs must comply with licensing regulations designed to protect both animal welfare and consumers.