A FORMER army officer has appeared before magistrates after being caught drug-driving just one week before being granted a medical prescription for cannabis.

Shane Blofield was stopped by police soon at 9am on November 7 as he drove his white Ford transit van on the A40 through Slebech.

A roadside drugs swipe proved positive and subsequent blood tests showed he had 5.8mcg of Delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system. The specified legal limit is 2.

This week Blofield, of Clos Pluguen, Llandovery, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving above the specified drug limit when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates.

“This is a former army officer who has served his country well and is the father to three young children,” said his counsel, Dr Bobby Shabir of the Kings Bench Chambers.

“My client has a prolapse as well as issues with his back, and as a result he requires medicinal cannabis for health reasons. A prescription for cannabis was sadly given to him a week after the incident, because at the time, he was oblivious to the fact that he could get it on prescription.”

Dr Shabbir presented the magistrates with three character references including one from his former employer and a work colleague. He informed magistrates that Blofield is currently unemployed.

After considering the mitigation, magistrates disqualified Shane Blofied from driving for 12 months. He was fined £80 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £32 surcharge.

A 33-YEAR-OLD homeless woman has appeared before magistrates after squatting down in the centre of Haverfordwest to urinate in front of members of the public, including children.

Paramedics were called to Picton Place on the afternoon of March 11, following reports that a woman was lying unconscious in the street.

Upon arrival, they discovered Rebecca David.

“The paramedics recognised the female as the defendant as they had dealt with her previously,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“She sat up shortly after they arrived and began swearing and shouting, telling the paramedics to f*** off. She then said ‘I need a piss’ and proceeded to walk down an alley near to the bus stop.”

The paramedics followed David, fearing for her personal safety, and requested the police to attend as a result of her aggressive nature.

“They then saw her squat down as she tried to urinate,” continued Abigail Jackson. “The officers turned around to try to prevent members of the public seeing what she was doing, as these included children.”

David pleaded guilty to using threatening or abusive words and behaviour that was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

She was fined £40 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £15 court surcharge.

A HAKIN man has been sentenced for stalking his ex-partner to the point where she became fearful for her personal safety.

“I don’t know what he’s capable of,” Kirsty Braithwaite said in a personal victim statement read out to Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“Scott Horton is unpredictable and won’t take no for an answer. I don’t want him at my address, but I’m scared he’ll turn up.”

The court was told that the relationship between the couple began to deteriorate in December 2023. The stalking commenced the following March.

“On March 8 the victim returned to her home at approximately 11pm and 40 minutes later she heard a car pulling up outside,” said Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson.

“She saw the defendant’s vehicle, and then saw him standing outside her living room window, and heard him say ‘I can’t believe you’ve done this to me’.”

Six days later the victim was contacted by a neighbour who informed her that CCTV footage showed the defendant standing outside her property in the early hours of the morning and again at 7am.

“He attended on three further occasions that day, which was March 14, and the victim notified the police about what had happened,” said Abigail Jackson.

“On numerous occasions she received unwanted contact from him concerning the breakdown of their relationship, including doorbell footage which showed him standing outside her house at 5am in the morning, creeping past the front door and ducking past her camera.”

Ms Jackson said Horton’s behaviour has left her fearful for her safety.

“He knows my normal routine and I’m scared,” Ms Braithwaite continued in her personal statement.

“I’ve had to change the locks on my doors and I’ve had to install a CCTV camera. I’m afraid to walk anywhere in case he approaches me and I’m frightened to go to work in case he sees me there.”

Horton, 42, of Harbour Way, Hakin, pleaded guilty to a charge of stalking involving serious alarm or distress.

He was sentenced to a 12 month community order during which he must carry out 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He must also pay £250 compensation to Ms Braithwaite, £85 costs and a £114 surcharge. He will be subject to a daily electronic monitoring curfew between 10pm and 7am for three months.