A PEMBROKE man has been sentenced for spitting repeatedly inside a police van and urinating inside a police cell.

Rowan Clark was arrested by officers at around 11pm on April 24 following reports that he was drunk and disorderly in Main Street, Pembroke.

Seeing that he had sustained cuts to his right hand, the officers decided to transport him to Withybush Hospital for treatment.

“When they reached the hospital, he spat multiple times in the police van and as a result, was arrested for criminal damage,” Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“He was taken to Haverfordwest police station where he urinated in the police cell.”

Clark, 23, of Main Street, Pembroke pleaded guilty to being drunk ad disorderly and two additional charges of causing criminal damage to the police van and police cell.

He was legally represented in court by solicitor Tom Lloyd.

“My client had been consuming alcohol heavily at the time, but had abstained for two weeks,” he said. “That day, he’d drunk for the first time and he went completely overboard, drinking shots.”

Clark was fined £80 and ordered to pay £250 compensation to Dyfed Powys Police. He must also pay £85 costs and a £32 surcharge.

A COURT has told how a Pembrokeshire firefighter volunteer made ‘the biggest mistake of his life’ after driving at Canaston Bridge when he was more than four-and-a-half times over the drink-drive limit.

When police arrived at the scene, they discovered David Thomas in the driver’s seat of a Vauxhall Combo van.

“Police officers had received a report of a single vehicle road traffic collision, after a van had gone into a ditch at Cross Hands, in Canaston Bridge,” Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“There they found the defendant sitting in the vehicle; he was extremely intoxicated.”

The incident took place at around 3.30pm on the afternoon of April 24.

A roadside breath test proved positive and Thomas, 66, of Haven Road, Haverfordwest, was taken to a police custody suite where he gave two further breath tests. These gave a lower reading of 159 mcg, The legal limit is 35.

“This is a very hard-working and valued member of the community, but that day, he made the biggest mistake of his life,” said solicitor, Tom Lloyd, after Thomas pleaded guilty to the charge of drink-driving.

Mr Lloyd said that Thomas is a self-employed builder who has worked on construction projects throughout Pembrokeshire since the age of 16. He has also served as a voluntary firefighter for a number of years.

“It’s very sad that he finds himself in this situation,” continued Mr Loyd. “He’s extremely embarrassed as he is a hard-working person who has never, ever, done anything wrong in his life. This has been a true wake-up call.”

Mr Lloyd’s comments were endorsed by probation officer Julie Norman.

“He is very aware of the seriousness of the offence,” she said.

“Other road users would have been at risk as this was a busy time of day, with people picking up children from school.

“Mr Thomas had drunk alcohol the day before and the following morning he got up, went to work and had more alcohol. He was on his way home from work at the time of the offence, and he lost control of the van.”

Ms Norman went on to say that since his arrest, Thomas has engaged with the Dyfed Drugs and Alcohol Service.

“It’s encouraging that he acknowledges that he has an alcohol issue,” she said.

After considering mitigation, magistrates agreed that Thomas’s offence crossed the custody threshold. He was sentenced to eight weeks in custody suspended for 12 months and was disqualified from driving for 36 months.

He must also carry out ten rehabilitation activity requirement days with the probation service and was ordered to pay a £154 court surcharge and £85 costs.

“The figure [of 159mcg] is frankly off the scale,” commented the presiding magistrate when passing sentence.

“But we feel that you have the will to sort yourself out. You now need to work with probation to address the issue.”

KEEP WALES TIDY has today announced the Wales Coast Award winners for 2024, spotlighting the 49 coastal sites achieving the high standards required to receive a prestigious Blue Flag, Green Coast or Seaside Award.

With more and more local authorities and organisations facing pressure on reduced budgets, it is heartening to see so many continue to prioritise the delivery of the exceptional standards required to achieve these awards in the stunning coastal areas which surround our beautiful country.

Blue Flag is managed internationally by FEE (the Foundation for Environmental Education) and is one of the world’s most recognised awards for beaches, marinas and boats. The programme’s mission is to promote environmental education, sustainable development of tourism, environmental management systems and ensure safety and access for beach users.

The 24 Welsh beaches achieving this accolade must adhere to specific criteria related not only to water quality, but also information provision, environmental education, safety, and site management in equal measure.

Alongside the 24 Blue Flag awards, 13 beaches in Wales were awarded the Green Coast Award which recognises their clean environment, excellent water quality and natural beauty. Green Coast Awards are ‘hidden gems’ along the Welsh coastline, exceptional places to visit and enjoy diversity and rich coastal heritage.

In addition, a total of 12 beaches, including Aberporth and Rhyl Central, also achieved the Seaside Award for the standard of their facilities and water quality.

This continued recognition of our stunning Welsh coastline is due once again to the huge effort of staff and volunteers at sites across Wales, and a shared drive to protect and preserve our natural landscape in the face of increasingly challenging circumstances.

Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, said: “Wales boasts some of Europe’s finest beaches and water quality, and the global recognition of our coastline is a true reflection of the dedication and hard work of so many people, today we celebrate the announcement of 49 winners for the Wales Coast Awards 2024.

“With 24 Blue Flag awards, 13 Green Coast Awards, and 12 Seaside Awards, I commend the dedication to preserving our pristine coastal environments.

“As we celebrate in this achievement, let us also heed the call to protect and preserve our coastal treasures. Let’s ensure that we leave nothing but footprints, allowing these breathtaking spaces to be enjoyed for many generations to come.”

Owen Derbyshire, Keep Wales Tidy Chief Executive said: “We’re delighted to see another successful year of Coast Awards here in Wales, with 49 stunning locations recognised among the world’s best.

“Achieving these prestigious awards means meeting rigorous standards put in place to ensure the safe enjoyment of visitors now and in years to come. This success is testament to the hard work of all involved in maintaining and enhancing the natural beauty of our Welsh coastline.”

A full list of awards can be found on the Keep Wales Tidy website here