Crime

Teenager sentenced for danger drive chase through Haverfordwest

Published

3 years ago

March 22, 2022

A 17-YEAR-OLD disqualified driver who sped away from police, leading to a chase through a busy town, has been handed a suspended sentence and banned from driving for three years.

Jerry Harty was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Friday, when he was also ordered to take a diversionary scheme to engage with rehabilitation activity for 20 days in a bid to get him to change his ways.

Harty’s driving was so dangerous – with excessive speed, driving on the wrong side of the road, and travelling the wrong way around a roundabout – that police had to call off their pursuit.

However, officers from Dyfed-Powys Police refused to let him get away with it.

They continued to patrol the area and spoke to a member of public who had seen a car matching the description of Harty’s turn down towards Freystrop.

Officers followed that route and found Harty, now aged 18, of Pantyblawd Caravan Site, Swansea Enterprise Park, near his black Peugeot 308, where he had attempted to dump the car and its keys.

PS Paul Owen-Williams said: “Harty is a young, inexperienced and was already a disqualified driver.

“His driving on that day was dangerous and could so easily had resulted in a serious collision.

“He thought he could get away with it, and denied any involvement in the incident, trying to blame someone else for his actions, and pleading not guilty at earlier hearings.

“But I’m pleased our officers, through tenacious efforts and good police work, were able to get the evidence needed to make him change his plea to guilty.”

The incident, on October 9, 2021, started when officers attempted to pull over Harty’s car just prior to Salutation Square roundabout in Haverfordwest.

Harty, who was previously disqualified from driving in 2018 and had never held a full driving licence, did not stop. He continued to drive, initially in a highway code compliant manner, onto the roundabout and took the exit onto Freemans Way.

With police still in pursuit, with lights and sirens on, Harty then moved into the oncoming lane and started overtaking vehicles at speed, forcing his way through traffic towards the Merlins Bridge Roundabout.

He has then taken the second exit onto the A4076 towards Johnston where the lights were on red and has gone the wrong way around the ‘keep left’ bollard at the main traffic lights, next to the turn to go onto Old Hakin road, forcing a member of the public to slam on their breaks.

The then carried back onto the correct side of the road and continued at speed out on the A4076 towards Johnston. He was seen doing 60mph in a 30mph zone.

Harty continued to overtake vehicles and force his way through traffic and is then sighted doing 90mph as his car entered the 50mph zone towards Johnston.

As he came to the roundabout at Johnston, Harty went the wrong way around it, again, forcing people to stop and move to avoid getting hit.

Due to the risk posed to members of the public from the driver, officers have called the pursuit off.

Once officers tracked him down he was arrested and later charged with failing to stop, driving whilst disqualified, driving without insurance, dangerous driving and driving otherwise in accordance of a licence.

After pleading guilty to these offences at a previous hearing he was sentenced on Friday and received a 27-week custodial sentence, suspended for one year, ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work, to engage with rehabilitation activity for 20 days and disqualified from driving for three years.

PS Owen-Williams added: “We’re pleased with the sentence and we hope it serves as a warning to anyone considering driving in such a foolish, reckless way.

“It is only down to luck that no-one was seriously hurt that day.”

Crime

Albanian man jailed after cannabis farm found in Pembroke

Published

14 hours ago

November 11, 2024

Court Reporter

AN ALBANIAN man has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after police discovered a sophisticated cannabis farm in the former Lloyds Pharmacy on Main Street, Pembroke.

Dyfed-Powys Police officers raided the vacant property at 10:00am on Friday (Oct 18) and found 575 cannabis plants in advanced stages of growth across three rooms. The estimated yield of the plants could have produced between 15 and 45 kilograms of cannabis, valued at £170,000 to £500,000 on the street.

Inside the building, officers also discovered a makeshift living area with a bed and shower, indicating that the suspect, Amarildo Daja, had been residing there. Daja attempted to flee but retreated into the building, hiding in the ceiling when confronted by police. Officers assisted him down with a ladder before placing him under arrest.

The property’s electricity supply had been tampered with to avoid detection, and two mobile phones were found on-site—one damaged and the other wiped clean.

Daja, 27, admitted to police that he had been smuggled into the UK by a criminal gang to pay off a debt. He initially worked in London but agreed to tend the cannabis farm in Pembrokeshire three months prior to his arrest after struggling to make payments.

In court, his defense barrister, Caitlin Brazel, explained that Daja deeply regretted his actions, describing them as “out of character.” Daja, who has no fixed address, expressed a desire to serve his sentence and seek legal employment afterward.

Judge Geraint Walters noted that the case highlighted the need to target criminal organizations behind such operations. “If we want to tackle the issue of Albanian criminal gangs establishing cannabis factories, we must find the ringleaders,” he stated.

Daja will serve his sentence with the possibility of deportation upon release, subject to a Home Office decision.

(Main image: Martin Cavaney)

Crime

Officers investigate Carmarthenshire post office burglary – Cash stolen

Published

3 days ago

November 9, 2024

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS POLICe is investigating a burglary at a Carmarthenshire post office which took place on Tuesday (Nov 5) at around 6:30pm.

Detectives said that two suspects reportedly entered the Furnace Post Office, stealing the till drawer containing a quantity of cash.

After fleeing the scene, the pair were seen heading towards the Rugby Club and Ynys Y Cwm Road.

Police are appealing to the public for assistance in identifying the suspects.

They are particularly keen to hear from residents near these areas who may have CCTV or doorbell camera footage.

Investigators are also seeking to identify the individual in CCTV images who could possess information vital to the investigation.

Anyone who recognises the person in the footage, or believes they might be pictured, is urged to get in touch via the following channels:

Online: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline
Email: [email protected]
Phone: Call 101

Crime

Motorist jailed over death of popular Tenby taxi driver ‘Mukka’

Published

4 days ago

November 8, 2024

Court Reporter

MOTORIST Mateusz Sikorski, 30, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison at Swansea Crown Court on Friday (Nov 8) for causing death by dangerous driving.

Addressing the court, the judge HH Geraint Walters KC, said: “These cases are amongst the most difficult that courts have to deal with. This wasn’t a momentary crossing onto the other carriageway; you were travelling along there for at least half a mile.”

Sikorski had been staying with friends in Manorbier, Tenby, since June 2024, when the fatal incident occurred.

On September 2, CCTV captured Sikorski driving on the wrong side of the A4139 between Tenby and Penally. Christopher Boyle, 57, was travelling northbound on the same road in his taxi when the two collided head-on.

***Mukka was a well known and well loved member of the local community (Image: Supplied)***

Prosecutor Dean Pulling recounted Sikorski’s comments at the scene: “I think it may have been my fault, I think I was on the wrong side of the road.” Boyle was pronounced dead at 11:32 pm on September 2, having sustained multiple traumatic injuries.

A heartfelt family statement from Boyle’s sister was read in court, describing the devastating impact of his death: “The loss of Chris has been absolutely devastating. His death has left a profound void that can never be filled.

“He was a son, brother, father, and beloved member of our community. My father has had to endure the unimaginable by burying his own son. For Christopher’s children, they have lost a dad.

***Tribute in the sand: Mukka is missed by many***

“Chris was a much-loved character within the community. His loss has left a hole in the hearts of so many. All of this was caused by a moment of selfish and careless actions, and caused a lifetime of grief.”

In mitigation, James Hartson argued that Sikorski had accepted full responsibility for Boyle’s death and expressed genuine remorse.

Christopher Boyle, affectionately known as “Mukka” was a devoted father, son, brother, partner, and community figure, whose absence is deeply felt by all who knew him.