News
Divers fined after raiding shipwrecks

DIVERS in Pembrokeshire will be taking note after a landmark case on Wednesday where two divers from Kent have been made to pay a total of £63,500 in fines and costs for not declaring valuable items from shipwrecks off the UK coast.
David Knight and Edward Huzzey, both from Sandgate, had previously pleaded guilty to 19 offences between them, contrary to section 236 and section 237 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. Knight was fined £7,000 and Huzzey £6,500. They were each ordered to pay £25,000 in costs. Items were taken from shipwrecks off the Kent coast, with the first known objects removed in 2001. The shipwrecks targeted included German submarines from World War I and an unknown 200 year old wreck carrying English East India Company cargo. The items included eight bronze cannons, three propellers from German submarines, lead and tin ingots, along with various other artefacts. It’s thought the combined value of the items is more than £250,000. The MCA is aware from diary entries that Knight and Huzzey used explosives and sophisticated cutting equipment to free wreck material. It’s believed that six of the cannons had been sold on, but in the last fortnight they have been returned to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). Taking this into account in passing sentence at Southampton Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Calloway, said: “The scale of the operation has to be considered to have been on an industrial scale: the resources employed were valuable and substantial, using good quality lifting equipment and explosives. Huzzey and Knight are friends and clearly operated in close co-operation to actively scavenge for material from the wrecks they explored.” Alison Kentuck, the MCA’s Receiver of Wreck, said: “It is not a case of ‘finders keepers’. Our message is clear: all wreck material found within or brought within UK territorial waters must be reported to the Receiver of Wreck. “Finders of wreck have 28 days to declare their finds to the Receiver. This case demonstrates what could happen to you if you don’t. By reporting wreck material you are giving the rightful owner the opportunity to have their property returned and you may be adding important information to the historic record. “Legitimate finders are likely to be entitled to a salvage award, but those who don’t declare items are breaking the law and could find themselves, just like with this case, facing hefty fines.” English Heritage has provided expert advice in relation to uncontrolled salvage on submerged archaeological remains and on the handling of the seized artefacts. Mark Harrison, English Heritage’s National Policing and Crime Adviser, said: “The sentence today sets an important precedent in the fight against uncontrolled salvage by a small criminal minority who have no appreciation for our national maritime heritage. Sophisticated techniques and equipment were used by these men to remove valuable artefacts from the seabed.” Mark Dunkley, English Heritage’s Maritime Archaeologist said: “English Heritage takes very seriously all cases of heritage crime which robs us of our shared history. However, we recognise that the majority of divers do act responsibly and comply with the laws and regulations relating to historic wreck sites and salvage.”
Community
New parent, baby and child walking groups launch in Pembrokeshire

PARENTS in Pembrokeshire looking for a friendly and supportive way to get outdoors with their little ones can now join free weekly walking groups in Broad Haven and Pembroke.
Organised by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, these walks provide a relaxed and welcoming environment, offering a chance to connect with other parents while enjoying gentle exercise, spotting wildlife along the way, and taking in the beauty of the local area.
The Broad Haven walks take place every Monday at 10am, starting from the Park Authority’s car park outside the YHA in Broad Haven, while the Pembroke group meets every Friday at 10am at Pembroke Commons car park, opposite the Pembroke Carvery. Both walks begin at 10.15am and are free to attend. They are pram-friendly, making them ideal for new parents, parents-to-be, and those with toddlers.
Each walk lasts between 45 and 60 minutes, with nearby baby-changing facilities and local cafés available for refreshments before or after the stroll.
Along the way, parents can take part in fun, age-appropriate activities with their little ones while benefiting from fresh air, gentle movement, and the support of a like-minded community.
Get Outdoors Coordinator, Amber Manning, organiser of the walking groups, encourages parents to come along and experience the benefits of connecting with others in a natural setting, and says:“These walks are a fantastic way for parents to get outside, socialise and enjoy Pembrokeshire with your children. Whether you’re looking to meet new people, get some fresh air, or simply enjoy a relaxed walk, everyone is welcome.”
For more information, contact Amber Manning at 07483 377414 or via email at [email protected]
Health
Emergency care failing in Wales, warns damming report

EMERGENCY healthcare in Wales is failing too many people, according to a stark new report by Llais, the statutory body representing the public’s voice in Welsh health and social care. The report, based on feedback from over 700 people, calls for urgent action, warning that the state of emergency services has reached a crisis point.
Llais’ study, conducted over a five-week period, included visits to 42 emergency departments, minor injury units, and medical assessment units across Wales. The findings highlight severe delays, overcrowding, and a system struggling to meet even basic expectations.
Patients forced to find their own way to hospital
One of the most alarming takeaways from the report is the frequency of ambulance delays. Many patients reported waiting for up to 12 hours for emergency transport, forcing them to either drive themselves or rely on friends and family, despite being seriously unwell. Some even risked worsening their condition by taking taxis or public transport.
A patient at Morriston Hospital’s emergency department described the situation as dire: “I drove because the ambulance ETA was 7-8 hours, but I had severe chest pain and couldn’t wait that long.”
Others recounted horror stories of being sent to the wrong hospitals due to poor communication, leaving them stranded and paying exorbitant taxi fares to correct the mistake. One patient, initially taken to Glangwili Hospital despite their complex spinal history, had to pay £130 for a taxi back to Swansea, where they should have been taken in the first place.
Unbearable waiting times and overcrowding
The report details widespread reports of excessive waiting times, with many patients enduring 8 to 24 hours before receiving care. In some cases, waits exceeded 26 hours. Overcrowding is commonplace, with many patients left waiting in corridors, unable to access beds or even chairs.
One individual at Royal Glamorgan Hospital A&E said: “I’ve been waiting 12 hours and only had triage and a water sample. I’m in a corridor that’s meant to be for paediatrics – it’s uncomfortable and degrading.”
Families of vulnerable patients described feeling abandoned, with little communication from staff about their loved ones’ condition. One woman at Bronglais General Hospital recounted her frustration: “We are not too sure what is going on. We spoke to a nurse just over an hour ago. We are still waiting. We’ve been given no explanation of what the treatment is to be.”
Critical incidents declared
The Llais report warns that the pressures on Welsh emergency services are not temporary, but systemic. Since the study was conducted, ‘business critical incidents’ have been declared by both the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. Other health boards, including Swansea Bay and Cwm Taf Morgannwg, have issued urgent warnings about overwhelming demand.
Calls for immediate action
Llais Chief Executive Alyson Thomas has called for immediate action, stating: “The voices we’ve heard paint a stark picture of a system under immense pressure. While we commend the dedication of healthcare staff, they are working in a system that is not giving them or the people they care for the support they need.”
The report calls for urgent measures, including:
- Faster ambulance response times
- Better coordination between emergency services and primary care
- Increased staffing and resource allocation
- Improved dignity and care for patients waiting in corridors
- Greater transparency and accountability from NHS Wales and the Welsh Government
Welsh Conservative response: “Labour’s mismanagement to blame”
James Evans MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, has sharply criticised the Welsh Labour Government’s handling of emergency care.
“Emergency care is losing the very essence of its definition. Responses are too slow, and far too many people are suffering as a result of Labour’s mismanagement,” Evans stated.
He dismissed the idea that ‘winter pressures’ could explain the ongoing crisis, arguing that the current state of emergency care has become an unacceptable ‘new normal.’
“No one should be waiting over 12 hours in A&E, certainly not the many thousands we are seeing every month. The Welsh Labour Government seems completely unwilling to get to grips with this situation. Only the Welsh Conservatives stand ready to replace them so that we can fix Wales.”
Calls for reform
Keir Starmer, Prime Minister, acknowledged the crisis, stating: “The NHS in Wales is in urgent need of reform. Investment and reform need to go together… On occasions, using the private sector to get down waiting lists? Yes, that’s been going on a long time. We will do that to get waiting lists down.”
In a Senedd debate in January 2025, concerns were raised that waiting lists have hit record highs after nine months of continuous increases, forcing many patients to pay for private healthcare after years of waiting.
First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, stated: “Reducing waiting times must be our key objective… It’s about rolling up our sleeves and collaborating to deliver the investment and reform desperately needed for healthcare in Wales.”
A Welsh Labour Government statement reaffirmed their commitment to the NHS: “Your Welsh Labour Government will always support the NHS – and will always support the NHS to change and modernise. That means continuing to invest in the NHS… Reforms have also focused on providing more care and NHS services out of hospital and in local communities.”
A system at breaking point
With emergency care in Wales under “extreme and unsustainable pressure,” as described by Llais Chair Professor Medwin Hughes, many patients and staff feel abandoned in a system that is failing them.
“The dignity of patients is not even being considered anymore. The system is chaotically inefficient and in desperate need of a review,” one patient at Glan Clwyd Hospital remarked.
Llais has vowed to keep pushing for reform, but with patient experiences growing increasingly dire, the question remains: how much longer can Wales’ emergency healthcare system hold on before it completely collapses?
Crime
Milford Haven man banned for three years after second drug-driving conviction

A MOTORIST who claimed to have taken cannabis “several days” before being stopped by police was found to have over four times the prescribed legal limit of the drug in his system.
Antonio Rodrigues, 27, was pulled over by officers just before 3:00pm on September 13, 2024, while driving his Smart car along an unclassified road off the A40 in Slebech.
A roadside drugs wipe proved positive, and further blood tests at the police custody suite confirmed he had 9.8 mcg of cannabis in his system—well above the legal limit of 2 mcg.
Haverfordwest magistrates heard this week that this was Rodrigues’ second drug-driving offence in a ten-year period.
“He’d taken the cannabis some days before, and there was nothing wrong with his driving,” said his solicitor, Michael Kelleher, after Rodrigues, of Croeso, Steynton Road, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to the offence.
“He had no idea he was over the limit.”
Mr Kelleher added that Rodrigues self-medicates with cannabis and is in the process of applying for a legal cannabis prescription.
Magistrates disqualified him from driving for 36 months and fined him £120. He was also ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £48 court surcharge.
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