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Crime

Duo jailed for assaulting and robbing man in terrifying attack

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A MAN and a woman have been jailed for assaulting and robbing a vulnerable man at a railway station.

Rory Barnes, aged 23, of Ash Grove, Neyland, Milford Haven, and Hayley Talman, aged 30, of St Davids Close, Hubberston, Milford Haven, approached their victim at Haverfordwest Train Station at around 9pm on Sunday, 16 January.

Talman first asked the man, who is disabled, if he knew anyone who did drugs, before Barnes got up close and invaded his personal space.

The victim moved away but was followed by Barnes a number of times, before he grabbed hold of the victim and told him he must ‘do flake’ because of the jacket he was wearing.

The victim once again walked away, this time to the front of the train station, however, Barnes stayed with him, asking for personal details such as name and address.

The victim once again moved away and went back onto the platform. Barnes again followed and sat down next to him and asked for a cigarette.

The victim then got up and walked to the front of the train station, with Talman and Barnes following him.

Barnes then attacked the man, throwing him to the floor before getting on top of him and punching him twice to the head, before placing his hands into his coat pocket and removing a pouch of tobacco.

The victim then managed to run away towards the town centre, however, Barnes has chased after him.

He once again threw the man to the floor, shouting and swearing at him to give him everything he had.

Barnes has then punched him at another four or five times to the head area, and while he was on the floor, Barnes and Talman have gone through his pockets, with Barnes removing a debit card.  

Barnes has then stated that he had a knife. He was searching his own pockets as if he was looking for something, with Talman saying the victim needed to listen as Barnes had a knife.

Barnes has then asked Talman for the knife before telling the victim that if he reports the matter to police then he will find him and stab him.

At this point the victim was able to run away from the area.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police attended and promptly arrested Barnes and Talman, before launching a thorough investigation.

Senior Investigating Officer DS Tanya Grey said: “This was a terrifying ordeal for a vulnerable victim. Barnes and Talman subjected him to threats and intimidation before launching a violent attack.

“When the victim finally managed to get away from them he was running, fearing for his life as they had threatened him with a knife.

“I would like to commend him for his bravery throughout the investigation.

“We’re pleased with the sentences handed to Barnes and Talman and hope this offers some solace to the victim.

“I would also like to commend our officers, from the initial response officers to the investigating team. Their professionalism helped ensure Barnes and Talman were handed these sentences.”

Barnes was sentenced to four years and nine months imprisonment, as well as a further 18 months to run consecutively for an incident in Cardiff.  Talman was sentenced to three years and two months.

Both appeared at Swansea Crown Court on Friday, 11th March 2022, having pleaded guilty at a previous hearing.

Crime

Homeless man sentenced for crimes fuelled by crack cocaine 

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A 30-YEAR-OLD man who has found himself homeless as a result of an addiction to crack cocaine was this week brought before magistrates after admitting causing criminal damage to his former partner’s front door.

The relationship between Reece Bateson-Fenwich and his girlfriend Jordan Thomas was described in court as being ‘volatile’.

“Both parties were frustrated with each other,” probation officer Charmain Fox told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“He believes she still has personal items of his, which have a monetary and a sentimental value. 

“He’s been very honest with me about his struggles of being homeless as well as his use of crack cocaine.  At the moment, he’s either staying with people who are using substances or who invite him to stay with them when he’s in possession of a substance himself.

“Until his accommodation is secure, he’s going to continue in this homeless cycle.”

Bateson-Feneck’s court appearance was the result of his visit to Ms Thomas’ home in the Mount estate, Milford Haven on March 16.

“She heard someone storming upstairs to her flat,” said Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson.  “She knew it was the defendant because of his voice.  He was banging on the door really loudly and her ring doorbell showed the defendant standing outside.

“He shouted ‘I want my tv back, after all you’ve done with me.  I swear to God, when I get in there I’m going to f****** stab you.”

Ms Jackson said that Jordan Thomas believed the defendant was on crack cocaine at the time of the incident.

“I knew he was on crack cocaine as he wasn’t speaking clearly,” she said.

Bateson-Feneck pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to the door, valued at £39.99, and an additional charge of assaulting MS Thomas by beating during a previous incident on January 13 when he pushed the victim, making contact with her neck.

For both offences, Bateson-Feneck was sentenced to a 12-month community order during which he must complete 15 rehabilitation requirement days to address his accommodation situation.  He was also ordered to pay £100 compensation to Ms Thomas and £39.99 compensation for the damage caused to the door. 

 He was fined £120 and ordered to pay a £114 surcharge and £85 costs. 

 A restraining order was imposed preventing him from making contact with Jordan Thomas, visiting her home address and entering any information concerning her on any electronic device or social media.

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Crime

Milford Haven man accused of assaulting his own sister

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A MILFORD HAVEN man has appeared before magistrates charged with assaulting his sister occasioning her actual bodily harm.

Jordan Lawson, 25, was arrested on June 13, 2023, following the alleged assault against his sister, Kayleigh Lawson.

“He punched his sister, he kicked her in the face and grabbed her by the throat,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

Lawson, of Marble Hall Road, Milford Haven, denies the charge.

His trial has been listed to take place before Haverfordwest magistrates on May 20.  He was released on conditional bail, the conditions being not to contact his sister, nor a neighbour who witnessed the alleged incident.

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Crime

Woman will quit the booze after seeing shocking drunken video in court

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A HAVERFORDWEST woman this week vowed to undertake ‘a complete alcohol abstinence’ after being shown court video footage of her screaming, drunken and often incoherent abuse towards residents in a block of flats.

Louise Wiltshire, 59, entered the flats at Fleming Crescent on the night of March 10.  The video, captured by one of the residents on her mobile phone, showed Wiltshire hammering on doors, kicking them with her feet and lunging towards one of the residents whilst shouting drunken abuse.

“The resident was frightened that she was going to be assaulted,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

Earlier that night Wiltshire had made repeated 999 calls to the emergency services.

“The first time, the call handler noted that she was very difficult to understand,” she said.  “She was slurring her words and was incoherent.

“She called 999 a second time, saying she was unhappy about an incident that the police had previously dealt with and then she called yet again, making repeated requests for police officers and an ambulance to attend an incident as she believed someone was dead.”

Police eventually discovered Wiltshire in a corridor at a block of flats in Fleming Crescent.

“She was screaming and shouting at the occupants and was verbally abusive,” continued Ms Jackson.  “Her behaviour was totally unacceptable.”

Wiltshire, of Fleming Crescent, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in a public place, of common assault on the resident who fell backwards as she attempted to close her front door on the defendant and of causing wasteful employment of police time.

She was legally represented in court by Mr David Williams.

“The lady you see before you this morning is completely different to the lady you saw in the video footage,” he said.

“The first thing she told me this morning was how bad she feels about what happened.”

Mr Williams went on to say that the defendant’s behaviour spirals out of control after she consumes large quantities of alcohol.

“For a dangerously long time, my client has had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol,” he said.  “She has previously made efforts, but the point has now arrived where she realises that controlled drinking is not the way for her.  

“As we all know, it’s very easy after a few drinks to tempt yourself into another one, but for this lady, it’s fatal.  Alcoholism is a bad illness that takes several attempts to combat.  Please give my client the opportunity to start her journey towards complete abstinence.”

Wiltshire was sentenced to a 24 month community order during which she must carry out 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 200 hours of unpaid work.  She was also subject to a 120-day alcohol monitoring requirement.  She must pay court costs of £85 and a £114 surcharge.

“I’d just like to say how terribly sorry I am,” Louise Wiltshire told the magistrates following her sentence.  “Hearing that video was what I needed.  It was disgusting.”

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