Crime
Goodwick drug bust duo deny charges at crown court
A GOODWICK man and woman, who were arrested as part of a nationwide drugs bust have denied charges at Swansea Crown Court today (Apr 13).
48-year-old Shaun Lucas and 32-year-old Leone James, both of Precelly Crescent, Goodwick, submitted a plea of not guilty to a charge of conspiring with others to supply class A drugs, between May 16 2021 and March 15 2022.
The pair were arrested along with three other defendants following drug raids in Fishguard and Goodwick on March 14.
At the time of the arrest, a police spokesperson issued the following statement: “Dyfed-Powys Police has executed four search warrants this morning, Monday, March 14, 2022, in the Pembrokeshire and Dorset areas, connected to a drug trafficking investigation.
“The warrants were the culmination of a protracted investigation by the force’s Serious Organised Crime Team into an organised crime group.
“Three warrants were executed in the Fishguard area where one male, aged 48, and one female, aged 32, were arrested.
“One warrant was executed in the Dorset area where one male, aged 42, was arrested.
“All three were arrested on suspicion of trafficking Class A controlled drugs and currently remain in police custody.”
The duo, alongside five other counterparts from England, will stand trial for the charge.
The trial is expected to last around six weeks and is provisionally set for September 5.
The defendants were remanded into custody until their next court appearance.
Crime
Begelly man sentenced for carrying metal bar during nightclub fight
A MAN has been sentenced after approaching a Pembrokeshire nightclub armed with a metre-long metal bar.
Just after 2:30am on July 21, police were called to Main Street, Pembroke, following reports of a large fight involving around 100 people outside ‘Out’ nightclub.
Crown Prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest magistrates this week: “Officers were told it was a large fight. They saw Walter Probert, 27, march purposefully towards a parked van.
“The van’s lights were on, and they saw the defendant pull out a long, green metal pole. He took ten steps back towards the nightclub and transferred the pole from one hand to the other.”
Another man approached Probert, removed the pole from his hands, and placed it inside the van.
“Because of the manner in which the pole was used by the defendant, it became an offensive weapon,” added Ms James.
CCTV footage of the incident was shown to magistrates.
Probation officer Julie Norman said Probert had no recollection of the incident.
“He doesn’t remember what he was doing, but he accepts everything that has been said. He was very drunk,” she said.
“He was brought up in the gypsy travelling community and doesn’t have an alcohol issue; he’s just a social drinker. He’s thankful to his friend who took the pole and placed it back inside the van.”
Probert, of the Caravan Site, Kingsmoor Common, Begelly, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place. He was represented in court by Mr Tom Lloyd.
“No threats were made by the defendant when he picked it up, but it was a stupid decision,” said Mr Lloyd. “As soon as he was challenged and asked what he was doing, he ceased.”
Probert was sentenced to a 12-month community order, requiring him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £114 court surcharge. Magistrates imposed a destruction order on the metal bar.
Crime
Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm
THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.
Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.
Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.
The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.
A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.
“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.
“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.
“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”
Crime
Sex offender jailed for breaching court order
A SEX offender from Wolfscastle has been jailed after using fake names on WhatsApp and attempting to access a social media app, breaching his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).
Luke Rogers, 38, was sentenced to 10 months in prison at Swansea Crown Court after pleading guilty to two breaches of the order, which was imposed following his 2020 conviction for sexual activity with a child.
Under the SHPO, Rogers was prohibited from using unregistered internet-enabled devices or creating online profiles under false names. Prosecutor Ryan Bowen told the court that police monitoring software installed on Rogers’ phone detected activity in group chats under three aliases last November.
Further investigation revealed Rogers had also searched for the MeetMe app on four occasions and admitted using it. Rogers, described by Mr. Bowen as “apologetic,” was arrested, and his phone was seized.
The court heard Rogers has a history of 17 convictions for 35 offences, including breaching court orders and failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements.
Defence barrister Olivia Rose said Rogers had cooperated fully with police and expressed a desire to change. She argued that his breaches stemmed from a misunderstanding about permitted names and emphasized his efforts to seek support.
Despite these mitigating factors, Judge Catherine Richards noted Rogers’ pattern of reoffending and stated: “The reality is I can only pass an immediate custodial sentence.”
She expressed hope that Rogers would take advantage of post-sentence supervision to break the cycle of offending.
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