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Manslaughter conviction for man who attacked friend in his own home

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A MAN who inflicted fatal injuries on his friend during a violent attack in his victim’s own home has been convicted of manslaughter following a trial at Swansea Crown Court.

Nathaniel Nuttall, aged 32, of Tenby Court in Monkton, Pembroke, attacked neighbour and friend Lee Thomas in his maisonette – punching him to the floor before stamping on his head ‘several times’ on 13 October 2021.

Nuttall, who lived above his victim, then called for an ambulance.

During the call, when asked if the patient was breathing, Nuttall replied: “He’s still breathing yeah, no he’s unconscious but he’s still breathing.”

Nuttall was asked what happened, to which he has responded: “Basically he started on me and I just punched him a few times in the face and stamped on his face several times”.

Following the call, the ambulance service contacted Dyfed-Powys Police, whose officers were first on the scene and found Mr Thomas unconscious in the living floor room, laying in a significant amount of blood.

His face was swollen and his breathing laboured. Paramedics arrived soon after and began working to save him.

At this point, PC Cranmer asked Nuttall what had happened, and he replied: “I f***ing did it”. The officer then asked what had gone on and Nuttall said: “I don’t know, he was just like this stupid little boy and all this and I just went like pffft, f*** off out my face,” while miming a punching action.

Mr Thomas was conveyed to the Intensive Care Unit, University of Wales Hospital, Cardiff by the Wales Air Ambulance with serious head injuries. He subsequently died on the 10th November 2021 having never regained consciousness.

During a police interview, Nuttall provided a prepared statement and initially answered “no comment”, before stating that Mr Thomas had slapped him across the face, which Nuttall said was why he  “punched him to the face a few times”, causing him to fall down.

Nuttall claimed he then kicked and stamped on Mr Thomas’ face approximately five times while he was laying on the floor.

When it was put to him, Nuttall accepted his force was excessive and not self-defence.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police established that Mr Thomas had a number of underlying health concerns, had limited mobility, often requiring a walking stick to get around, with friends and family saying he was too weak to get into a fight, so would not have started one. 

Nuttall was fully aware of Mr Thomas’ deteriorating health and claimed to be an ‘unofficial carer’.

The jury at Swansea Crown Court today returned a verdict of guilty for manslaughter after being unable to return a verdict for murder following a five-day trial.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Estelle Hopkin-Davies said: “Nuttall tried to argue self-defence but the level of injuries inflicted on his victim, whose head had been stamped on multiple times as he lay defenceless on his living room floor, just didn’t match his claims.

“This was a serious and prolonged attack that resulted in a 41-year-old man’s death.

“What makes this case particularly upsetting is that Nuttall was fully aware of his friend’s underlying health and mobility problems but still went on to viciously assault him.

“We’re pleased to have secured this conviction, which we hope will give some closure to Mr Thomas’ loved ones.

“They have gone through an incredibly difficult time but have done so with dignity, which I commend.

“I would also like to thank my colleagues at Dyfed-Powys Police and the Crown Prosecution Service who have worked incredibly hard to secure this convection.”

Nuttall will be sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Friday, 6th May.

Business

Thousands of homes in rural Wales gain from faster 4G boost

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RURAL Wales is seeing a major upgrade in mobile connectivity, with faster 4G now live in several areas. Seven locations across North, South West, and West Wales are benefitting from new 4G mast upgrades funded by the UK Government’s Shared Rural Network (SRN), aimed at closing the digital gap between rural and urban areas.

The upgrades, which went live on Thursday (Nov 14), bring improved 4G coverage to communities including Bontddu, Llanelltyd, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Penmaenpool, Tabor, Snowdonia National Park, and Bontgoch. Local businesses, emergency services, and residents are expected to benefit from faster internet access, which supports daily communication, business opportunities, and economic growth.

There is a £170 million agreement with Openreach to provide gigabit-capable broadband to 70,000 remote Welsh properties

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “Fast, reliable connectivity is essential for modern life and should be available from Cardiff to the remotest parts of Wales. Today’s upgrades bring us closer to making this a reality.”

SUPPORTING DIGITAL INCLUSION

As part of the rollout, Peter Kyle and Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant visited Ebbw Vale to discuss digital inclusion with charity and industry leaders. They met with representatives at BGfm, a digital inclusion hub in Blaenau Gwent, to learn about how connectivity impacts daily life in Welsh communities.

Telecoms Minister Bryant said: “We are working tirelessly to make sure rural communities aren’t left behind online.

“These upgrades mean businesses can now operate without connectivity limitations, 999 services are better equipped to respond, and residents and tourists can stay connected across the Welsh countryside.”

ADDRESSING CONNECTIVITY GAPS

An estimated 1.5 million homes across the UK remain without internet access, limiting people’s ability to access essential services such as banking and healthcare. In addition to the SRN upgrades, the Chancellor has allocated over £500 million in next year’s budget for digital infrastructure expansion, targeting these underserved areas.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens highlighted the importance of this investment, particularly for rural Wales, where fast, reliable internet can be transformative.

“Connectivity is critical for day-to-day life in rural areas – from supporting local businesses to ensuring emergency services are just a call away,” Stevens said.

The upgraded masts, previously limited to EE customers and emergency 999 calls, now serve a wider user base, bringing essential internet access to more people without requiring new infrastructure.

Ben Roome, CEO of Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, said: “With the activation of five new SRN sites, Wales is seeing the tangible benefits of the Shared Rural Network, bringing crucial connectivity to rural communities.”

GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT IN REMOTE WALES

The improvements come alongside a £170 million agreement with Openreach to provide gigabit-capable broadband to 70,000 remote Welsh properties, helping future-proof digital access in even the most isolated locations.

The latest upgrades mark another step in the Government’s mission to improve mobile coverage and close the connectivity gap across Wales, creating opportunities and supporting economic growth across rural communities.

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Milford Haven man admits to downloading indecent images of children

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A MILFORD HAVEN man has been sentenced after admitting to downloading over 1,000 indecent images and videos of children, including highly explicit content involving young children. Gareth MacDonald, now 23, appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images and videos across various devices.

The court heard that police visited MacDonald’s home, which was the scene of protests after his arrest, last year following intelligence suggesting that child abuse images had been accessed there.

There were protests outside MacDonald’s house in September 2024 (Pic: Herald)

Officers spoke with MacDonald’s mother at the door before entering to conduct a search.

During the operation, two mobile phones, a tablet, a laptop, and two hard drives were seized.

MacDonald initially spoke to one of the officers privately, admitting to downloading the images and saying, “It’s me.” Later, in formal interviews, he revealed that he had grown “bored with legal pornography” roughly a year earlier, knowing that what he was doing was illegal but continuing regardless.

Prosecutor Emily Bennett informed the court that MacDonald’s devices held 15 Category A images, the most severe classification, 26 Category B images, and 960 Category C images. Some content depicted children as young as nine, and the most serious material involved pre-teen children in distressing situations.

Bennett also noted that MacDonald had briefly joined an online group where members self-identified as paedophiles, although he left without sharing any material. Cleaning software was also found on his devices.

Defense counsel Dan Griffiths acknowledged that MacDonald’s actions had crossed the custodial threshold, but argued that there was “a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.” He highlighted MacDonald’s cooperation with police and his willingness to comply with rehabilitation programmes.

Judge Geraint Walters, presiding over the sentencing, addressed MacDonald, saying, “For some considerable time, you have accessed this kind of imagery, fully aware of the harm it represents.” He acknowledged that MacDonald largely isolated himself and stayed at home, factors he considered in the sentencing.

MacDonald was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, with a requirement to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days and participate in the Horizon programme. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years and is subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same duration.

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Welsh teenager jailed for creating 3D-printed gun at home

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A TEENAGER who assembled parts for a viable semi-automatic firearm using a 3D printer has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.

Owain Roberts, 19, purchased nuts, bolts, steel barrels, and metal rods online, constructing components of an FGC-9 gun with the aid of a 3D printer.

Detectives said that this case marks the first of its kind in Gwent, where Roberts admitted to manufacturing a firearm component. He appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday (Nov 14).

In April, firearms officers executed warrants at two Newport addresses connected to Roberts. Seized items included a 3D printer, two laptops, six plastic reels, and parts for an FGC-9 firearm.

PC Tom Meazey, from Gwent Police’s East Serious Organised Crime team, stated: “Illegally-held firearms can lead to tragic consequences and devastate innocent people’s lives. To own a firearm, including a printable one, is illegal in the UK without a valid firearms certificate. Roberts’s reckless actions in buying items capable of manufacturing a firearm placed people at direct risk.”

This rare and complex investigation involved support from the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Roberts received a prison sentence of four years and nine months.

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