Crime

DJ Longshanks trial delayed until next year due to barristers’ strike

Published

2 years ago

July 2, 2022

THE TRIAL of a Pembrokeshire man accused of making racist podcasts has been delayed by almost 10 months by the barristers’ strike.

James Allchurch, 50, of Gelli, denies 15 charges of distributing a recording to stir up racial hatred.
The hearing commenced on Wednesday but on the third day of the trial, Judge Huw Rees announced that due to ongoing industrial action, which increases to three days next week, the case would have had to have been split up.

This would have resulted in two days being set aside on July 7 and 8 and then, following a two-week break, the hearing would have resumed on July 25, 26, 27 and 28.
However, a note was passed to the court informing them that five jury members would be unavailable due to pre-booked holidays.

Allchurch, who used the name Sven Longshank on his podcast, denies 15 counts of distributing audio material to stir up racial hatred over a two-year period.

Until then, Allchurch of Gelli, Narberth, was granted unconditional bail.

The 50-year-old denies all counts. Earlier this week, the court heard how Allchurch presented the shows under the name Sven Longshanks – something that Mr Wright told the jury had historic connotations. He said: “The prosecution suggests the recordings were plainly insulting and abusive and intended to stir up racial hatred or at the very least likely to stir up racial hatred. As the name suggests the content was racist and white supremacist in nature. This defendant was the proprietor and responsible for the content on those webpages.
“He presented the podcasts using the name Sven Longshanks – a reference to King Edward I who was known for an edict of expulsion in 1290 by which all Jews were expelled from England. It is no coincidence this defendant chose to adopt the name while he posted racist podcasts. His co-host was Alex Davies, a white nationalist and one of the founding members of National Action, a racist neo-Nazi group which has carried out a number of provocative street demonstrations in the UK.”
The jury was read extracts from the podcasts by Mr Wright. In one episode he quoted Allchurch referring to black people and saying: “They are not equal to us” before later adding: “You cannot change the way people are. You cannot change the way things are created. The negro was created to be a negro. He was not created to be a white man. He wasn’t created to function as a normal white man. In white society he would fail.”

In another podcast the court heard Allchurch said: “How can anyone think a person migrating from a third-world country is coming to give us something? They are coming here to take whatever they can. That’s what they’re doing. It’s madness. ‘I want to go to Great Britain because they have high benefits – all I have got here is a s made out of cow dung. I go there I’ll be given a house made out of bricks and mortar.'”

A music extract described as “one of Mr Allchurch’s favourite tracks” was played to the court from another podcast which included lyrics such as: “Aryan pride” and “Life was better 50 years ago when Adolf Hitler dropped the Jews a new robe”. In another podcast, discussing providing aid to developing countries, he stated: “We do need to reduce the amount of negros that Africa is producing. They have got a billion over there at the moment and they believe there will be two billion within 30 years. And you can just imagine in another 30 years it will be four billion. Then they are just going to swamp the entire planet with a creature that is unable to find its own food and water and requires constant looking after.” He added that foreign aid needed to be dependent on a programme of sterilisation, stating: “If we left them to their own devices we could let nature take care of them. Epidemics such as ebola or monkeypox would effectively cull large swathes of their population.”

The court heard that following his arrest by police a laptop was recovered from Allchurch’s home which upon examination found the podcasts on the laptop. Notebooks containing usernames and passwords were also seized. During police interviews Allchurch admitted he was ‘Sven Longshanks’ and that he had adopted the name to protect his identity. He told officers he set up Radio Aryan as a project but also a hobby. He denied it was to stir up hatred and said he discouraged extremism and violence. He told officers he did not believe Jewish people had been subjected to execution in gas chambers. The trial continues and is expected to last for two weeks.

Crime

Ceredigion man sentenced for selling £150,000 in illegal DVDs

Published

11 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A CEREDIGION man has been sentenced for selling counterfeit DVDs worth £150,000 under major brand names without authorization.

David Robert Thomas, 47, from Sarnau, ran a sophisticated online operation, producing and selling fake DVDs labeled with brands like Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Sony, and Universal City Studios LLC. Thomas used seven different websites and managed multiple bank and PayPal accounts, including those of family members, to carry out his business.

Councillor Matthew Vaux, Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “Counterfeiting is often thought of as a victimless crime, but it harms the local economy by undermining legitimate businesses that pay taxes and create real jobs. This result sends a clear message that counterfeit sales will not be tolerated, and we will act against offenders.”

Thomas pleaded guilty at Swansea Crown Court on Monday (Nov 11) and was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. His sentence includes a four-month curfew and fifteen Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.

Under the Crime Act 2002, forfeiture proceedings will follow to reclaim the financial benefits from Thomas’s criminal activities. Judge Richards took into account the market value of equivalent genuine goods, the sophisticated setup of Thomas’s business, and his previously clean record in reaching the sentencing decision.

The case was brought forward successfully by Ceredigion County Council’s Trading Standards Service.

Crime

Welsh shop workers face ‘surge in shoplifting linked violence and abuse’ says union

Published

24 hours ago

November 13, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A NEW survey by retail trade union Usdaw has revealed disturbing figures on the abuse, threats, and violence endured by Welsh shop workers, with incidents increasingly linked to shoplifting. Released during Respect for Shop Workers Week, which runs from November 11 to 17, the statistics highlight a troubling trend that is impacting thousands of retail employees.

Usdaw’s survey, based on responses from over 4,000 retail staff, shows that in the past year:

69% experienced verbal abuse.
45% were threatened by customers.
17% were assaulted.

Usdaw General Secretary Paddy Lillis commented on the findings, saying: “Shop workers deserve far more respect than they receive. These reports from Welsh retail staff make grim reading. It is shocking to see over two-thirds of our members subjected to abuse, threats, and violence. Seven in ten of these incidents are related to theft, much of it tied to addiction and organised crime.”

Usdaw’s survey suggests that shoplifting is increasingly becoming a flashpoint for violence. Many shop workers report encountering hardened criminals who appear to steal goods “to order” or to fund addictions. According to the union, incidents are on the rise across Wales, with police-reported shoplifting up by 33% in the past year.

Usdaw member testimonies paint a vivid picture of the dangers faced on the shop floor:

One respondent described being “spat at, pushed against a wall, punched, and threatened with a knife.”
Another reported that, after refusing to sell alcohol, they were told to “F**k off” and threatened with a beating by a group of five.
Others spoke of being punched, spat on, and verbally abused, with threats that often left lasting emotional scars.

New measures on the horizon

Usdaw has been calling for greater legal protection for retail workers for years, and it appears these calls are finally being heard. The recent Crime and Policing Bill, announced in the King’s Speech, proposes to:

End the £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifters, which has been a source of frustration for retailers.
Introduce town centre banning orders for repeat offenders.
Allocate funding for tackling organised shoplifting and increase police presence in shopping areas.

“We welcome these new measures and hope they will provide much-needed protection,” said Mr. Lillis. “After 14 years of neglect under successive Tory governments, we are encouraged by the steps the new Labour government is taking to address the retail crime epidemic.”

As Christmas approaches—a time when retail crime tends to peak—Usdaw is urging the public to “respect shop workers” and remain calm as stores become busier.

Usdaw, which represents around 360,000 members, primarily in retail, launched its Freedom From Fear Campaign to tackle the growing issue of violence against shop workers. The final results of the 2024 survey are expected in March 2025.

Crime

Pembroke Dock resident faces court over dog control breaches

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2024

Court Reporter

PHILIP Murray, 52, of 11 Picton Place, Pembroke Dock, will appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Nov 14) to face several charges of breaching a community protection notice. The notice, issued under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, required Murray to control his dogs in response to repeated disturbances.

The charges relate to incidents from May to September 2024, when Murray allegedly failed to comply with the restrictions set out in a notice issued on January 3, 2024. Court documents state that despite multiple warnings, Murray continued to disregard the order, leading to ongoing issues linked to his dogs’ behaviour.

If found guilty, Murray could face a Level 4 fine for each offence. The hearing is scheduled to take place from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm in Courtroom 1, presided over by the Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire Adult Panel.

The case underscores the role of community protection notices in addressing persistent anti-social behavior.