Lewis Haines’ sentencing for murder of Lily Sullivan adjourned

Published

3 years ago

July 7, 2022

Cerys Lafferty

LEWIS HAINES, 31, appeared in Swansea Crown Court for sentencing this afternoon (July 7).

However, the court was adjourned after new evidence was presented that there was a sexual element to the murder.

Lily’s body was found in the Mill Pond in Pembroke on December 17, 2021.

Haines, of Flemish Court, Lamphey, was scheduled to stand trial for Ms Sullivan’s murder on June 20. However, on June 13, at a hearing in Swansea Crown Court, he changed his plea to guilty.

Today, Judge Paul Thomas QC confirmed to the court that the Crown Prosecution requested a minimum sentence of 30 years, while the defence requested a minimum sentence of 15 years.

“This represents a vast difference,” commented Judge P H Thomas.

The Crown claimed that when Miss Sullivan’s body was discovered, her state of ‘undress’ indicated that a sexual element had been involved prior to her murder.

Haines’ barrister, John Hipkin QC, requested a brief adjournment to discuss the issue with his client, which was granted by Judge Thomas.

“It is regrettable that this case will have to be put back until later this month,” said defence barrister, John Hipkin QC.

“Material that we need we have not yet got from the Crown which would help us in terms of the advice that we tend to Mr Haines.”

Today’s new evidence presented by the Crown in relation to Lewis Haines’ proposed sentencing has been described as a “substantial issue” by defence barrister John Hipkin.

“It’s a substantial issue and is one that requires proper consideration and instruction to be determined,” he added.

” What we envisage doing is speaking to the defendant in custody armed with further information from the Prosecution and then what form we envisage the case proceeding to sentence.”

Judge Paul Thomas QC stated that an adjournment is required before he can make a decision on Haines’ sentence.

He said: “It’s very important that this matter is dealt with as soon as possible but it’s equally important that I get the sentence right.”

Members of Lily Sullivan’s family were in court, awaiting the sentencing.

Judge Paul Thomas QC apologised to them for the unprecedented turn of events that occurred today.

“I’m terribly sorry that we can’t deal with this today,

“It must be terribly frustrating for all of you, having psyched yourselves up, simply to find that we can’t go to sentence today. I am sorry.

“But the most important thing here is to make the sentence right. So with my real apologies, we’ll try to find a date that’s acceptable.”

The case against Lewis Haines has been postponed until July 28, with the substantive hearing scheduled for July 22 and possibly part of July 23.

Lily was tragically murdered on December 17 after a night out in ‘Out’ Nightclub, which is located on Main Street, Pembroke.

CCTV footage shows Ms Sullivan speaking to Haines in the nightclub before leaving separately. Additional footage also shows the two of them speaking once again outside of the club.

The pair were seen walking down an alleyway headed towards Mill Pond where Lily’s body was later discovered.

Another image captured by CCTV showed Haines running along a bridge close to Pembroke Castle.

At a previous inquest hearing, Coroner’s officer, Lisa Jenkins, stated that police were called to the Mill Pond at 4:12am following reports that a female body had been seen in the water.

Despite resuscitation attempts Lily was pronounced dead at 6.02am. It was later revealed that she had been strangled to death.

Following her death, Miss Sullivan’s family released a statement. It said: “Lily was a kind and caring daughter,

“She will be deeply missed by everyone. The family are very thankful to all of Lily’s friends for their support.”

Father of two, Haines, was a well-known cricket player who was wicket keeper for his local team – Lamphey.

He had been described as “a hard-hitting batsman” who “liked to party and celebrate the wins.”

Swansea man jailed for online child sex offence dies in prison

Published

9 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SWANSEA man who was jailed earlier this year for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child has died while in custody.

Gareth Davies, aged 59, of the Maritime Quarter, was serving an 18-month prison sentence after being convicted in May of sending sexually explicit messages to what he believed was a 14-year-old girl. The account was in fact a decoy used as part of an online safeguarding operation.

The court heard that Davies began communicating with the decoy between November and December 2024 and persistently pursued the individual, later attempting to arrange a face-to-face meeting. He was arrested after being confronted by the decoy operators.

Davies had pleaded not guilty but was convicted following a trial. At the time of sentencing, police described the messages as extremely concerning and said his imprisonment was necessary to protect children.

It has now been confirmed that Davies died at HMP Parc on Wednesday (Nov 27) while serving his sentence.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has launched an independent investigation into the death, which is standard procedure in all cases where someone dies in custody. No cause of death has been released at this stage.

A coroner will determine the circumstances in due course.

Crime

Pembrokeshire man sent to Crown Court over death by careless driving charge

Published

10 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKESHIRE man has been sent to the Crown Court to stand trial accused of causing a death by careless or inconsiderate driving.

Alexander MacCallum, aged 28, of Beach Road, Llanreath, Pembroke Dock, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Dec 18).

The court heard that MacCallum is charged with causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving following an incident on Thursday (June 13, 2024).

No plea was entered at this stage of the proceedings.

Magistrates were told the case was too serious to be dealt with at magistrates’ level and ordered that it be sent to the Crown Court for trial.

MacCallum was sent to the Crown Court on unconditional bail, with further proceedings to take place at a later date.

The prosecution was brought by Dyfed-Powys Police. No defence solicitor was formally recorded at the hearing.

Crime

Breakthrough in 1993 Tooze murders: 86-year-old man arrested after cold case review

Published

13 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

POLICE investigating one of Wales’ most disturbing unsolved double murders have arrested an 86-year-old man on suspicion of killing elderly couple Harry and Megan Tooze more than three decades ago.

South Wales Police confirmed the arrest on Tuesday (Dec 17), following a forensic cold case review into the 1993 killings, which shocked the rural community of Llanharry and cast a long shadow over the South Wales justice system.

Harry Tooze, aged 64, and his wife Megan, 67, were found shot dead with a shotgun at their isolated Ty Ar y Waun farmhouse on July 26, 1993. Their bodies were discovered inside a cowshed on the property, concealed beneath carpet and hay bales, having been shot in the head at close range.

The brutality of the killings and the remoteness of the scene prompted one of the most high-profile murder investigations in Wales at the time.

Conviction later quashed

In 1995, Cheryl Tooze’s then-boyfriend, Jonathan Jones, was convicted of the murders and sentenced to life imprisonment. The prosecution case rested heavily on a partial fingerprint found on a teacup at the farmhouse.

However, the conviction unravelled just a year later. In 1996, the Court of Appeal quashed the verdict, ruling it unsafe and highlighting serious concerns about the reliability of the fingerprint evidence. The decision was widely regarded as a significant miscarriage of justice.

Jones, who consistently maintained his innocence, was supported throughout the ordeal by Cheryl Tooze, whom he later married. The couple have since spoken publicly about the devastating impact of the case on their lives.

Despite renewed appeals and periodic reviews, no one else was charged and the murders remained unresolved for nearly 30 years.

Operation Vega and forensic advances

In 2023, marking the 30th anniversary of the killings, South Wales Police launched a full cold case review under Operation Vega. The review was led by forensic scientist Professor Angela Gallop, one of the UK’s most respected figures in forensic investigation.

Detectives re-examined preserved exhibits from the original crime scene using modern forensic and DNA techniques that were not available in the early 1990s. Police have not disclosed which items were re-analysed or what evidence led to the latest arrest.

On December 17, officers arrested an 86-year-old man on suspicion of murdering Harry and Megan Tooze. He remains in police custody while enquiries continue. No further details about the suspect have been released at this stage.

Police appeal for information

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Mark Lewis described the arrest as a significant moment, but stressed that the investigation is ongoing.

He said: “While this arrest is clearly a significant development in the investigation, our enquiries are very much ongoing. This case has affected many people over the years and our aim is to find answers to the unanswered questions which remain about their deaths over 30 years on.

“Even with the passage of time, I would urge anyone who has information about the murders, no matter how small it may seem, to come forward and speak to police.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact South Wales Police, quoting occurrence number 2300016841.