News

Milford Haven couple narrowly avoid jail following nightclub fracas

Published

2 years ago

December 10, 2022

A MILFORD HAVEN couple who instigated violent scenes outside a Pembrokeshire nightclub have been sentenced at Swansea Crown Court.

On Friday (Dec 9) Judge Geraint Walters said the behaviour of husband and wife Callum and Rihanna Hicks of Meyler Crescent, was unacceptable, and that they needed to think carefully of their role as parents.

On a large TV screen in the courtroom, the judge viewed CCTV footage of Callum, 27, and Rihanna Hicks, 25 leaving Eddie’s nightclub in the early hours of January 23 was played in the court room.

The footage showed that they were followed by Matthew Jones, 30, who was ejected from the club and followed outside by security staff.

“It was clear that there was tension between them and others at the nightclub,” said CPS lawyer Hannah George.

Ms George then proceeded to play CCTV footage depicting Rihanna Hicks pulling an unidentified male by the hair. She was pulled away from him by a bystander and immediately joined her husband and Matthew Jones.

“Rihanna was intent on becoming involved,” she said.

Matthew Jones, of Richard John Road, Milford Haven, was then seen punching a man to his face, causing him to fall backwards.

Callum and Rihanna moved towards the victim and continued the assault. Rihanna punched him to the face while Callum was seen punching him approximately seven times after which Rihanna struck him yet again.

Despite the onlookers’ attempts to pull him off, Callum continued to punch out at the victim.

Police were called to the scene and questioned both Rihanna and Callum Hicks about their involvement – who denied any wrongdoing.

PS Borman then grappled one of the men to the floor. Matthew Jones then kicked out, hitting the officer to his face, and then Callum kicked out, and again caught the officer on the face.

Rihanna kicked a female victim to the chest after she had fallen to the floor. The police officer and the female ended up in hospital as a result of the incident.

PS Borman was taken to A&E where he was treated for cuts, swelling and bruising. The female victim was also admitted to A&E after sustaining bruising to her chest, back and face and swelling to her knee.

In her victim impact statement she said that she is now anxious that she may bump into Callum and Rihanna Hicks whenever she goes to Haverfordwest. She also struggles to sleep, she said.

All three defendants pleaded guilty to assault by beating and assault causing actual bodily harm. Callum Hicks and Mathew Jones pleaded guilty to an additional charge of affray.

Jones was represented in court by barrister Jon Tarrant who said his client had no recollection of that evening’s events.

Callum Hicks’s counsel, Ian Ibrahim, said his client takes “Full responsibility at his behaviour – but he’s learned from this and moved. He is not that man which he used to be.”

Meanwhile Rihanna Hicks’s legal representative said that this was a “depressingly shameful incident which she regrets taking part in,” he said.

Callum Hicks and Matthew Jones were sentenced to 12 month in custody suspended for two years.

Callum must carry out 30 days of rehabilitation activity and 180 hours of unpaid work while Matthew was sentenced to ten days of rehabilitation and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Rihanna Hicks was sentenced to six months in custody, suspended for two years.

She must complete ten days of rehabilitation and 80 hours of unpaid work.

Crime

Dyfed-Powys Police pays out hundreds of thousands in compensation claims

Published

10 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

NEW figures reveal Dyfed-Powys Police has paid out £324,000 in compensation over the past five years, following nearly 200 claims made by members of the public.

A Freedom of Information requests show a whopping 186 claims were lodged against the force between 2019 and 2024, with compensation payments peaking in 2021/2022 at £138,111. Claims included allegations of unlawful arrest, financial losses, personal injury, and failure in duty of care.

In 2019/2020, 36 claims were made, with nine settled. The following year, 22 claims were lodged, with nine again resulting in payouts. Numbers rose to 38 claims in 2021/2022, with 11 settlements, before dropping slightly in 2022/2023 to 36 claims and eight payouts. However, the most recent figures for 2023/2024 show a significant rise, with 54 claims and seven settlements.

Lucy Parker, a solicitor from JF Law, said: “Claims against police forces highlight the importance of accountability. Issues such as wrongful arrest, assault, and negligence must be addressed seriously.”

Nationally, UK police forces have paid out millions in compensation, with property damage from botched raids cited as a frequent reason.

Dyfed-Powys Police has been approached for comment.

News

Rail passengers in west Wales ‘let down’ by hundreds of train cancellations

Published

10 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RAIL passengers in west Wales are being “let down” following the cancellation of more than 650 Transport for Wales (TfW) trains on routes to Swansea and beyond in just 12 months.

Between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024, a total of 654 services were cancelled, impacting key routes to Llanelli, Carmarthen, Pembroke Dock, Fishguard, and Milford Haven. The cancellations have sparked frustration among passengers and raised concerns over the reliability of rail services in the region.

Transport for Wales, which took over day-to-day rail operations from Arriva nearly seven years ago, has faced ongoing criticism for service quality. A Rail User Survey in 2023 revealed that only 72% of passengers were satisfied with TfW services, making it the worst-rated operator in the UK at the time. By comparison, Southern Railway scored 80%.

Recent surveys show some improvements. Between February and September 2024, overall satisfaction rose to 85%, with punctuality increasing to 73% and frequency to 66%. However, these numbers remain below national averages, and the situation in west Wales continues to lag behind other regions.

Passengers in west Wales have long expressed frustration over frequent delays and cancellations. One traveller recounted a 60-mile journey from Cardiff Central to Carmarthen that resulted in an overnight stay in Cardiff due to multiple delays and cancellations. Replacement buses offered little reprieve, with onward journeys stretching well into the early hours.

Peredur Owen Griffiths MS, Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for Transport, criticised the situation, saying: “These statistics show that Welsh passengers are being let down. Historical underinvestment in our rail network and infrastructure has led us to this position. In order to create a Welsh rail network that works for the people of Wales, it’s vital that decisions regarding Welsh rail are made in Wales.”

Mr Griffiths added: “Only Plaid Cymru fights for the devolution of rail infrastructure to ensure we can secure consistent investment in our network and deliver reliable services.”

Despite some recent improvements in customer satisfaction, the sheer scale of cancellations highlights ongoing issues with rail services in Wales, particularly in west Wales where consistent, reliable transport remains a challenge for many commuters and travellers.

Charity

Tributes paid to former Tenby RNLI crew member Stuart Fecci

Published

10 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

TENBY RNLI is mourning the loss of former Shore Crew member Stuart Fecci, who passed away recently. Stuart served aboard the Henry Comber Brown lifeboat until a tragic accident in 1988 resulted in the loss of his hand.

Despite the injury, Stuart remained a dedicated supporter of Tenby RNLI. The Fecci family has deep roots with the station, including Stuart’s son Samuel, who raised over £300 by completing the RNLI’s Mayday Mile walk in 2021.

Deputy Coxswain Jon Lewis, Stuart’s cousin who carries the Fecci name through his mother, paid tribute: “The last time I spoke to him, he greeted me in a packed Tudor Square as the larger-than-life character he was and shouted, ‘Coxswain Lewis!’ before continuing to congratulate me.”

Stuart will be deeply missed by the entire community. The thoughts of everyone at the station are with his wife Sally and his family during this difficult time.