A MILFORD HAVEN drug dealer who thought he could cash in by supplying partygoers at a music festival has been ordered to hand over thousands of pounds under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Justin Cadwell, 29, of Picton Close, was jailed for five years after police stopped a vehicle on the A31 near Winchester on Thursday (Aug 8) 2024, acting on intelligence linked to drug dealing.

Cadwell was a passenger in the car, which was being driven by his sister. She was later cleared of involvement after police examined her phone.

Officers found a haul of drugs and other items believed to be destined for a Hampshire festival, including 44.363g of cannabis, nitrous oxide canisters valued at £2,225, 15.11g of ketamine, 12.4g of MDMA, and smaller quantities of cannabis.

When Cadwell’s home was later searched, police found a locked garden shed that had been converted into a drug store.

Inside, officers seized 53.25g of cannabis, 450g of cannabis resin, 29.8g of cocaine, cutting agents and empty snap bags. They also recovered £25,307.85 in cash hidden in the shed and in Cadwell’s bedroom.

Cadwell claimed the money came from window cleaning work and gifts from his father, and insisted the drugs were for personal use.

E-bike crash

The case took another turn months later when emergency services were called to an e-bike crash at Hakin Point, Milford Haven, at around 7:00pm on Friday (Mar 1).

The bike had no lights and the passenger was not wearing a helmet. Cadwell, who was riding the bike, was knocked unconscious in the collision.

As paramedics cut away his jacket to treat him, they found 10.21g of cocaine and 60g of cannabis in his clothing, along with £588.03 in cash. Cadwell refused to provide a drugs specimen when required and again claimed the substances were for personal use.

Guilty pleas

At Swansea Crown Court in July, Cadwell pleaded guilty to two offences of possession with intent to supply cocaine, three offences of possession with intent to supply cannabis, possession with intent to supply nitrous oxide and cannabis resin, being concerned in the supply of cannabis, possession of criminal property, and failing to provide a specimen.

Prosecutor Georgia Donohue told the court it was agreed Cadwell had benefited by £14,719.79 from drug dealing, with £6,569 in available assets.

Judge Geraint Walters made a confiscation order for £6,569, meaning Cadwell must pay that sum back or face further consequences.

15-month sentence after “ugly” disturbance left members of the public fearing for their safety

MICHEL VALMONT has been jailed for 15 months after brandishing a samurai sword during a violent disturbance in Pembroke Dock which left members of the public fearing for their safety.

Swansea Crown Court heard the incident unfolded on Pembroke Street on Saturday (June 15, 2024), prompting multiple calls to police from alarmed witnesses.

Prosecutor Craig Jones told the court officers were contacted as the street fight developed, with members of the public reporting several men involved in violence in the street.

The court heard that while two men were already engaged in a brawl, Valmont emerged from a nearby property dressed in black and carrying the sword. He was then seen chasing the men while wielding the weapon, heightening concern about what he intended to do.

Police arrived to find Stephen Charge and Trevor Herridge still fighting. They were separated and arrested at the scene.

A search of the area later uncovered a samurai sword and a black hooded top in a nearby garden. Valmont was subsequently identified and arrested.

Valmont, 48, of Water Street, Pembroke Dock, and Charge, 52, of Pembroke Street, Pembroke Dock, had both previously pleaded guilty to affray. Valmont also admitted possession of an offensive weapon.

The court heard Valmont has 74 previous convictions for 203 offences, including violence, weapons offences, dishonesty and public disorder. Charge’s record includes assault occasioning actual bodily harm, battery, criminal damage and dishonesty offences.

Defending Valmont, Jon Tarrant said his client had not been involved at the outset but made what he described as a “ridiculous and stupid” decision to intervene after realising a friend was caught up in the incident.

He told the court Valmont accepted a prison sentence was inevitable, adding that “walking around the centre of Pembroke Dock with a samurai sword is not going to result in any other outcome”.

The court was told Valmont had used heroin for around 30 years but was now testing clean.

Emily Bennett, representing Charge, said her client accepted his actions went beyond lawful self-defence and was extremely remorseful.

She told the court Charge began using drugs at 13 and later became addicted to heroin, but was now abstinent. He has four children, whom he sees regularly.

Passing sentence, Judge Paul Thomas KC described the incident as an “ugly brawl” and said the scenes were “more reminiscent of the Wild West of America in the 19th Century than West Wales in the 21st”.

While the cause of the disturbance was unclear, the judge said Valmont had escalated matters by introducing a “fearsome” weapon.

After receiving a one-quarter reduction for his guilty plea, Valmont was sentenced to 15 months in prison and will serve up to half the term in custody before being released on licence.

Charge received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, with a 20% reduction for his guilty plea. He was ordered to complete a rehabilitation requirement and fined £400 for breaching a suspended sentence.

The judge told him he had avoided immediate custody “by the skin of your teeth” and warned he was now “drinking in the last chance saloon”.

The court heard Herridge, 47, who had been charged with affray in connection with the incident, has since died.

(Pic: CPS Cymru)

Practice raises nearly £1,400 through Carmarthen Mart events and cycling challenge

PROSTOCK Vets has donated nearly £1,400 to Wales Air Ambulance after staging a series of fundraising events in Carmarthenshire.

The total was raised through a bingo night at the Carmarthen Mart canteen, alongside a cake sale and a static bike ride.

Staff set themselves a 133-mile target — matching the distance between the practice’s branches — and went on to exceed it by continuing to cycle after the target had been reached while the mart was taking place.

The practice, which was formed in 2011, has supported the all-Wales lifesaving service since 2016 and has now raised around £5,100 in total.

Sarah-Jane Beynon of ProStock Vets said: “We were really pleased to raise money for such a worthy charity and think our views were reflected in the way the farming community supported us with their presence and generosity for both events.

“The Wales Air Ambulance is an incredibly important charity, and one we often have dealings with or hear about in our line of work. It’s an imperative service to have in the area. We were, therefore, very pleased to be able to play a small part in supporting the Wales Air Ambulance as a charity!”

Wales Air Ambulance is a consultant-led service which can deliver hospital-standard treatment at the scene and, where needed, transfer patients directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury.

The service operates through a partnership model, with the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) providing NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work onboard the charity’s vehicles.

Its advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and carry out minor procedures at the scene of an incident. As a pan-Wales service, crews will respond across the country regardless of where they are based.

ProStock Vets has branches in Carmarthen, Llangadog, Teifi, Lampeter and Whitland.

The latest fundraising follows previous efforts by staff at the practice. In 2021, vet Cath Tudor, from Carmarthenshire, completed a 980-mile cycle challenge from Land’s End to John O’Groats, raising £5,076 for Wales Air Ambulance and £3,000 for the DPJ Foundation, a mental health charity supporting the farming community.

Mike May, Regional Fundraising Manager for Wales Air Ambulance, said: “A huge thank you to everyone at ProStock Vets in Carmarthen who have once again raised an amazing amount for our lifesaving service. Since 2016 ProStock Vets has raised over £5,000, which is incredible.

“ProStock Vets know the value of the Wales Air Ambulance to their clients and to themselves and have been big supporters of us.

“Our service is purely funded by charitable donations, and we need to raise £13 million every year to keep our helicopters in the air and our rapid response vehicles on the road. Every pound raised by ProStock Vets will help save lives across Wales! Thank you so much for your continued support.”