AN EMERGENCY response was sparked yesterday afternoon when a kayaking group practicing a capsize drill was mistaken for a kayaker in distress.

Fishguard RNLI and the town’s coast guard team were paged at approximately 1.53 pm on 12 September after reports of a kayaker struggling in the water near Fishguard Fort.

A concerned member of the public alerted Fishguard lifeboat station, reporting four kayakers in the vicinity, one of whom appeared to be in difficulty while attempting to recover back into their kayak.

In response, Fishguard’s volunteer crew promptly launched the charity’s D class inshore lifeboat, Edward Arthur Richardson. Simultaneously, HM Coastguard was updated and requested HM Coastguard Fishguard to attend the scene.

The lifeboat made best speed to the area and quickly made contact with the kayakers. After a brief conversation, it was determined that they were an organised group conducting capsize and self-recovery drills. The group confirmed they did not require any assistance from the lifeboat crew.

Once this information was relayed to HM Coastguard, the lifeboat returned to station, where it was refuelled and prepared for future service.

Cedwyn Rogers, the volunteer lifeboat press officer for Fishguard RNLI, commented on the incident, saying: “From the initial report received, and particularly given the weather and sea conditions at the time, it appeared that someone could have been in genuine danger in the water.

“Thankfully, on this occasion, they were simply practising for a situation they could find themselves in whilst at sea.

“If conducting activities which could be construed as a genuine emergency, we advise this information and contact details be logged with HM Coastguard, who can attempt to contact the group if they receive a report of someone in distress.

“We would also like to remind anyone who sees someone they believe to be in difficulty around the coast to please call 999 or 112 and ask for Coastguard.”

IRONMAN Wales returns to Pembrokeshire in just over a week and there will be full and partial road closures in and around the south of the County.

IRONMAN Wales will be held on Sunday, 22^nd September with thousands of athletes from all over the world taking part in a 2.3mile swim, followed by a 112mile bike ride before finishing with a 26.2mile run.

The swim starts at 7.30am and the predicted last finisher time is around 1am the following morning.

Full information outlining road closures and alternative routes available across the course is available on the IRONMAN website (opens in new window) to help residents plan their travel ahead of the event.

The A40 and A477 will remain open and are unaffected to facilitate access east-west throughout the event.

Emergency services will maintain full access.

Due to the road closure it will not be possible for the 387/8 (Coastal Cruiser) bus service to operate on Sunday 22^nd September. The service will operate as normal on Saturday 21^st and Monday 23^rd September.

The bike course closure map (opens in new window) and run course closure map can also be downloaded from ironman.com

There will also be restrictions in Tenby town centre on Saturday 21^st when IRONKIDS from across the county take part in their running races.

A park and ride shuttle bus will be running on Saturday and Sunday from Carew Airfield and Saundersfoot.

If you have any IRONMAN Wales access questions, please contact [email protected] or call 03330 11 66 00 and provide the following details:

• Name
• Telephone Number
• Journey Start Postcode
• Journey End Postcode
• Time of Departure
• Details of Enquiry

Please note the e-mail address will not be monitored on the event weekend so please plan ahead.

A WEST WALES man, initially convicted of grooming and sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy, has been acquitted after a trial was ordered following a successful application to the court based on new evidence about his mental capacity.

The accused, Alec Davidson, from Carmarthen, pleaded guilty in June 2023 of two charges related to historical sexual abuse against a then 13-year-old boy. These charges stemmed from an incident in 2005, when Davidson had allegedly groomed the victim via the social media platform Bebo before assaulting him. The guilty plea by the defendant had followed a judicial review initiated by the victim, who had to take legal action to compel Dyfed Powys Police to pursue the case after their initial reluctance to do so.

However, Davidson applied to the court to vacate his pleas vacated (cancelled). The court heard that he had the mental capacity of a primary school child and had only pleaded guilty under pressure to stay out of jail. His application to vacate his pleas was granted, and the subsequent trial resulted in Davidson being found not guilty last Friday (Sept 6).

Davidson’s legal team successfully argued that their client had been wrongly advised to plead guilty. His father, John Davidson, testified that Alec, who has the cognitive capacity of a child, was told by his barrister that a guilty plea would likely result in a non-custodial sentence, while contesting the charges could lead to a guaranteed jail term if convicted.

John Davidson revealed to the court that he had instructed his son to follow the barrister’s advice, believing it was the only way to avoid prison. As a result, Alec Davidson pleaded guilty without fully understanding the consequences of his actions or the implications of the plea.

At the eventual trial, which took place on September 6, 2024, the jury returned a not guilty verdict, resulting in Alec Davidson’s acquittal.

The man who claimed to be the victim, now in his 30s, said he had faced significant challenges in getting justice. He claimed abuse took place in the winter of 2004/2005, when Davidson groomed the victim online and took him to a secluded location where the assault occurred. He said he did not report the incident until 2019, when he confronted Davidson on Facebook. In the exchange, Davidson admitted to the sexual act but claimed he believed the boy to be 17 at the time.

Despite this admission and the evidence from the Facebook conversation, Dyfed Powys Police initially declined to prosecute, citing insufficient evidence and referencing the victim’s mental health and troubled background as potential obstacles to securing a conviction.

The man claiming to be the victim, undeterred by the police’s decision, sought a judicial review to challenge the authorities’ refusal to proceed. His persistence paid off, with the judicial review forcing the police to arrest and charge Davidson in 2023.

He described his ordeal as “a nightmare that never ends,” not only due to the abuse but also because of the systemic failures by the police, NHS, and local authorities in handling his case. He revealed that confidential medical and school records, which detailed his history of mental illness and behavioral problems, were shared with the police without his consent by the NHS and Carmarthenshire County Council. Both organizations admitted to mishandling his records and settled with the victim for an undisclosed sum believed to be less than £10,000.

These institutional failings further complicated the case, with the police initially using the victim’s background as justification for not proceeding with the investigation. The victim’s decision to pursue a judicial review forced the authorities to reconsider their position, leading to Davidson’s arrest and first conviction.

Davidson’s acquittal raises serious questions about the handling of cases involving vulnerable individuals on both sides of the legal system. While the retrial has cleared Davidson, the case highlights the difficulties faced by both victims and defendants with mental disabilities in navigating the criminal justice process.

The alleged victim, reportedly devastated by the retrial outcome, remains concerned about the broader implications of the case.