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Crime

Solva couple fined nearly £5,000 for unlicensed hydroelectric power scheme

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A COUPLE from Pembrokeshire, Carl Platel and Helen Platel, have been ordered to pay a combined total of almost £5,000 after diverting water from rivers to operate their unlicensed hydroelectric turbine. The Platel couple set up the hydroelectric generation scheme on their land near Bridgend, extracting water from three sources at Gilfach Orfydd and the Cwm Dimbath.

Prosecutor Jon Tarrant revealed in court that one of the water sources was aided by a homemade weir constructed from stone and waterproof tarpaulin, which raised the water level to facilitate extraction. However, such activities require a license from Natural Resources Wales (NRW), costing £375, to protect the environment and ensure the safety and viability of the hydropower scheme.

The defendants’ scheme came to the attention of NRW in 2009, leading to a warning issued in August of that year. Despite this, in 2016, an application for a license was submitted. When NRW visited the site again and discovered the turbine operating, the defendants were reminded that it should not be in operation until the application was approved. Ultimately, the application was withdrawn in August 2016.

Subsequent visits by NRW in 2017 confirmed that the turbine was still operational. During the following three visits, spanning from 2017 to August 2018, the turbine remained unused. At that time, NRW informed the defendants that they would not face legal action for the historical breaches but warned that future operation without the relevant license would result in prosecution.

In 2020, NRW visited the farm once more. Although access to the building was not possible, the audible operation of the turbine indicated that it was still active. When NRW returned on October 22 of the same year, the turbine was found to be operational once again.

Prosecutor Jon Tarrant emphasized the importance of regulating such activities, stating, “There are reasons why this is a regulated activity. The parties were aware of the requirement for a license from the outset. It’s not accepted that this was in operation for purely altruistic reasons. There was a benefit.”

While it was agreed by both parties that no environmental damage had occurred, defense lawyer Christian Jowett argued that the defendants had not financially benefited from the hydropower scheme except for the £375 license fee. Jowett highlighted that the defendants had pleaded guilty to the offenses in September 2021 at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, but the proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) had caused significant costs and stress over the past 18 months, amounting to £61,000 in legal fees.

Jowett acknowledged the history of warnings and stated that the couple’s motivation was centered around sustainable generation. He read a statement from Mr. Platel expressing deep regret and acknowledging that their passion for the scheme had blinded them to the necessity of obtaining a license.

One of the hydroelectric power schemes is now fully licensed, while the other is awaiting approval of its license, Mr. Jowett informed the court.

During the POCA proceedings, NRW initially sought a benefit figure of £102,000 but later reduced it to £90,000, including the cost of the license fee.

For the offense of abstracting water without a license between September 10, 2019, and October 22, 2020, the defendants were each fined £200. No additional penalty was imposed for causing or permitting the obstruction or impediment of inland waters without the required license during the same period.

Recorder Richard Kember ordered each defendant to pay £2,250 in costs, in addition to a £32 surcharge.

The case serves as a reminder of the importance of adhering to licensing requirements and regulations surrounding sustainable energy projects, ensuring the protection of the environment and the safety of such initiatives.

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Crime

Alcoholic mother sentenced to four years for child cruelty

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A MOTHER from Pembrokeshire, facing 15 counts of child cruelty at Swansea Crown Court, has been handed a four-year prison sentence for her decade-long abuse of her own children.

The mother, whose identity remains concealed to safeguard the children’s privacy, was revealed to have physically and emotionally abused her offspring, who range in age from 5 to 14.

Prosecutor Dean Pulling remarked on Monday (Sept 18), “The prolonged cruelty endured by these children is incomprehensible – from physical assaults to emotional torment.”

On a chilling day in June of the previous year, the father of the younger children observed an alarming red mark around one child’s eye. The child reluctantly revealed that her mother had shoved her in the shower, causing the injury. Additional bruises were discovered on another child.

Concerns intensified when a school teaching assistant spotted the injury. Although the child was initially reticent, they later admitted to the school headteacher that their mother was the perpetrator, an account corroborated by their sibling.

In a distressing turn of events, the mother’s verbal and physical abuse was captured on recordings. In one recording, she is overheard menacingly declaring, “I don’t care what happens here. If I strike you, never tell your teacher.”

Upon hearing these recordings, the children’s father was left “physically sickened” and promptly turned them over to the school and subsequently to the police.

The family’s home was reported to be in a dire state. Prosecutor Pulling detailed that the dwelling was filthy, with damaged doors, cluttered children’s rooms, and even soiled puppy pads strewn around, emanating an overpowering odour of urine.

When confronted, the mother conceded her actions but downplayed the severity, accusing the children of deceit and the father of manipulating them into making accusations. She stated, “I didn’t hit them hard. It was merely to shock them.”

Mr. Pulling highlighted the long-standing engagement of both social services and the police with the mother, dating back to 2010. The children, conditioned by their mother’s threats, remained silent, fearing separation if they confided in anyone.

Gravely, a paediatrician’s evaluation concluded that the children’s injuries were consistent with abuse. Additionally, the court was appalled to learn of the children’s developmental delays, dental issues, and infestations.

Defence counsel Stuart John lamented the lack of decisive intervention, stating, “It’s tragic that social services did not intervene sooner. These children deserved better.”

Acknowledging her wrongdoings, the defendant expressed remorse, citing efforts to combat her alcohol addiction.

Judge Catherine Richards conveyed her horror, asserting that the audio recordings were “truly harrowing for any adult to hear, let alone a child.”

The mother was sentenced to a total of four years imprisonment for the initial 12 charges, with additional concurrent sentences for the remaining offences relating to specific incidents.

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Crime

Tenby doorman and sound engineer jailed for five years

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GARY BLOUNT, a 44-year-old man from Whitland previously employed as a doorman and sound engineer in Tenby, has been jailed for five years today (Sept 18) at Swansea Crown Court.

Blount was unanimously found guilty by a jury on two charges of child sexual assault last month.

The incidents, involving a child aged five or six, occurred between 2014 and October 2016. Blount had denied both charges, which were related to the same victim.

The trial, held at Swansea Crown Court, lasted three days.

The allegations were brought to light last year when the young victim confided in a school counsellor.

Prosecutor Ian Wright shared that the child later informed her mother, expressing remorse for not speaking up sooner.

She described feeling “uncomfortable” with Blount’s advances, but he had told her such actions were “normal”.

On July 8, 2022, the victim provided her account to the police, detailing the inappropriate contact. Blount was subsequently arrested and charged when he visited Haverfordwest Police Station the next day.

Judge Geraint Walters had delayed sentencing until Monday, September 18, to allow for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

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Crime

Carmarthen man faces court on multiple sex offence charges

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Daniel Gravell, 41 from Carmarthen appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday morning. He faces grave allegations involving sex offences against multiple women, shedding light on a case that spans nearly two decades.

Gravell stands accused of committing three counts of rape, each involving distinct victims, and one count of disclosing private sexual photographs, affecting another woman. The troubling rape charges are linked to incidents reported in 2002, 2005, and the most recent in 2022.

During the preliminary court appearance, Gravell, residing in Porth Y Plas, Johnstown, Carmarthen, merely confirmed his name and address. As the courtroom filled with anticipation, he offered no indication of his plea. The case will now progress to Swansea Crown Court, where a plea and trial preparation hearing is scheduled for October 2.

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