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New Chair and Deputy Chair for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority

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A NEW Chair and Deputy Chair have been elected to lead Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority over the next two municipal years.

At the Fire Authority’s Annual General Meeting on Monday, June 12th, 2023, Councillor Gwynfor Thomas of Powys was elected Chair and Councillor John Davies of Pembrokeshire was elected Deputy Chair.

Councillor Gwynfor Thomas joined the Fire Authority in June 2020 and takes over from Councillor Elwyn Williams of Carmarthenshire. Cllr Thomas has 13 years’ experience as a Powys Councillor, has previously served as Chair of Powys County Council and is currently Chair of the Powys Learning and Skills Scrutiny Committee. As well as his background as a business owner in the hospitality and agriculture industries, Councillor Thomas is a Trustee of the DPJ Foundation and Deytheur Educational Foundation. He is also School Governor at Ysgol Llanfyllin and Ysgol Llansantffraid and former President and Chair of Montgomery RFC.

Commenting on his appointment as Fire Authority Chair, Councillor Thomas said:

“I am thrilled to have been appointed Chair of the Fire Authority. I look forward to the task of providing good governance to an emergency service that so deserves it, which will in turn provide the communities it serves with a service and the protection that can be trusted and relied upon.”

Councillor Davies has served as a Pembrokeshire County Councillor representing Cilgerran since 1999, working as Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council from 2004-2012. Councillor Davies has been Chair of the Board of Directors of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society since 2012 and was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Agricultural Societies of the UK in 2015. From 2010-2018, Councillor Davies completed two terms as a member of the S4C Authority and is a former High Sheriff of Dyfed, he still spends much of his spare time as Chairman of the High Sheriff of Dyfed Trust Fund.

On his appointment as Fire Authority Deputy Chair, Councillor Davies said:

“It is a privilege and an honour to serve as Deputy Chair of such a highly regarded and trusted emergency service. I will endeavour, along with the Chair, to support the values and objectives that deliver at the hour of need.”

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service serves Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Swansea, Powys and Neath Port Talbot. The Service covers some 4,500 square miles – almost two-thirds of the landmass of Wales – and provides public safety information, prevention and protection programmes as well as emergency response to a population of over 900,000 people. The Service runs 58 fire stations and employs over 1,350 members of staff.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

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A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include:

  • Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
  • Common assault
  • Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

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Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

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Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

  • Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
  • A second count of assault
  • Criminal damage
  • An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
  • A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

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Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

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Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

  • Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
  • Intentional non-fatal strangulation
  • Common assault on a woman
  • Criminal damage in a domestic context
  • Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
  • Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.

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