News

Public asked not to touch dead or sick wild birds as Avian Influenza confirmed

Published

3 years ago

July 19, 2023

MEMBERS of the public are being urged not to handle any dead or sick wild birds they may come across in Pembrokeshire, and to keep their dogs away from them.

Hundreds of seabirds have been washed up on beaches on the South Pembrokeshire coast recently. The birds are being regularly removed, although more are being washed up between the clear-ups. Most are guillemots, although razorbills and gannets have also been reported.

Testing has taken place on a sample of the dead birds, and Avian Influenza (bird flu) has this week been confirmed.

A multi-agency response is in place to deal with the issue.

• Dead birds in public places should be reported by calling 01437 764551 (or out of hours 0345 601 5522) for Pembrokeshire County Council to arrange to collect safely.

• If you find any sick or injured wild birds (on public or private land), please contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.

• Dead birds on private land should be reported to PCC on the numbers above for information gathering purposes but removal will be via DEFRA on 03459 33 55 77 or see https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-dead-wild-birds

The organisations working together to deal with the issue are Pembrokeshire County Council, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, National Trust Cymru, Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales and Welsh Government.

“Please do not handle any dead or sick birds if you come across them, and keep your dogs on leads,” said Cllr David Simpson, Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council.

“Please have information to hand about where and when the bird or birds were discovered. Using a location finding app like what3words to record the location of the dead or sick bird(s) is also extremely helpful.”

James Parkin, Director of Nature and Tourism at Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority said: “We are working with Pembrokeshire County Council and partner agencies to provide support across the county following reports of seabirds being washed up on Pembrokeshire’s beaches in the past week.
“We anticipate an increase in the numbers of birds being washed ashore following the recent bad weather and we are urging people not to handle any dead or sick wild birds they may come across, to keep their dogs away, and to follow the advice provided in reporting any incidents.”
Lisa Morgan from the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales said: “It is really important that members of the public don’t touch dead or sick birds but also that they help us to understand the conservation impacts on our internationally important seabird populations by continuing to report any they might find.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “It is important that people do not pick up or touch any sick or dead wild birds and keep their dogs on leads to prevent them from also coming into contact. We would encourage the public to report any dead wild birds to DEFRA via their helpline or online form (03459 335577 or www.gov.uk/guidance/report-dead-wild-birds ). Sick or injured birds should be reported to the RSPCA (0300 1234 999).”
Rhian Sula, National Trust Cymru’s General Manager for Pembrokeshire added: “We are saddened by the discovery of dead birds across some of the beaches we care for in Pembrokeshire.
“We know it’s distressing for people to see sick and dead birds and will continue to work closely with partner organisations and government agencies to monitor the situation.”
While no Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) is currently in place, Welsh Government advice is that bird keepers should to continue to complete the biosecurity self-assessment checklist.

Scrupulous biosecurity is the most effective method of disease control available and all bird keepers should follow enhanced biosecurity measures at all times to prevent the risk of future outbreaks.

These can be found on the Welsh Government website at https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2017-11/avian-influenza-bird-flu-advice-for-keepers-of-small-flocks.pdf

Crime

Man charged with attempted murder after Carmarthen park incident

Published

10 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

57-year-old due in court following alleged knife and stalking offences

A MAN has been charged with attempted murder following a serious incident in Carmarthen town centre last week.

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that James McKenna, aged 57, from Carmarthen, has been charged with attempted murder, possession of a bladed article in a public place, and stalking.

The charges relate to an incident in Carmarthen Park on Thursday (Jan 29), which prompted a significant emergency services response and caused concern among residents.

Police have not yet released full details of the circumstances, but officers were seen in and around the park area for several hours following the incident while enquiries were carried out.

McKenna is due to appear before Llanelli Magistrates Court on Thursday (Feb 5).

The Herald understands the case involves allegations of both violence and targeted behaviour towards an individual, with stalking listed among the charges.

Public concern

Carmarthen Park is a popular and busy public space used daily by families, dog walkers and joggers, and incidents of this severity are rare.

The news has prompted concern locally, particularly as the alleged offences include possession of a knife in a public place.

Residents have previously raised questions about safety in parks and open spaces across west Wales, especially during darker winter evenings.

Court proceedings

At this stage, the charges remain allegations and the case will now proceed through the courts.

Magistrates will decide whether the case is sent to Crown Court due to the seriousness of the attempted murder charge.

Further details are expected to emerge during Thursday’s hearing.

The Herald will be attending court and will provide updates as they become available.

Crime

Sex offender jailed after living off grid in Pembrokeshire and refusing to register

Published

10 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Court Reporter

Man walked into police station after months avoiding authorities

A CONVICTED sex offender who told police he intended to live “off grid” rather than comply with legal monitoring rules has been jailed after handing himself in at a Pembrokeshire police station.

Christopher Spelman, aged 66, of no fixed address, appeared for sentence at Swansea Crown Court after admitting breaching the notification requirements of the sex offenders register.

The court heard Spelman was released from prison in Dorset on July 4 last year but immediately refused to provide police with an address, despite being legally required to do so within three days.

Instead, he indicated he planned to buy a tent and live outdoors.

Prosecutor Brian Simpson said officers subsequently launched a nationwide search when Spelman failed to make contact with police. Public appeals were issued and his case featured on the television programme Crimewatch.

Detectives believed he had been travelling around the UK using public transport and staying at campsites. He was known to have links to several areas including Merseyside, Manchester, Devon, Cornwall and Hampshire.

His whereabouts remained unknown until January 3 this year, when he walked into Haverfordwest police station and was arrested. It is unclear how long he had been in Pembrokeshire.

Spelman previously served seven years in prison after being convicted in 2014 of 12 counts of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 14. He was placed on the sex offenders register for life.

The court heard this was not the first time he had failed to comply with the rules. After an earlier release in 2016, he again failed to register his address and avoided police for around five years before being caught.

He has 11 previous convictions for 29 offences.

Defence barrister Andrew Evans described the case as unusual and said his client had long disputed his original conviction and had expressed a wish to live “outside society”.

However, he said Spelman had gradually accepted that he remained subject to court orders and now wanted more stable accommodation and a chance to rebuild his life. The defendant asked the court to impose a custodial sentence so arrangements could be made for his future release.

Judge Geraint Walters noted there were signs Spelman wished to change but warned that any further breaches would result in longer prison terms.

With credit for his guilty plea, Spelman was sentenced to 10 months in prison. He will serve up to half in custody before being released on licence.

Crime

Former Wales rugby star admits Christmas Day drink-driving offence

Published

16 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

Ex-Ospreys captain was almost twice over limit in Pembroke town centre

Former Wales back row Jonathan Thomas has admitted driving through Pembroke town centre on Christmas Day when he was almost twice over the drink-drive limit.

This week Haverfordwest magistrates heard that Thomas, 43, was stopped by officers as he drove his Mercedes CLA 220 along The Green, Pembroke, at around 5pm on Christmas Day.

“The officers were very concerned at the manner of his driving, as the car was being driven erratically and was swerving to the other side of the road,” said Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan.

“When Jonathan Thomas got out of the car, the officers could see that he was having difficulty standing and was unsteady on his feet.”

Subsequent breathalyser tests showed Thomas had 62 mcg of alcohol in his system, the legal limit being 35.

Thomas, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the drink-drive charge and was represented in court by solicitor Jess Hill.

“He has family in the area and had travelled to spend time with them on Christmas Day,” she told the magistrates. “He’s very remorseful for his actions and hugely regrets his decision that day.”

Jess Hill concluded by saying that Thomas is currently “between jobs and living off his savings”.

Thomas, who gave his address as Main Road, Bredon, was disqualified from driving for a total of 18 months.

“The length of your disqualification reflects the fact that you were more than a little bit over the limit,” commented the presiding magistrates when imposing sentence.

He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 court surcharge.

The former Wales back row left his role as Swansea RFC head coach at the beginning of December 2025 as a result of ongoing health concerns. He was forced to retire from playing in 2015 on medical advice after being diagnosed with epilepsy and is one of the 390 former rugby union players currently taking part in a concussion lawsuit against the sport’s authorities.

“Long-standing issues linked to the head trauma have caused me some concern recently and it has been impossible for me to give the role everything it needs,” he said in a previous interview with the BBC.

His rugby career started out with Pembroke RFC juniors before moving to Swansea RFC, which he captained when he was 19. He then joined the Ospreys where, over a ten-year period, he won four league titles and an Anglo-Welsh Cup. He was the youngest player to captain the Ospreys and, at the time of leaving, was the joint highest appearance holder, together with Andrew Bishop, on 188 appearances.

His international career saw him play for Wales at Under-16, Youth, Under-19, Under-21 and Sevens levels. He made his senior international debut against Australia in 2003, featured at the 2007 Rugby World Cup and was part of two Six Nations Grand Slam-winning sides in 2005 and 2008. Between 2004 and 2011, Thomas was included in every Wales Six Nations squad. In his appearances for Wales, he scored seven tries.