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)

NEYLAND TOWN COUNCIL RECORDS QUESTIONED AHEAD OF TWO-DAY CASE IN HAVERFORDWEST

QUESTIONS over the accuracy and fairness of Neyland Town Council’s official minutes have resurfaced ahead of a two-day standards tribunal hearing involving one of its members.

Councillor David Devauden is due to appear at a hearing at Haverfordwest County Court on Thursday (Jan 15) and Friday (Jan 16) from 10:00am, in connection with an alleged breach of the Code of Conduct under the Local Government Act 2000.

The renewed focus on council record-keeping comes after minutes from an earlier meeting recorded a statement that Cllr Devauden had been “found guilty by the Ombudsman” of breaching the Code of Conduct and bringing the town council into disrepute.

The wording appears in the minutes of a meeting held on Monday (Oct 6), during a discussion about civic arrangements for the Remembrance Service. In that section, the minutes record Cllr Mike Harry raising concerns about Cllr Devauden being offered a public role, referring to his behaviour in previous meetings and “the fact that Cllr Devauden had been found guilty by the Ombudsman of breaching the Code of Conduct and bringing NTC into disrepute.”

However, the standards tribunal hearing listed for this week has yet to take place. No independent finding from an Ombudsman has been produced to the public record to substantiate the claim as written in the minutes.

Cllr Devauden disputes the accuracy of the statement and says it has caused serious reputational damage. He has also claimed the language recorded in the minutes amounts to defamation, and says similar wording was later repeated in motions passed by the council.

Concerns about the accuracy of the written record have also been reflected in later council business. Minutes from the meeting held on Monday (Nov 3) show the town council postponed approval of the minutes of a previous meeting, after the Clerk asked for time to check the recording and make amendments where necessary.

The Nov 3 minutes note that the October minutes would be reviewed against the recording before being brought back for approval, underlining the importance of ensuring formal records accurately reflect what was said and decided.

Cllr Devauden has also raised concerns about the process leading to this week’s hearing, saying he has never been called before a Standards Committee and questioning whether due process has been followed.

In correspondence, he also highlighted the practical issue of documentation, claiming the maximum number of documents to be presented is 200, while he says he has more than 1,000 documents relevant to the matter, with further material continuing to be updated.

The two-day hearing is scheduled to take place at Haverfordwest County Court on Thursday (Jan 15) and Friday (Jan 16), beginning at 10:00am.

Public consultation launched on draft policy to support community safety

Residents across Ceredigion are being invited to share their views on how drone technology could be used to support community safety and local services.

The consultation, which runs until the evening of 14 January 2026, seeks feedback on a draft Drone Policy as public services explore new ways of tackling anti-social behaviour, supporting inspections and improving emergency response.

Under the proposals, drones could be used to monitor hotspot areas, assist with inspections, gather evidence safely and improve the efficiency of local services. However, the potential use of the technology also raises important questions around privacy, data protection and public accountability.

The consultation asks residents for their views on how, when and where drones should be deployed under the draft policy, as well as what safeguards should be put in place to ensure their responsible and proportionate use.

Councillor Matthew Vaux, Cabinet Member for Partnerships, Housing, Legal and Governance and Public Protection, said drones could be a valuable tool but stressed the importance of public trust.

He said drones had the potential to improve public safety and support enforcement, but transparency, trust and appropriate safeguards for residents were essential. He added that the consultation was specifically focused on the draft policy and provided an opportunity for residents to help shape its contents before any final decisions were made. He also noted there could be cost and efficiency benefits in other areas, such as surveying and structural inspections.

As part of the consultation, residents are being asked for their views on when and where drones should be deployed, how any data collected should be stored and used, and what measures should be in place to protect privacy.

Feedback gathered through the consultation will be used to help shape the final policy and ensure that any introduction of drone technology is necessary, proportionate and transparent.

Residents are encouraged to take part by completing the online survey, emailing their views to the council, or submitting paper feedback forms available at local libraries and council reception areas.