News
Police stay tight-lipped about hospital runs
DYFED POWYS POLICE force has declined to provide information to The Herald about its use of police cars as make-shift ambulances as they have deemed it too time consuming and not worth their effort.
According to figures released by Plaid Cymru, who made Freedom of Information requests to each Welsh police force, more than 600 patients in Wales had to be taken to hospitals by police cars rather than ambulances over the last three years. The Welsh Ambulance Service said it was missing its eight-minute target and crews were “tied up” and unable to respond to other calls. Police dealt with a wide range of patients, including those who had attempted suicide, been involved in assaults or stabbings, suffered drink-related injuries or had hypothermia. While 600 is the figure from South Wales Police, North Wales Police and Gwent Police, Wales’ largest force Dyfed Powys did not provide any figures.
The Herald asked the Force: “On how many occasions in each of the financial years 2011-12, 2012- 13 and 2013-14 have the force been asked to take patients to hospital in police vehicles because of a lack of availability of ambulances to carry out the task?” The response that came back that an exemption to providing this information, freely available apparently under the Freedom of Information, applied and told us it would take a staggering 9635 hours – over a year of man hours to provide the Herald with the basic information given freely by other Welsh police forces.
While the Welsh Government claims that the figures cited represent less than 0.05% of all calls made to the Ambulance Service, the situation has been pounced upon as evidence of the growing crisis in the Welsh Ambulance Service at a time when Health Board service reorganisations are increasing the burden placed upon the grossly under-performing service. Mike Collins, director of service delivery at the ambulance service, said the organisation was working as hard as it could take patients to hospital as quickly as possible. “The trust is working in partnership with police forces across Wales to reduce instances where our emergency colleagues are awaiting an ambulance response,” he added. “Both the trust and all four police forces maintain frequent contact and are building on the close relationship in support of each other and their staff.
“Despite the increase in calls that we experience year on year we are actually reaching more and more people across Wales than ever before.” The crisis in Ambulance provision was highlighted by performance figures released in June which showed a catastrophic failure by the Welsh Ambulance Trust to meet minimum performance levels set by the Welsh Government. The figures show that 50.8% of ambulances in Pembrokeshire arrived at the scene of an immediate life-threatening Category A call within 8 minutes. The target is 65%. Neighbouring counties of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire achieved better figures of 53.3% and 51.9% respectively, and the average for the whole of Wales was 54.1%.
The death of three years-old Angel Jade Smith of Carmarthen shows the depth of the challenge facing those seeking to improve first responder times. Having been recovered from a serious house fire, Angel received treatment for twenty minutes at the scene and had been transported to Glangwili Hospital by police officers before an ambulance arrived, forty minutes after being called. Carmarthen Ambulance station is only seven minutes from the family’s home. The Ambulance Service announced an enquiry into the matter, but a search of their website for further information on the incident drew a blank.
Crime
Pembroke Dock man to be sentenced for assaulting police officers

A PEMBROKE DOCK man is due to be sentenced on Monday (Mar 31) after admitting to assaulting three police officers and resisting arrest during incidents earlier this month.
Ashley Rickard, aged 27, of Elizabeth Court, Pembroke Dock, pleaded guilty to four offences when he appeared at court on March 17. Magistrates adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
The court heard that on March 15, Rickard assaulted PC Morse in Pembroke Dock while the officer was carrying out his duties as an emergency worker. He also assaulted PC Walker and resisted two other officers, PC Cranmer and PC Kendall, during the same incident in Milford Haven.
All of the offences are understood to have taken place on the same day and involved Rickard obstructing and assaulting officers during the course of their work.
Rickard is due to appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court at 10:00am on Monday for sentencing. The offences carry a maximum penalty of up to 12 months in prison or an unlimited fine.
The Herald will report the outcome of the case following the hearing.
Crime
Milford Haven man faces court hearing for assault on three police officers

A MILFORD HAVEN man is due to appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Mar 31) facing multiple charges, including the assault of three emergency workers and possession of an offensive weapon.
Adam Williams, 37, of Richard John Road, is facing charges relating to an incident on March 16 in which he is accused of possessing a craft knife in a public place without lawful authority, contrary to the Prevention of Crime Act 1953.
Williams is also charged with three counts of assaulting emergency workers—Police Sergeant 408 Benbow, PC 944 Lee, and PC 764 Mycroft—who were reportedly acting in the course of their duties at the time of the incident.
In addition, Williams is facing a charge of using a motor vehicle without third-party insurance, said to have occurred on Richard John Road on the same date.
The case was adjourned earlier this month for a reports to be prepared.
Williams is expected to return to court at 10:00am on Monday.
Business
Tree-mendous work helping to improve the condition of our rivers

OVER 24,000 trees have been planted along the banks of four south Wales rivers to help reduce nutrient pollution, improve water quality and help protect nature.
The Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Four Rivers for LIFE project has been busy this tree planting season on the Teifi, Tywi, Cleddau and Usk Rivers.
In partnership with organisations like the National Trust, West Wales Rivers Trust, County Councils and contractors a total of 24,160 native trees have been planted with the aim of reducing nutrient pollution, improving water quality and helping to protect nature.
The trees will soak up excess nutrients from agricultural land run off, improve downstream water quality and provide habitat for wildlife.
The corridors of trees, averaging 10metres in width, act as buffer strips between farmland and the river and have been planted on land that has been fenced to create riparian strips.
Robert Thomas, Four Rivers for LIFE Land Management Officer said: “As the trees mature they will act as an important filter, reducing the amount of excess nutrients reaching the rivers, helping to improve the overall condition of these special rivers.”
As well as providing benefits to the Special Area of Conservation (SAC) river, in time as the trees mature and grow, they will stabilise riverbanks, reduce erosion and soil loss to the river, provide shelter for livestock and shade the river, keeping the water cool for fish.
Simon Rose, Woodland Project Ranger at National Trust Brecon Beacons said: “We have been delighted to work alongside NRW’s Four Rivers for LIFE team and the Woodland Trust at Ty Mawr Farm. This collaborative effort exemplifies the very objectives we seek to achieve through ongoing engagement with volunteer and corporate groups, students from Black Mountains College, and staff from similar organisations on team-building days.”
“Together, we are planting trees and hedgerows that will provide essential food sources and create connected woodlands, fostering the growth of wildlife and the flourishing of habitats.”
The Teifi, Tywi, Cleddau and Usk Rivers are classed as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), meaning they are of international importance for the wildlife and plants that make them home, such as salmon, lamprey, shad, otters and water crowfoot.
The Four Rivers for LIFE Project is funded by the EU LIFE Programme with support from Welsh Government and Welsh Water.
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