Crime

Brutal robbery ends in five-year sentence for Manorbier resident

Published

2 years ago

November 10, 2023

JORDAN Cooney, 28, of Dewing Avenue in Manorbier, has been handed a prison sentence exceeding five years for a brutal and bloody robbery that took place on the evening of September 26 this year in Pembroke Dock.

Cooney, fuelled by a combination of alcohol and cannabis, invaded his victim’s flat, unleashing a barrage of punches that left the older man battered and terrified. Swansea Crown Court heard that Cooney relentlessly assaulted the victim, demanding his debit card and PIN number with each blow. The victim, who endured between 20 and 30 blows, described the ordeal as the most intense physical trauma of his life.

The motive behind the assault emerged during the court proceedings. Cooney was aware that his victim was due to receive benefit payments at midnight. With calculated precision, Cooney waited for the opportune moment to extract the necessary information to access the funds.

The court was informed that Cooney, after midnight on September 26, attempted to withdraw cash from a Pembroke Dock cash point but was unsuccessful due to the funds not being transferred. Undeterred, he returned at 2:22 am on September 27, successfully withdrawing £500 from the victim’s account. A subsequent attempt to withdraw the remaining £160 was thwarted, as it exceeded the daily withdrawal limit.

Judge Mr Recorder J Powell KC remarked, “This was a deliberate plan. Almost as if you were waiting for midnight to approach so you could get the information to obtain the money.”

Following the harrowing incident, the victim, fearing for his safety, bravely called emergency services. When the police arrived at his residence, they found him with a severely swollen and bloody face, bearing the physical scars of the ruthless attack.

Cooney’s apprehension in Monkton on the afternoon of September 27 led to the discovery of two bags of cocaine worth approximately £100 in his possession. Initially denying the charges of robbery and causing actual bodily harm, Cooney eventually pleaded guilty to robbery, actual bodily harm (ABH), fraud, and possession of a controlled drug during the court hearing on Friday, November 10.

The court uncovered Cooney’s extensive criminal history, comprising 16 previous convictions for 39 offences. Shockingly, he was on bail and under supervision at the time of the robbery and ABH.

In his defence, it was revealed that Cooney expressed genuine remorse for his actions, actively seeking help for his issues, including drug misuse and PTSD. In response, Judge Powell handed down a sentence of five years and three months, with half to be served in jail and the remaining half on licence.

Judge Powell concluded the sentencing with a note of hope, stating, “I hope that you will continue to make use of your time in custody and that by the time you come out you will be a different person. If you do that, everybody else will be delighted. If you don’t, then you will spend much of your life in prison and that will be a tragedy.”

The judge also issued an indefinite restraining order to protect the victim and a destruction order for the seized drugs, highlighting the severity and impact of Cooney’s actions on his victim’s life.

Crime

Milford Haven man denies child sex charges as trial date set

Published

1 hour ago

December 19, 2025

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

A MAN originally from Milford Haven has pleaded not guilty to a series of sexual offences involving a child after recently moving to Cornwall.

James Kershaw, aged 45, formerly of Milford Haven and now living in Quethiock, Cornwall, appeared in court on Friday (Dec 19), where he denied all four sexual charges put to him.

The hearing was his first Crown Court appearance in the case, during which a trial date was fixed for October 5.

Kershaw was allowed to remain on bail under strict conditions, including that he must have no contact with any prosecution witnesses.

Kershaw appeared via video link from his solicitor’s office in Cornwall. The judge described this as “a very generous decision by the listings officer” and said it had “presumably been arranged due to the distance from you to the court”.

Allegations denied

The charges relate to alleged incidents said to have taken place in Liskeard, Cornwall, between October 26 and November 1, 2023.

Kershaw is accused of engaging in sexual communication with a child under the age of 16 and of causing a child aged 13 to watch sexual activity. He also faces two allegations of causing or inciting a girl aged 13 to engage in sexual activity of a non-penetrative nature on separate dates.

In addition, Kershaw is charged with two counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed by Derby Crown Court in May 2022. These allegations include the use of an undisclosed Facebook account and the deletion of messages, both of which are said to be prohibited under the terms of that order.

Kershaw denies all allegations.

The court ordered that Kershaw may remain on bail pending trial, subject to conditions including a strict ban on contacting any witnesses.

The complainant’s identity is protected by law under the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992.

The case is due to return to court when the trial begins in October.

Crime

Swansea man jailed for online child sex offence dies in hospital

Published

18 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SWANSEA man who was jailed earlier this year for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child has died in hospital soon after leaving custody at Parc Prison.

Gareth Davies, aged 59, of the Maritime Quarter, had been serving an 18-month prison sentence after being convicted in May of sending sexually explicit messages to what he believed was a 14-year-old girl. The account was in fact a decoy used as part of an online safeguarding operation.

The court heard that Davies began communicating with the decoy between November and December 2024 and persistently pursued the individual, later attempting to arrange a face-to-face meeting. He was arrested after being confronted by the decoy operators.

Davies had pleaded not guilty but was convicted following a trial. At the time of sentencing, police described the messages as extremely concerning and said his imprisonment was necessary to protect children.

It has now been confirmed that Davies died in hospital after being at HMP Parc on Wednesday (Nov 27).

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has launched an independent investigation into the death, which is standard procedure in all cases where someone dies in custody or in hospital shortly after being at prison.

A HMP Parc spokesperson: “Mr Gareth Davies (DOB 12/08/1966) passed away at an outside hospital on 27 November 2025.

“As with all deaths in custody, this will be investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. The cause of death will be for the coroner to determine.”

No cause of death has been released at this stage.

A coroner will determine the circumstances in due course.