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Crime

Over £1m spent by police on Stradey Park Hotel asylum seeker protests

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DYFED-POWYS POLICE spent over £1 million in response to protests at Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, which was designated to accommodate over 200 asylum seekers.

The revelation came following a Freedom of Information request by BBC Wales.

The protests, which began in early July last year, escalated to the point where fires were set near the site, leading to approximately 40 arrests between mid-August and early October. The Home Office later cancelled the contentious plans to use the hotel for asylum seekers in October.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn disclosed that the situation not only incurred substantial financial costs for the force but also strained its relationship with the local community. Mr. Llywelyn had urged the Home Office to reverse the plans as “a matter of urgency”.

Dafydd Llywelyn: Police and Crime Commissioner

The hotel was initially selected to house up to 241 people under UK government plans aimed at reducing asylum costs. However, the proposal faced significant opposition due to concerns about suitability and lack of information, as expressed by local residents, authorities, and politicians.

Following the announcement, protests intensified outside the hotel, with demonstrators setting up a base near the site. Labour councillor Martyn Palfreman described the episode as an unforeseen and tense period in the area’s history, marked by anxiety and intense community reaction.

Dyfed-Powys Police’s Superintendent Ross Evans, commenting on the situation in October, condemned the extreme behaviour displayed by some protesters, which he deemed exceeded the bounds of lawful protest.

Originally, Mr. Llywelyn had sought a £300,000 reimbursement for the policing costs of the protest. However, the final figure, exceeding £1.165 million, is threefold higher than anticipated. Mr. Llywelyn expressed his lack of surprise at this figure, attributing it to operational and organisational pressures, including Operation Cambrian, which was specifically established in response to the Stradey Park Hotel protests.

Throughout the protests, Mr. Llywelyn consistently communicated with the Home Secretary, voicing concerns about the escalating tensions and urging a re-evaluation of the hotel’s use.

Dame Nia Griffith, Labour MP for Llanelli, criticised the entire undertaking, labeling the plans a complete disaster brought about by incompetence and disregard for local sentiments. She condemned the excessive police expenditure on the protests, arguing that these funds would have been better allocated to enhancing frontline policing and community safety.

Former racial equality commissioner Aled Edwards emphasised the importance of learning from this episode, praising the integrity of the police force in handling the situation. He also highlighted the success of other refugee schemes in Wales, such as those for Afghan and Ukrainian refugees.

A Home Office spokesperson responded by highlighting ongoing efforts to move asylum seekers out of hotels, a measure currently costing UK taxpayers £8.2 million a day. They assured that the government is committed to equipping the police with necessary resources, confirming a total police funding settlement of up to £18.4 billion for 2024-25, including £148.0 million for Dyfed-Powys Police. The spokesperson added that the allocation of funding and resources remains under the jurisdiction of individual police and crime commissioners.

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Crime

Dangerous dogs warrant executed by police in Carmarthenshire

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POLICE have confirmed that a warrant under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 was executed by Dyfed-Powys Police and the RSPCA at a property in Cefneithin Road, Gorslas, Carmarthenshire on Saturday, April 27.

Two prohibited dogs were removed from the premises, and an investigation is ongoing between the two agencies.

At the time of writing, please said that no arrests made.

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Crime

Plea hearing for man accused of assault and strangulation

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A HAVERFORDWEST man is appearing at Swansea Crown Court today (Friday, April 26) charged with assaulting and strangling a woman

Oliver Torkington, 38, of Pembroke Road, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court charged with two offences last month, and is in Swansea Crown Court today to make his plea, after the local court declined jurisdiction.

Torkington is alleged to have assaulted a woman in St Clears on March 23 and caused her actual bodily harm.

He is also accused of strangling her.

The case came before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on March 25 and Torkington has been remanded in custody since then.

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Crime

Teenage girl in court charged with three counts of attempted murder

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A 13-YEAR-OLD appeared at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court this morning, in connection to the incident at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman on Wednesday.

She was charged with three counts of attempted murder, and one count of possession of a bladed article in a public place.

No pleas were entered, and she was remanded into a youth detention centre until a future court hearing at Swansea Crown Court.

Criminal proceedings are active in respect of this case, and we ask members of the community not to speculate or comment on the circumstances.

On Thursday (Apr 25), the police confirmed that a teenager had been charged in relation to the incident at Ysgol Dyffryn Amman yesterday.

Police were called to the school at around 11.20am, following reports that three people had been injured.

Two teachers and a pupil were taken to hospital with stab wounds. They received treatment for knife injuries, have all since been discharged.

A CID-led investigation was launched, and there has continued to be a police presence at the school today as we gather evidence to assist our enquiries.

Police also said: “Yesterday evening, our control room received a number of calls reporting concerns over messages being shared on social media, which had references to the incident at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.
Officers swiftly carried out a warrant at the home of the person believed to be responsible for this content, and a 15-year-old male was arrested.

He also remains in police custody while we investigate these allegations.”

At a press conference outside the school, also on Thursday, Superintendent Ross Evans said: “While this investigation is being run separately to our enquiries into events at the school, our officers are seeking to establish if there was a connection between the alleged offences.

“Again, I would urge people not to speculate, not to share any images or videos relating to either investigation, and to allow us to carry out our enquiries fully.

“If you, or your children, are distressed by these events, please seek support from an appropriate agency.

“Finally, I would once again like to thank our colleagues at the Welsh Ambulance Service and Wales Air Ambulance Service for their swift response to this incident, as well as the NHS staff who treated those who were injured, the charitable organisations who are supporting those affected by this incident, and the vigilant members of the public who reported their concerns to us.”

Ysgol Dyffryn Aman has confirmed that it will re-open to pupils on Monday, 29 April. Carmarthenshire County Council and Ysgol Dyffryn Aman would like to reassure the school community, in anticipation of the school reopening, that a broad range of wellbeing support will continue to be offered to pupils, teachers and staff at the school.

From Monday, 29 April, a dedicated Education and Child Psychology Team from the Council will be available for pupils and staff and will maintain a presence at the school, for the next two weeks, to provide ongoing support and assistance as needed.

Upon the school’s reopening, counselling will be available for pupils at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman to offer support and guidance to students facing difficulties.

The Council’s internal Occupational Health Team, in collaboration with the Education Department, is working to provide comprehensive support for affected staff members. This will entail offering wellbeing support sessions, drop-in sessions, group sessions, and referrals for 1:1 therapeutic support as needed.

Carmarthenshire County Council is grateful to the numerous offers of support from external agencies to provide additional assistance for our students during this time. We are carefully considering how and when to use these services.

Council Leader, Cllr. Darren Price said: “As a County Council, we are doing everything that we can to support the community of Ysgol Dyffryn Aman and we have set out a wellbeing support plan to help the pupils and staff.

“This will be a joint support approach, as we are adopting a collaborative approach to ensure that all individuals affected receive the support they require. This includes coordinating between internal and external resources to provide holistic assistance.”

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