News

Vaughan Gething calls for devolution of Crown Estate

Published

10 months ago

February 2, 2024

VAUGHAN GETHING, running for Welsh Labour leader and First Minister, sets out his vision for the future of Welsh devolution.

As First Minister, Vaughan Gething would seek more powers for Wales, and share more powers within Wales.

Responsibility for the Crown Estate would be the most important set of new powers to seek for the Senedd, Vaughan said: “If I am elected Welsh Labour leader and First Minister, responsibility for the Crown Estate is the most important set of new powers our future Welsh Labour Government would seek for the Senedd. It is the single area of policy that, if devolved, would bring the most benefit to people’s pockets in Wales – and to the planet.

Renewable energy from Wales must bring benefit to people in Wales, and devolving the Crown Estate to Wales is crucial to achieving that.”

Vaughan pledges to push for further powers for the Senedd: “Our Welsh Labour Government would also push for the devolution of youth justice and probation services – as former Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s landmark report recommends – followed in time by justice and policing powers in their entirety. We’d also press for devolving greater borrowing powers to Wales so we can invest in infrastructure and get more for each pound of public money we spend.

As First Minister, I would also back creating an independent secretariat to ensure the UK Government cannot continue to mistreat devolved nations.”

On the vital need to devolve more powers within Wales, Vaughan commented: “My vision for devolution is not just more powers for Wales; it’s more powers shared with communities across Wales too.

“We cannot and should not be content with replacing centralisation in London with centralisation in Cardiff Bay. That isn’t the Welsh Labour way, and it isn’t my way. We can go further again and put power into the hands of people across Wales.”

As FM, Vaughan would beef up the role of Minister for North Wales: “The Welsh Government can’t just work for all of Wales; it needs to be seen and to be felt to be working for all of Wales.

“That’s why our Welsh Labour Government would beef-up the role of the Minister of North Wales, with an office in North Wales and a team of officials based in North Wales from across key Welsh Government departments.”

On devolving packages of powers within Wales, Vaughan says: “We would develop a package of powers to be devolved to local government across Wales. Devolving power has to come with funding to match, so we would work with the regions to drive investment into good, well-paid jobs and opportunities around the country, and we would create a stronger role for councillors.”

Reflecting on his role campaigning for devolution in 1997, Vaughan says: “The reason I led Students Say Yes in 1997 is the same reason I’m fighting for more devolution today – it’s about fairness and putting power into people’s hands so we can all have more of a say in our own lives and communities.”

“I’m honoured to be standing to be Prif Weinidog in the Senedd that I, and so many others, campaigned long and hard to establish.”

News

Welsh teenager jailed for creating 3D-printed gun at home

Published

53 mins ago

November 14, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A TEENAGER who assembled parts for a viable semi-automatic firearm using a 3D printer has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.

Owain Roberts, 19, purchased nuts, bolts, steel barrels, and metal rods online, constructing components of an FGC-9 gun with the aid of a 3D printer.

Detectives said that this case marks the first of its kind in Gwent, where Roberts admitted to manufacturing a firearm component. He appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday (Nov 14).

In April, firearms officers executed warrants at two Newport addresses connected to Roberts. Seized items included a 3D printer, two laptops, six plastic reels, and parts for an FGC-9 firearm.

PC Tom Meazey, from Gwent Police’s East Serious Organised Crime team, stated: “Illegally-held firearms can lead to tragic consequences and devastate innocent people’s lives. To own a firearm, including a printable one, is illegal in the UK without a valid firearms certificate. Roberts’s reckless actions in buying items capable of manufacturing a firearm placed people at direct risk.”

This rare and complex investigation involved support from the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Roberts received a prison sentence of four years and nine months.

News

Milford Haven man caught with indecent images of children spared jail

Published

1 hour ago

November 14, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A MILFORD HAVEN man, Gareth MacDonald, 23, has been sentenced after pleading guilty to downloading over 1,000 indecent images of children.

MacDonald, of Meyler Crescent, was arrested in March 2023 following a police search of his home. Acting on intelligence, officers seized multiple electronic devices, and MacDonald admitted to downloading the illegal images.

Swansea Crown Court heard that MacDonald accessed material spanning all severity categories, including images depicting the rape of pre-teen children.

He reportedly told police he had “become bored with legal pornography” roughly a year prior to his arrest.

Judge Geraint Walters sentenced MacDonald to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. As part of the sentence, MacDonald must:

Complete 20 rehabilitation activity days
Participate in the Horizon programme
Register as a sex offender for 10 years
Comply with a 10-year sexual harm prevention order

Judge Walters remarked that MacDonald had been accessing illegal content “for some considerable period of time” despite knowing it was wrong.

However, MacDonald, who has health problems, dodged being sent to jail and was able to leave the court a free man.

Crime

Ceredigion man sentenced for selling £150,000 in illegal DVDs

Published

1 hour ago

November 14, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A CEREDIGION man has been sentenced for selling counterfeit DVDs worth £150,000 under major brand names without authorization.

David Robert Thomas, 47, from Sarnau, ran a sophisticated online operation, producing and selling fake DVDs labeled with brands like Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Sony, and Universal City Studios LLC. Thomas used seven different websites and managed multiple bank and PayPal accounts, including those of family members, to carry out his business.

Councillor Matthew Vaux, Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “Counterfeiting is often thought of as a victimless crime, but it harms the local economy by undermining legitimate businesses that pay taxes and create real jobs. This result sends a clear message that counterfeit sales will not be tolerated, and we will act against offenders.”

Thomas pleaded guilty at Swansea Crown Court on Monday (Nov 11) and was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. His sentence includes a four-month curfew and fifteen Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.

Under the Crime Act 2002, forfeiture proceedings will follow to reclaim the financial benefits from Thomas’s criminal activities. Judge Richards took into account the market value of equivalent genuine goods, the sophisticated setup of Thomas’s business, and his previously clean record in reaching the sentencing decision.

The case was brought forward successfully by Ceredigion County Council’s Trading Standards Service.