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Crime

‘Wake up call’ for NHS worker found guilty of drink-driving in SUV

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A PEMBROKESHIRE NHS worker has been sentenced after being found guilty of driving his SUV vehicle when he was almost four times over the legal drink-drive limit.

Police received reports that Robert Preen, 39, of Law Street, Pembroke Dock, had been seen driving near his home address on the afternoon of May 20, 2023.

“At approximately 4.40pm police received information that a male appeared to be drunk,” Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“He was seen stumbling, and then he entered a vehicle and drove off, hitting a kerb.”

As a result of information supplied to the police, officers traced a red Vauxhall Grandland to Preen’s home address in Law Street, Pembroke Dock.

However Preen denied being the driver.

“He initially said it was his partner [who was driving], but he was arrested on suspicion of being unfit to be the driver,” said Ms Baker.

Subsequent breathalyser tests confirmed that Preen had 116 mcg of alcohol in his breath.  The legal limit is 35.

Following his trial at Haverfordwest magistrates court on March 28, Preen was found guilty of drink-driving.

“He was convicted, but he still maintains that he drank alcohol after returning home,” said probation officer Julie Norman. 

 “He’d had an argument earlier that day with his partner, he drank one glass of wine and then his partner left.  The defendant decided to go and see a friend but he then left the property and drove back.  That’s when he was reported.”

Ms Norman added that when he arrived home, Preen claimed he had found some vodka in his garden shed, which he drank.
She said that Preen, who has no previous convictions, is currently employed with the NHS.

“He’s admitted that he has an issue with alcohol and, in the past, has sought assistance with the Dyfed Drug and Alcohol Advisory Service [DDAS],” she said.  “But he’s still managing to hold down a full time job.”

Preen was ordered to pay a total of £1,322, comprising a £588 fine, £620 costs and a £114 surcharge.  He was disqualified from driving for 24 months.  He was also sentenced to a 12-month community order which includes 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.  During this time he will be referred to DDAS.

“You’ll go from this court knowing that you’ve brought this upon yourself,” said presiding magistrate Mary Smith.  “I hope that you learn from this experience and won’t find yourself back here again.  This is your wake-up call.”

 

Crime

Boy, 13, arrested after child seriously injured in rugby club fire

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11-year-old rescued from burning container at Trimsaran RFC

A 13-YEAR-OLD boy has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and arson after a fire at a Carmarthenshire rugby club left an 11-year-old boy seriously injured.

The blaze happened at Trimsaran RFC on Saturday afternoon, when a storage container used to keep equipment at the club’s ground was allegedly set alight deliberately.

Dyfed-Powys Police said the younger boy became trapped inside the burning container and had to be rescued by club members.

He was taken to Morriston Hospital with serious injuries, where he remains in a stable condition.

Police have confirmed that a 13-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and arson.

The investigation is ongoing.

 

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Crime

Suspended prison sentence for man who left dogs without vet care

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CEREDIGION man Rhys Ebenezer has been handed a suspended prison sentence after leaving three dogs without veterinary treatment, including one animal found to have been in chronic pain for at least two weeks.

Ebenezer, 27, of Llangeitho, Tregaron, appeared at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (May 21), where he was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for two years.

He was also banned from keeping all animals for 10 years and ordered to pay £6,410.92 in costs, along with a £154 victim surcharge.

Ebenezer had previously admitted four offences under the Animal Welfare Act relating to causing unnecessary suffering and failing to meet the needs of three dogs.

The court also imposed a six-month curfew order, 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and a 12-month restriction on travelling abroad.

RSPCA officers were called to a property in Llangeitho on September 29, 2025, following reports that injured dogs were being kept in kennels.

When Animal Rescue Officers Holly Brown and Darryl Thomas arrived, they became concerned about two Patterdale terriers, four-year-old Charlie and two-year-old Twig.

In her witness statement, ARO Brown said: “Twig was curled up in her bed and appeared very lethargic and subdued. I observed a large blue bandage on her front right leg.”

She said she was told Twig had been involved in a fight with another dog, Champ, who was at the vets with Ebenezer, and that the animals had injured each other fighting through the bars of the kennels.

ARO Brown said Charlie appeared “bright, alert and active” but was underweight, with his ribs easily visible and his waist “very sucked in”.

She added: “I observed that Charlie was covered all over his body in scars and healing wounds in different stages of healing. Some appeared much more recent and others appeared healed.”

A vet who assessed Charlie estimated some of the wounds on his legs were around two weeks old, while others were around a week old. The vet said the injuries were “inconsistent” with Ebenezer’s explanation that the scarring had been caused by ratting.

Ebenezer told officers that Champ had been put to sleep and buried at his property.

ARO Thomas said Ebenezer took officers to a “remote field on the top of a mountain”, where an excavator was used to dig up Champ’s body.

In his witness statement, ARO Thomas said: “Using torches, the officers examined the deceased dog and I could see that this dog had what I would describe as a de-gloving injury to both sides of its lower jaw, and a chunk of its nose was missing.”

A vet who examined Champ’s body found injuries to his chin, nostril and ear. The severe chin injury was assessed as having happened at least two weeks before the dog was euthanised and would have caused “chronic pain and discomfort”.

The vet added: “It is my expert opinion that clearly all three dogs — Twig, Charlie and Champ — were caused to suffer as a consequence of the injuries that they had sustained.”

In mitigation, the court heard that Ebenezer had worked with animals and was highly thought of by his employer. He was also given credit for his early guilty pleas.

 

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Crime

Man accused of police station bomb hoax remanded in custody

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A MAN has been remanded in custody after appearing in court accused of making a bomb hoax threat involving Llanelli Police Station.

Anthony Mold appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (May 28) charged with communicating false information with intent to induce a false belief that a bomb was present.

The court heard the allegation relates to an incident in Llanelli on Tuesday (May 26), during which Mold allegedly contacted the Dyfed-Powys Police Force Control Room claiming a bomb was on his person and that he intended to detonate it at Dafen Police Station.

Mold is also charged with assaulting a police officer in the execution of his duty, criminal damage to a police vehicle, and breaching a Community Protection Notice by allegedly drinking alcohol in a public place in breach of restrictions imposed upon him.

The assault allegation relates to PC 1378 Moore, who police say was assaulted in Llanelli on May 26. A separate charge alleges damage was caused to a Dyfed-Powys Police vehicle.

The court remanded Mold in custody. Magistrates were told concerns included the likelihood of further offending and the seriousness of the allegations.

The case was adjourned to Llanelli Magistrates’ Court for a further hearing on Thursday, June 18, ahead of sentencing proceedings listed for Monday, June 29.

 

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