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Crime

Pembrokeshire postman admits driving after taking cocaine

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A PEMBROKESHIRE postman has been ordered off the roads after admitting driving on a main county A-road after taking cocaine.

Benjamin Rixon was pulled over by officers soon after 3pm on Christmas Eve as he drove his Volkswagen Caddy along the A478 between Penblewin and Clynderwen. 

This week Haverfordwest magistrates were told that the night before, he decided to take cocaine.

“This was a dreadful mistake,” said his solicitor, Michael Kelleher.

“He was working as a postman, he’d been working flat out over Christmas and on December 23 he met a friend who offered him cocaine.”

Mr Kelleher went on to say that when Rixon, 42, woke up the following morning, he felt ‘absolutely fine’.

“He didn’t think there was anything in his system as he had no knowledge of drugs.  He’d never taken them before, nor since.”

Rixon, who gave his address as The Flat, Llandissilio stores, Llandissilio provided a roadside drugs swipe which proved positive.  Further blood tests carried out at a police custody suite showed he had 380 mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system, which is a derivative of cocaine.  The prescribed legal threshold limit is 50.

Rixon pleaded guilty to driving over the drug-drive limit.

“As a result of the offence, he will now lose his job,” said Mr Kelleher.  “A requirement of the Royal Mail is that employees hold a driving licence.

“This was a terrible mistake that will live with him for an awfully long time.”

Rixon was disqualified from driving for a total of 12 months.  He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £48 surcharge.

Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

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THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”

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Crime

Sex offender jailed for breaching court order

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A SEX offender from Wolfscastle has been jailed after using fake names on WhatsApp and attempting to access a social media app, breaching his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Luke Rogers, 38, was sentenced to 10 months in prison at Swansea Crown Court after pleading guilty to two breaches of the order, which was imposed following his 2020 conviction for sexual activity with a child.

Under the SHPO, Rogers was prohibited from using unregistered internet-enabled devices or creating online profiles under false names. Prosecutor Ryan Bowen told the court that police monitoring software installed on Rogers’ phone detected activity in group chats under three aliases last November.

Further investigation revealed Rogers had also searched for the MeetMe app on four occasions and admitted using it. Rogers, described by Mr. Bowen as “apologetic,” was arrested, and his phone was seized.

The court heard Rogers has a history of 17 convictions for 35 offences, including breaching court orders and failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements.

Defence barrister Olivia Rose said Rogers had cooperated fully with police and expressed a desire to change. She argued that his breaches stemmed from a misunderstanding about permitted names and emphasized his efforts to seek support.

Despite these mitigating factors, Judge Catherine Richards noted Rogers’ pattern of reoffending and stated: “The reality is I can only pass an immediate custodial sentence.”

She expressed hope that Rogers would take advantage of post-sentence supervision to break the cycle of offending.

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Crime

Police renew appeal to find Darren Markes from Pembroke Dock

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POLICE in Pembrokeshire are renewing their appeal for information to locate Darren Markes, 46, from Pembroke Dock. He is wanted in connection with a domestic assault.

Markes is believed to have links to the Portsmouth and Sussex areas.

If you have seen Darren Markes or have any information about his whereabouts, please contact the police through one of the following methods:

You can also provide information anonymously via Crimestoppers:

Please quote reference number 24*944729 when providing information.

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