Crime

Milford man jailed for shoplifting

Published

8 months ago

June 12, 2024

A MILFORD HAVEN man has been sent to prison after admitting a spate of shoplifting offences at stores in Haverfordwest and Milford Haven.

Staff at the Tesco store in Milford Haven were alerted to Michael Carruthers on May 4, when the 32-year-old was seen picking up various items from the shelves and placing them inside a plastic bag.

“When he was approached by the staff, he became aggressive and began swearing,” said Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson. “Police were called, but the defendant grabbed one of the staff members by his left wrist.”

Ms Jackson said that the items which Carruthers attempted to steal totalled £20.40, but all items were subsequently recovered by staff.

Two days previously, police officers were called to an address in Milford Haven as a result of what the Crown described as ‘an ongoing incident.’

“The defendant was present and as he was arrested, he became resistant,” said Ms Jackson.

“When the officers tried to place him inside the rear of the van, he tried to head butt the cage. Police then tried to restrain him from harming himself or from causing injury to others but he became violent and kicked out with his leg, making contact with one of the officer’s right shin.”

Ms Jackson said that Carruthers continued to be abusive whilst in custody.

The previous month, on April 16, Carruthers was seen entering Home Bargains in Haverfordwest.

“CCTV footage showed him picking up a number of items, including alcohol and vapes, and placing them in a bag,” continued Ms Jackson.

This week Carruthers, who is currently of no fixed abode, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates via a video link from Swansea prison where he has been remanded in custody since the latest offence on May 4. He pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker, theft from Home Bargains, attempted theft from Tesco and the common assault of a store member at Tesco, Milford Haven.

Each of the offences were committed while Carruthers was serving a community order for a previous conviction. He has a total of 17 previous convictions, including assaults on emergency officers and shoplifting.

Meanwhile his solicitor, Tom Lloyd described Carruthers as ‘an extremely vulnerable young man’.

“He struggles tremendously with substance abuse issues, the most recent being alcohol,” he said.

“Things have got so bad, and the offending has become so frequent, that the options are limited.”

Following a 60-minute deliberation by magistrates, Carruthers was sentenced to 12 weeks in custody. He was also ordered to pay a £154 court surcharge and £85 costs.

Crime

Milford Haven man banned for three years after second drug-driving conviction

Published

1 day ago

February 11, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A MOTORIST who claimed to have taken cannabis “several days” before being stopped by police was found to have over four times the prescribed legal limit of the drug in his system.

Antonio Rodrigues, 27, was pulled over by officers just before 3:00pm on September 13, 2024, while driving his Smart car along an unclassified road off the A40 in Slebech.

A roadside drugs wipe proved positive, and further blood tests at the police custody suite confirmed he had 9.8 mcg of cannabis in his system—well above the legal limit of 2 mcg.

Haverfordwest magistrates heard this week that this was Rodrigues’ second drug-driving offence in a ten-year period.

“He’d taken the cannabis some days before, and there was nothing wrong with his driving,” said his solicitor, Michael Kelleher, after Rodrigues, of Croeso, Steynton Road, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to the offence.

“He had no idea he was over the limit.”

Mr Kelleher added that Rodrigues self-medicates with cannabis and is in the process of applying for a legal cannabis prescription.

Magistrates disqualified him from driving for 36 months and fined him £120. He was also ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £48 court surcharge.

Crime

Warrant issued for St Davids pensioner over cannabis possession

Published

1 day ago

February 11, 2025

Sarah Jane Absalom

A WARRANT has been issued for the arrest of a 71-year-old woman accused of possessing cannabis.

The Crown alleges that Barbara Lewis, of High Street, St Davids, was found in possession of 3.4 grams of herbal cannabis, a controlled Class B drug, during a police search on January 17.

Lewis was listed to appear before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday (Feb 11). Following her failure to attend, magistrates issued a warrant for her arrest at the request of the Crown Prosecution Service.

Crime

Drink driver handed suspended sentence and taken off the road

Published

2 days ago

February 11, 2025

Court Reporter

A BAGLAN man has been handed a suspended prison sentence after admitting to multiple driving offences, including driving while over the alcohol limit and while disqualified.

Nathan Lewis, 42, of Tyn Y Twr, Baglan, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Feb 10) and pleaded guilty to three charges: driving a motor vehicle while above the legal alcohol limit, using a vehicle without insurance, and driving while disqualified.

The court heard that on February 8, 2025, Lewis was stopped on the A40 in Llanddewi Velfrey, Narberth, while driving a Toyota Yaris with the registration SL59 YCA. A breath test revealed he had 83 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than twice the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.

Magistrates imposed a four-week custodial sentence for the drink-driving offence, suspended for 24 months, citing his history of two similar previous offences. He was also disqualified from driving for 54 months and ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work within 12 months, along with a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

In addition, Lewis was found to have been driving without valid insurance and while disqualified. He received a further 12-week custodial sentence, suspended for 24 months, bringing his total suspended sentence to 16 weeks. His driving record was endorsed, but no additional penalty was imposed for the insurance offence.

The magistrates stated that the offences were serious enough to warrant imprisonment but acknowledged a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. The case will be supervised by Swansea Magistrates’ Court.