Crime

Pembrokeshire man sentenced for ‘unhealthy fixation’ with woman

Published

12 months ago

June 19, 2024

A MILFORD HAVEN who developed ‘an unhealthy fixation’ with a former acquaintance has appeared before a judge on a charge of stalking

For three weeks in May 2024, Jamie Norman bombarded former acquaintance with messages. He also sent numerous unwanted messages to members of her family and her friends.

The victim received the first message from Norman on May 14.

“He messaged her on Facebook, wondering if she’d like to meet up later so they could talk,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told District Judge Mark Layton who was sitting in Haverfordwest Magistrates court on Tuesday.

“I’d really like to see you,” he said. “How long has it been? Ten or 15 years?”
Further messages were sent to Jamie Norman on May 21 by one of the defendant’s family members. “He told me that he likes this girl called Amy, so I looked you up,” read the message.

Similar messages continued over several days.

“His [Jamie Norman] desire was to move away with the victim,” continued Ms Jackson. “He then began saying he wanted to marry her. He didn’t know where she lived, but he wanted to go to her house, meet up with her and chat.”

He then posted several items on Facebook, asking his friends’ opinion on whether he should pursue the relationship.

“Do I carry on pursuing Amy?” he asked. “I’d like to know what you think.”

On May 27 he contacted one of the victims friends via Facebook. If you don’t get Amy to message me in the next two hours, I’m phoning the police,” he said. “All I want is an answer, yes or no.”

Ms Jackson said that a total of 72 messages were sent by Norman to the victim as well as approximately four missed phone calls.

“He was repeatedly asking to meet up, saying he wanted to marry her and take her away from her so-called friends,” said Ms Jackson. “She became increasingly concerned, particularly when she found out that the defendant knew where she worked.

“She was becoming increasingly anxious.”

In a victim impact statement read out to the court, the former partner of the defendant said she was ‘afraid of the unknown’.

“I don’t know what he’s capable of,” she said. “I don’t think he’s thinking rationally about his actions. It’s the fear of the unknown that really scares me.”

Norman was legally represented in court by Mr Michael Kelleher.

“The defendant has no intention of contacting the lady again,” he said. “The messages were not of a threatening nature, but he’d clearly formed a fixation with her. He never intended to hurt the lady and has now deleted Facebook messenger from his phone.”

Norman, 39, of Elm Lane, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to stalking involving serious alarm and distress.

“This involved persistent harassment over a long period to the victim, her family and her friends,” said District Judge Mark Layton when imposing sentence.

“He knew her from many years ago, but then developed an unhealthy obsession with her. “He bombarded her, and others, with unwanted messages and this caused her considerable fear and distress.”

Norman was sentenced to 24 weeks in custody, suspended for 18 months, and must carry out 20 rehabilitation requirement days and 250 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay a £154 court surcharge and £85 costs. A restraining order was imposed preventing Norman from having any form of contact, both directly and indirectly, with the victim.

Crime

Shop boss ordered to repay nearly £87,000 after illegal £1m tobacco operation

Published

12 hours ago

June 16, 2025

Court Reporter

ONE of the bosses behind a £1 million counterfeit tobacco operation in Carmarthenshire has been ordered to repay tens of thousands of pounds and sell his BMW.

Shoresh Mhmood, aged 35, must pay £86,927 within three months or face 10 months in prison. His co-defendant, 48-year-old Aran Baker, has been ordered to pay £630.

The case at Swansea Crown Court followed an investigation by Carmarthenshire County Council, triggered by test purchases of illicit cigarettes at the Groszek shop on Cowell Street, Llanelli.

Prosecutor Lee Reynolds described the premises as “a very busy and successful cash-based shop primarily operating to sell illicit tobacco”.

When council officers searched Mhmood’s home, they uncovered 9,500 counterfeit cigarettes, 170 pouches of tobacco, and £32,699 cash in a safe. A subsequent raid at Baker’s property revealed a further 89,000 counterfeit cigarettes.

Handwritten records found during the investigation indicated the shop earned between £615 on quiet days and £2,225 on busier days purely from illicit tobacco sales. Over 817 days, these takings approached £1 million.

Previously, Shoresh Salih Mhmood, of Dillwyn Street, Llanelli, received a prison sentence of 42 months, while Aran Baker, of Penciliogi, Llanelli, was sentenced to 51 months for fraudulent business activities.

In the latest Proceeds of Crime Act hearing, investigators determined both men had each benefited by around £125,000. However, available assets totalled £86,927 for Mhmood, including cash, bank funds, and a BMW car, which will now be auctioned. Baker’s available assets totalled only £630, held in a bank account.

Confiscation orders were issued accordingly, with custody terms set if the amounts remain unpaid—10 months for Mhmood and seven days for Baker.

Crime

Teenager sentenced over transphobic assault at railway station

Published

19 hours ago

June 16, 2025

Court Reporter

A MILFORD HAVEN teenager has been sentenced to a six-month referral order after admitting a hate-motivated assault at Whitland Railway Station.

The 15-year-old admitted beating another youth on 4 October 2024 and damaging his T-shirt during the same incident.

Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard the attack was aggravated by the fact the victim is transgender.

A victim statement was read aloud in court.

Magistrates imposed a six-month referral order, an uplift from three months due to the aggravating factors.

The defendant was also ordered to pay £100 in compensation for the assault and £120 for the damage, alongside prosecution costs of £85 and a £26 surcharge.

His father must attend Youth Offender Panel meetings as part of the order.

A restraining order was issued prohibiting him from contacting the victim or referring to him directly or indirectly online until December.

Crime

Charges of extreme pornography and indecent images of children

Published

23 hours ago

June 16, 2025

Court Reporter

A HAVERFORDWEST man is due to appear in court on Tuesday (June 17) charged with a series of serious offences involving extreme pornography and indecent images of children.

DEAN PELLINGTON, aged 31, of Back Lane, is facing four charges at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, where he is listed for a first hearing at 2:00pm.

Pellington is accused of possessing 48 extreme pornographic images between January 19 and May 30, 2024.

The images are said to portray, in a highly explicit and realistic manner, a person performing oral sex with a live horse. Prosecutors allege the material was “grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise of an obscene character,” and that a reasonable person would believe both the person and the animal depicted were real.

The charge is brought under sections 63 and 67 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. The offence carries a maximum penalty of 12 months’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.

In addition, Pellington faces three separate counts of making indecent images of children, all said to have occurred between September 16, 2023, and May 30, 2024, also in Haverfordwest. These include:

Three images classified as Category C
Three images classified as Category B
Two images classified as Category A — the most serious category

These charges fall under the Protection of Children Act 1978. Each carries a maximum sentence of six months’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine if dealt with in the magistrates’ court.

The Herald will be present at the hearing and will report further once proceedings are underway.