Crime

Former teacher sentenced for assaulting child in Ysgol Caer Elen’s playground

Published

5 months ago

June 25, 2024

A FORMER Ysgol Caer Elen teacher has appeared before magistrates for sentence after admitting assaulting a ten-year-old child in the school playground.

The child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was seen running away from Samuel Jones on the morning of November 14 as he played with his friends on the school playground.

In a police statement given by one of the school’s pastoral behaviour support officers, she described the child as being ‘cheeky’.

“He was being cheeky to Mr Jones, who kept telling him to stop being silly and to give the ball back,” she said.

“The boy had kicked the girls’ ball over the fence and he was refusing to give it back. He kept saying ‘No’.

“Mr Jones kept telling him to give back the ball and shouted at him, but [the child] kept refusing.

“It had turned into a cat and mouse chase and [the child] was laughing and smirking and trying to dodge Mr Jones as he tried to stop him.”

As the child attempted to run past Samuel Jones, who have his address as Hayston View, Johnston the 40-year-old reached out and grabbed him by the back of his jumper.

“He had it around the shoulders and mid sleeves, and the child was bent forwards as he’d been running. But then he got loose and ran off again.”

The child ran towards a group of boys, and once again Mr Jones reached out to grab him.

“By now the boys were all calling him names, saying he was a child abuser and a paedo,” the pastoral behaviour support officer said in her statement.

“The child was also seen rubbing his jumper back and forth across the back of his neck. I don’t know if the mark on his neck was a result of this, or was simply made worse by the way he kept rubbing his jumper”

Mr Jones then left the playground and when he returned, the boys began calling him names.

“One of the boys was heard calling him a fat c***,” the support officer said in her statement.

Jones, 40, of Hayston View, Johnston pleaded guilty to a charge of assault by beating.

He was legally represented in court by Mr Michael Kelleher.

“This is the difficulty that a teacher or a learning assistant has these days,” he said. “When a child is being cheeky, rude or refusing to do what he is being asked to do, an adult should avoid touching the pupil.

“My client is mortified at what occurred and has since resigned from the teaching profession -so we’ve lost a teacher.

“The children were heard saying ‘We’ll make sure you’ll be in trouble for this’, and unfortunately this is what’s happened.”

After considering the mitigation, magistrates fined Jones £400 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £160 surcharge.

No compensation order was made against the victim.

“We have considered it, but we don’t deem compensation appropriate,” commented the presiding magistrate when passing sentence.

Crime

Court hears man exposed his flaccid manhood ‘by accident’

Published

3 days ago

November 19, 2024

Court Reporter

A 21-YEAR-OLD Pembrokeshire man has appeared before magistrates charged with intentionally exposing his genitals in a public place.

Thomas Jones is accused of carrying out the act at a property in New Moat, Clarbeston Road, on November 9, 2022.

“The defendant knocked on the door of a female and offered his gardening services,” Crown prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“She accepted his offer and moved her car so that he could move his van, but when she turned around, she could see his flaccid penis was outside his trousers. When she pointed this out to him, he said he didn’t know that it was exposed.”

Jones denies the charge. He was released on unconditional bail to await his trial at Haverfordwest magistrates court on January 6.

Crime

Regular cocaine user from Milford Haven taken off the road

Published

3 days ago

November 19, 2024

Sarah Jane Absalom

A MILFORD HAVEN resident who admits to being a regular cocaine user has lost his driving licence after being found behind the wheel when he was 15 times over the legal Benzoylecgonine limit.

Teifion Morse, 41, was stopped by officers just before midnight on May 1 following reports that he was driving his Vauxhall Insignia along the A477 at excessive speeds.

“The vehicle was travelling westwards towards Kilgetty, and Teifion Morse was the driver and the sole occupant, “ Crown Prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

A roadside drugs wipe proved positive while further blood tests carried out at the police custody suite showed that Morse had 800 mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system (the legal limit is 50), and 20 mcg of cocaine. The legal limit is 10.

Ms James said that when Morse was spoken to by officers, he told them that he knew the readings would be positive. “I’ve done stupid amounts today,” he said.

Morse, of Hawthorn Path, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to two charges of drug driving. A probation report stated that since leaving the military five and a half years ago, Morse has suffered from mental health issues.

He’s been using cocaine as a coping mechanism,” said the probation officer. “He freely admits that he uses cocaine to help him cope, but it’s spiralled and is getting more and more out of control. He would like support to kick this habit.”

Morse chose to be legally unrepresented when he appeared before magistrates.

“It was my stupid fault and I’m trying to take the correct steps to get on the right path,” he said in mitigation.

Morse was sentenced to an 18-month community order during which he must carry out 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work. He was disqualified from driving for 15 months and must pay a £140 court surcharge and £85 costs.

Crime

Motorist manned from driving after being caught over limit

Published

3 days ago

November 19, 2024

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKE DOCK motorist has been ordered off the roads after driving through Pembroke town centre when he was over the drink-drive limit.

Just before 1am on October 31, police officers stopped a Vauxhall Zafira that was being driven along South Road by Cameron Sell, 23, who was exceeding the speed limit.

“He was acting erratically when he was speaking to the officer,” Crown Prosecutor Nia James told Haverofrdwest magistrates this week.

A roadside breath test proved positive and subsequent breath tests carried out at the police station showed Sell had 42 mcg of alcohol in his system. The legal limit is 35.

After considering the facts, magistrates fined Sell £300 and ordered him to pay a £120 court surcharge and £85 costs. He was disqualified from driving for 12 months.