A ROUTINE police check has resulted in a drug-driving conviction for Haverfordwest resident Nima Hajiaghaee after he was found with Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system.

This week Haverfordwest magistrates were told that Hajiaghaee, 36, was stopped at around 10.30 am on January 19 as he drove his Peugeot van along Dredgemans Hill heading towards Johnston  A roadside breath test proved positive for cannabis while further samples gave a reading of 5.3, the legal limit being 2.

Hajiaghaee pleaded guilty to the charge and chose to legally represent himself before District Judge Mark Layton.

Addressing the judge, the defendant accepted full responsibility for his actions but stressed that a mandatory driving ban is likely to have a considerable impact on his employment with a specialist installation company.

“My job involves improving living conditions for elderly and vulnerable people and means I regularly have to travel across the UK,” he said.  “This is extremely specialist work and depends on my ability to drive.

“I’m now worried about the spiraling financial consequences as a result of a disqualification.

“I’ve reflected seriously on the incident and realise the importance of road safety.  It’s  had a significant impact on me and I can assure the court I will not find myself in this situation again.”

Hajiaghaee, of Cleddau Avenue, Haverfordwest, was disqualified from driving for 12 months.   He was fined £600 and ordered to pay a £240 court surcharge and £85 costs.

A Milford motorist has lost his licence after being caught driving with cannabis in his system.

Cyril Davies, 45, was stopped by officers at approximately 12.45pm on January 6, when they saw his Volkswagen Tiguan being driven along Milford Road in Steynton.

A roadside drugs wipe proved positive while further tests carried out at the police station showed the defendant had 4.4 mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system, the legal limit being 2.

This week Haverfordwest Magistrates Court was told that Davies, of Coombs Drive, Milford Haven, has no previous convictions.  He chose to be legally unrepresented in court. After pleading guilty to the drink-driving charge, he was fined £400 and ordered to pay a £160 court surcharge and £85 costs.  He was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

A CARDIGAN farming company has been ordered to pay almost £20,000 after recklessly damaging a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Jenkins Ty Hen Ltd, run by David Glyn Jenkins and William Lloyd Jenkins, of Ty Hen, Verwig, admitted damaging the Llwyn Ysgaw, Caeau Crug Bychan and Ty Gwyn SSSI through the unauthorised use of manure, slurry, fertilisers and lime.

The offences took place between June 21 and July 31, 2024.

The court heard that Natural Resources Wales had repeatedly warned the company about how the protected land should be managed.

Aled Watkins, prosecuting for NRW, said an agreement made in 2004 made clear that the landowners needed written consent before carrying out certain activities on the site, including the use of slurry, herbicides, pesticides, fertiliser or lime.

He said: “A significant amount of guidance, advice and warnings has been directed to the company over a substantial period of time, as there have been problems before.”

The court was told advice had been given in 2017, with further discussions in 2021. Further problems were identified in 2024, leading to advice letters and then a formal warning in June that year.

Mr Watkins said: “Even after the letters were sent, no consent request was made.

“The common sense conclusion was that, where the original agreement was clear and advice had been given years prior, this was a deliberate act by the landowners of spreading slurry on the SSSI.”

Jenkins Ty Hen Ltd pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly destroying or damaging flora on the protected site, contrary to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

The company also admitted permitting the use of manure, slurry, silage liquor, fertiliser or lime without written consent from NRW, knowing it was likely to damage rare flora and fauna as well as geological and physiographical features.

Defending, solicitor Harry Dickens said the company had not deliberately set out to damage the land.

“This is more akin to the business damaging the land rather than setting out within their practices to do that damage,” he said.

He added that various contractors were used at the farm and were not always aware of the regulations.

“The defendants did not go out intentionally to harm the flora and fauna,” he said.

“Yes, they had foresight of the warnings and the previous agreement, but this is more akin to wilful blindness rather than going out intending to damage the land. It was not a flagrant disregard.

“The defendants were not loutish in their usage of the land, they are not vandals, they have not been silent and neither have they stonewalled NRW.”

Mr Dickens said the farmers accepted the need to restore the land and were keen to work productively with the authorities.

District Judge Mark Layton said Jenkins Ty Hen Ltd had breached NRW requirements.

“They spread fertilisers, herbicides and slurry on the land which was a breach,” he said.

“This was clearly a deliberate act of culpability and a complete disregard after already being given advice and warnings.”

The court heard the company’s most recent financial turnover was just over £1.6m. It was described by the defence as a micro-business.

Jenkins Ty Hen Ltd was ordered to pay £19,940.66, made up of a £9,000 fine, £8,940.66 costs to NRW and a £2,000 surcharge.

A restoration order was also made requiring work to improve the quality of the damaged SSSI land.