Previous convictions for similar offences revealed to court

A 57-YEAR-OLD man from St Dogmaels has been jailed for two-and-a-half years after admitting multiple serious child sex offences.

Leof Sceaga appeared before Swansea Crown Court on Wednesday (Feb 26), where he was sentenced for possessing hundreds of indecent images of children as well as extreme pornographic material.

The court heard that Sceaga had 232 Category A images — the most serious classification — together with 331 Category B images and 366 Category C images in his possession. He also admitted possessing a number of extreme pornographic images.

While outlining the facts, the prosecutor told the court that Sceaga’s internet search history included terms such as “kiddie porn”, “pre-teen models” and “pedo kids centre webcam”.

The court was further told that Sceaga had previous convictions for similar offences, having appeared before Nottingham Crown Court in both 2012 and 2019.

In mitigation, Mr Griffiths, defending, said his client accepted that an immediate custodial sentence was inevitable.

His Honour Judge Geraint Walters sentenced Sceaga to 27 months’ imprisonment for possession of Category A images, 12 months for Category B images and three months for Category C images. He was also handed three months for possessing extreme pornographic images and a further three months for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

All sentences will run concurrently, resulting in a total custodial term of two-and-a-half years.

Woman assaulted and residents threatened during frightening street incident

A 26-YEAR-OLD man chased a neighbour through the streets of Pembroke Dock with a metal baseball bat after assaulting his partner during a drunken argument, a court has heard.

Marius Tanase, who had been drinking heavily, lashed out during a disturbance at Wavell Crescent on Wednesday (May 21) last year. Swansea Crown Court was told his behaviour that night was described as “erratic and frightening”.

Prosecutor Harry Dickens said Tanase grabbed his then girlfriend by the neck and lifted her off the ground during an argument at the property. Concerned neighbours intervened, shouting at him to stop.

Instead, Tanase spat at one neighbour and then chased another person “around the block” while carrying a metal baseball bat. The situation escalated further when the victim pushed him over a wall, after which he kicked her to the back of the head.

The court also heard that Tanase made threats that he would contact people to “kill and stab everybody”.

Police later arrested him near the Aldi store on the outskirts of Pembroke Dock.

Tanase admitted three counts of assault by beating.

In mitigation, defence barrister David Singh said Tanase had been struggling emotionally following the sudden death of his father, aged 44, from a heart attack. His father had brought the family to the UK, and the loss had affected him deeply.

The court was told Tanase turned to alcohol as a way of coping but had since stopped drinking and had engaged with support from the Dyfed Drug and Alcohol Service.

Mr Singh added that Tanase had no previous convictions and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. He also expressed remorse for his actions, particularly towards his former partner.

Sentencing, Judge Catherine Richards told him: “Your behaviour that night was very erratic and frightening.”

Tanase, formerly of Pembroke Dock but now living in Cheltenham, was handed a two-year community order. The sentence includes 150 hours of unpaid work, a 20-day rehabilitation requirement, and a 120-day alcohol abstinence monitoring programme.

Case sent to Crown Court amid claims of stalking, abduction and dangerous driving

A PEMBROKE DOCK man is to appear before a Crown Court judge charged with repeatedly engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour towards a woman.

Alfie Hegarty, aged 20, of Church Street, Pembroke Dock, is accused of repeatedly or continuously engaging in behaviour said to have controlled the complainant’s social media use, restricted who she could speak to and involved extreme jealousy.

“The allegations go further than that and include abduction, dangerous driving, stalking, coercive controlling behaviour and harassment,” Crown Prosecutor Dennis Davies told Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

Mr Davies asked magistrates to decline jurisdiction because of the seriousness of the case.

“This is not suitable for summary trial, given the effect that it’s had on the victim,” he said.

Hegarty denied the allegation. No representations were made by his solicitor.

Magistrates granted the Crown’s request and the case was sent to Swansea Crown Court, where proceedings are due to begin on March 27.

Hegarty was released on conditional bail. The conditions are that he must not contact the complainant directly or indirectly and must not enter her address in Neyland.