Crime

Banned from driving for taking father’s car without consent

Published

2 years ago

July 31, 2024

A DINAS motorist who drove off in his father’s car following an SOS call from his girlfriend found himself in court this week charged with taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent.

Mathew Reading, 31, took the Fiat Stilo which was parked outside his father’s property on January 14.

“His father had driven to Haverfordwest to pick Mathew Reading up from the police station,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“He took him back to his home address and fell asleep. But when he woke up he noticed that his car was missing, and so was the defendant. But his father doesn’t allow anyone else to drive his vehicle, as it’s his pride and joy and he’s the only one insured to drive it.”

Reading, of Maesyllan, Feidr Fawr, Dinas Cross, pleaded guilty to taking the vehicle without the owner’s consent and two additional charges of driving without a licence and third party insurance

“I ask you to see this for exactly what it is,” Reading’s solicitor, Mr Michael Kelleher told Haverfordwet court.

“He took his father’s car for a very short time and returned it because he had a call from his girlfriend saying she was in a bad way, mentally, on the beach. He was worried that she’d do something silly, so he got in the car and drove to pick her up. It took around 20 minutes, and most of that time was spent consoling her on the beach.”

Mr Kelleher said that Reading’s father has since tried to withdraw from the court proceedings, however he discovered that it was too late as proceedings had already commenced by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Reading was disqualified from driving for 12 months. He was fined £80 and ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £32 court surcharge.

Crime

West Wales man jailed for murder of five-month-old baby

Published

8 minutes ago

February 26, 2026

Court Reporter

A MAN from Swansea has been jailed after he was found guilty of the murder of a five-month-old baby.

29-year-old Thomas Morgan, from Gorseinon, had earlier pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jensen-Lee Dougal at home on Players Avenue, Clydach, which took place while Jensen-Lee’s mother was in work on March 31, 2024.

However, on Tuesday, February 10, a jury found him guilty of murder, as well as one count of GBH.

He has today been sentenced to 19 years in prison.

Following this week’s sentencing, Jensen-Lee’s mother, Jordan said: “Jensen-Lee was just five months old when his life was taken. He was completely innocent and entirely dependent on the adults around him to keep him safe.

“Since Jensen-Lee’s death, my life has been permanently changed. I live with overwhelming grief, trauma and emotional pain.

“I never had the chance to hear Jensen-Lee say he loved me. I will never hear him call me “mammy”. I will never see him take his first steps, speak his first words, start school, or grow into the person he was meant to be. Those moments were not just lost – they were taken.

“Due to what Thomas Morgan did, I have also received a life sentence, but mine is one of grief.

“Jensen-Lee will never be forgotten. I love you, Jensen-Lee.”

Detective Chief Inspector Lianne Rees said: “With today’s sentencing, we finally have justice for the terrible crime carried out by Thomas Morgan upon a defenceless baby boy.

“Thomas Morgan may now finally and rightfully be going to prison, but this will do little to alleviate the grief experienced by Jensen-Lee’s family, and especially his mother Jordan, who placed her trust into her then-partner Thomas Morgan to take care of Jensen-Lee, only to experience the ultimate betrayal.

“I want to pay tribute to the members of the public, first responders and everyone involved in the desperate efforts to save Jensen-Lee’s life, when faced with the most unimaginable and tragic circumstances back in March 2024. I also want to acknowledge the incredible dignity and strength shown by Jensen-Lee’s family throughout this painful journey.

“Lastly, I would like to thank the investigation team, Crown Prosecution Service and Prosecution Counsel for their continued hard work throughout what has been a very difficult investigation and trial.”

Crime

Driving instructor was drink-driving on way to driving lesson

Published

1 hour ago

February 26, 2026

Court Reporter

A CARMARTHENSHIRE driving instructor was four times over the limit on his way to a driving lesson.

Timothy Howells, aged 54, of Burry Port Carmarthenshire has been given an 8 week custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months following his arrest on suspicion of drink driving.

At around 7:38am on Friday, February 20, police received a report of a single vehicle collision on the A484 between Pembrey to Kidwelly, where a car was found in a roadside ditch.

The driver, Timothy Howells, a local driving instructor, appeared heavily intoxicated to officers and provided an initial roadside breath test reading of 110 and was arrested on suspicion of drink driving.

A short time later while in custody, Howells provided a second evidential breath test reading of 132 – four times over the limit.

In interview, Howells admitted that when he was arrested by officers, he was on his way to collect a pupil for a driving lesson.

After appearing in Llanelli Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Howells has been given an 8 week custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months.

Chief Inspector Christina Fraser said: “Mr Howells was operating in a position of great trust and responsibility; Roads Policing officers have worked quickly in conjunction with colleagues, CPS and the DVSA, to ensure learner drivers and other road users have been safeguarded from an individual who presented a serious risk of harm.”

Crime

St Dogmaels man jailed over hundreds of indecent images

Published

3 hours ago

February 26, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

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.