Crime

Racially aggravated harassment proceedings adjourned due to lack of time

Published

1 month ago

August 6, 2024

PROCEEDINGS at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court were adjourned yesterday due to a lack of court time. The case involves Shaun Tucker, a 38-year-old resident of Haverfordwest, who faces multiple charges. The session, presided over by the magistrates, was expected to address several serious allegations against Tucker but has now been rescheduled for 12th August 2024.

Shaun Tucker, of Scotchwell View, Haverfordwest, is accused of a series of offences stemming from an alleged incident December 22, 2023 at Morrison’s Supermarket and its adjoining facilities on Bridge Meadow Lane, Haverfordwest. The charges include racially or religiously aggravated harassment, assault by beating, use of threatening behaviour with intent to provoke violence, and theft from a shop.

It is alleged that Tucker engaged in racially aggravated harassment and caused alarm or distress through words or writing, falling under section 31(1)(c) and (5) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Additionally, Tucker is accused of physically assaulting Gary Logan-Scurlock at the supermarket, a charge pursuant to section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. Further charges indicate that Tucker used threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour intended to cause fear of unlawful violence towards Shaun Bird in the supermarket car park, under section 4(1)(a) and (4) of the Public Order Act 1986. Tucker is also charged with stealing food items worth £4.00 from Morrisons.

Due to a congested court schedule, the case was not heard as planned. This decision was made to ensure that adequate time is allocated for a comprehensive hearing of the charges against Tucker. The new hearing date is set for August 12.

Tucker was not present in court, and he is currently on bail.

Crime

Disgraced former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards faces sentencing over indecent images

Published

15 hours ago

September 15, 2024

Tom Sinclair

Huw Edwards, the disgraced former BBC newsreader, is set to appear in court on Monday (Sept 16), to learn his fate after admitting to possessing sexual images of children. This marks his first return to court since his admission earlier this year.

Edwards, 63 and from Carmarthenshire, was a prominent figure at the BBC, earning a salary of over £470,000. He was a regular presenter of News at Ten and the face of major national events, including the announcement of Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September 2022. His fall from grace began in April when he resigned from his BBC role, and three months later, he pleaded guilty to having indecent images of children on his phone, sent to him by another man via WhatsApp.

On July 31, Edwards appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, where he was surrounded by a crowd of journalists and photographers. During the hearing, he admitted to possessing 41 indecent images of children. Among these were seven category A images, the most serious type, showing abuse, including penetrative sexual activity. Disturbingly, two of these images depicted a child aged between seven and nine.

The scandal involving Edwards emerged in the summer of 2023 when he was identified as the well-known BBC presenter at the centre of allegations involving payments of over £35,000 to a teenager in return for images. However, the police clarified that the indecent images for which Edwards was charged were not connected to this teenager. The investigation into Edwards began after officers seized a phone during an unrelated probe, which revealed his participation in a WhatsApp conversation where he received the illegal images.

Edwards admitted to three counts of making indecent images of children. The court heard that he received these images from Alex Williams, who was convicted earlier this year of possessing prohibited images of children. The exchanges took place on WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021, during which Edwards received a total of 377 sexual images, including the 41 indecent images of children.

In a conversation on 2nd February 2021, Williams asked Edwards whether the images he was sending featured individuals who were too young. Edwards responded by instructing him not to send any underage images. Nonetheless, he continued to receive illegal content, including seven category A images, 12 category B, and 22 category C.

The BBC faced criticism for continuing to pay Edwards a large salary while the criminal investigation was ongoing. The corporation defended its actions, stating that Edwards had not been charged while he was still employed but off air. A BBC spokesperson said, “If at any point during the period Mr Edwards was employed by the BBC he had been charged, the BBC had determined it would act immediately to dismiss him. In the end, at the point of charge, he was no longer an employee of the BBC.”

Edwards is now awaiting sentencing as he returns to Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Crime

Shoplifter stole beer and assaulted woman, court hears

Published

2 days ago

September 14, 2024

Court Reporter

JOHN ASHBY, 37, of Laws Street in Pembroke Dock, has admitted to stealing crates of Stella Artois and assaulting a woman, Llanelli Magistrates’ Court heard.

Ashby faced four charges, including stealing five crates of Stella Artois worth £60 from Tesco Express in Tenby and two more boxes worth £25 from Iceland in Haverfordwest on August 19.

After being released on bail on August 19, he failed to surrender to bail on September 3. He was also charged with assault by beating, accused of attacking a woman in Pembroke Dock on September 4.

Ashby pleaded guilty to all charges on September 6. The case has been adjourned for a pre-sentence report, and he has been granted bail until his sentencing at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on September 24.