Crime

Wrongly convicted Pembrokeshire postmaster’s delight at new baby

Published

1 month ago

August 6, 2024

A PEMBROKESHIRE sub-postmaster who was unjustly prosecuted in the infamous Horizon scandal has expressed his joy over the birth of his new baby, marking a hopeful new chapter in his life.

Tim Brentnall, from Roch, Pembrokeshire, faced prosecution in 2010 for false accounting after a £22,000 shortfall was discovered at his branch. He is among the 736 former Post Office managers wrongly accused due to the flawed Horizon computer system.

The ordeal compounded the stress of trying for a baby, but now Mr Brentnall and his partner Steph are celebrating the arrival of Lando, born three weeks ago, describing him as “a dream come true”.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Mr Brentnall shared, “Ten years ago, I would never have thought it possible to be this happy and have this new life. We wanted a child for many years, and with Steph going through cancer and treatment, we had to wait for a while.”

Reflecting on the scandal’s impact, he noted, “Living next to the Post Office is a constant reminder of what happened. I was in my early 20s when we took it on, and that was going to be my future. It was all ripped away from me after five years.”

Mr Brentnall, 22 at the time, had bought the shop with his parents, aiming to secure an income and remain in his hometown. In 2009, auditors uncovered a discrepancy, leading to his suspension and subsequent interrogation at Haverfordwest police station. “It was horrific. I felt totally alone and helpless,” he recalled.

Despite knowing he had not taken any money, Mr Brentnall’s family felt pressured to cover the alleged debt, with his parents taking out a loan. Nevertheless, he was prosecuted for false accounting and, advised to plead guilty, received an 18-month suspended sentence along with 200 hours of community service.

“I really started to feel like I was trapped in a nightmare,” he said. “I felt like I was watching myself do it because I knew I didn’t do anything wrong but I was in front of a judge in Crown Court pleading guilty to a crime I didn’t commit.”

In 2021, his conviction was overturned, and he provided testimony to the Post Office inquiry in March 2022. Now, with baby Lando, Mr Brentnall and Steph are looking forward to a brighter future.

“It has been a real joy to be able to start to build towards the next chapter,” he said.

Mr Brentnall’s journey from wrongful conviction to new fatherhood underscores a remarkable resilience in the face of profound adversity. As the Horizon scandal continues to unfold, stories like his highlight the human cost behind the technical failures and institutional missteps.

For Mr Brentnall and his family, baby Lando symbolizes not just a new life, but the beginning of healing and hope after years of turmoil and distress.

Image: BBC News Hub

Crime

Disgraced former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards faces sentencing over indecent images

Published

14 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.