Crime
Haverfordwest man on trial for alleged historical child sexual abuse

A HAVERFORDWEST man has gone on trial accused of sexually abusing a girl over several years from when she was as young as four.
Richard Lewis, 50, formerly of Haverfordwest, appeared in the dock at Swansea Crown Court, charged with seven child sexual abuse offences.
Lewis faces six counts of assaulting a child under the age of 13 by penetration, with the alleged incidents occurring between July 2004 and July 2009. The complainant was aged between four and eight years old at the time of these allegations. Additionally, he is charged with the attempted sexual assault of the same child when she was between eight and twelve years old.
Lewis, who now resides on Priory Street in Carmarthen, pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Prosecutor Craig Jones opened the case by informing the jury that Lewis is accused of sexually assaulting the complainant in various locations, including a field, behind a garage complex, and in his vehicle.
“He would buy her treats: sweets, ice lollies, and ice creams,” Mr Jones stated. “There were times that the defendant asked the complainant if she liked what he was doing to her. The complainant felt she had to say yes. On one occasion, she did say no. She noticed that the defendant didn’t like that. She felt that she let him down by saying no.”
Mr Jones further explained that the complainant disclosed the allegations to her parents during her teenage years, after receiving sex education in school. However, she was adamant she did not want to report it at that time.
Lewis was arrested and interviewed on March 6, 2022, where he denied sexually assaulting the complainant. In a second interview on August 26, 2022, he provided a prepared statement.
The trial continues before Judge Paul Thomas KC at Swansea Crown Court.
Crime
Milford Haven man banned for three years after second drug-driving conviction

A MOTORIST who claimed to have taken cannabis “several days” before being stopped by police was found to have over four times the prescribed legal limit of the drug in his system.
Antonio Rodrigues, 27, was pulled over by officers just before 3:00pm on September 13, 2024, while driving his Smart car along an unclassified road off the A40 in Slebech.
A roadside drugs wipe proved positive, and further blood tests at the police custody suite confirmed he had 9.8 mcg of cannabis in his system—well above the legal limit of 2 mcg.
Haverfordwest magistrates heard this week that this was Rodrigues’ second drug-driving offence in a ten-year period.
“He’d taken the cannabis some days before, and there was nothing wrong with his driving,” said his solicitor, Michael Kelleher, after Rodrigues, of Croeso, Steynton Road, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to the offence.
“He had no idea he was over the limit.”
Mr Kelleher added that Rodrigues self-medicates with cannabis and is in the process of applying for a legal cannabis prescription.
Magistrates disqualified him from driving for 36 months and fined him £120. He was also ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £48 court surcharge.
Crime
Warrant issued for St Davids pensioner over cannabis possession

A WARRANT has been issued for the arrest of a 71-year-old woman accused of possessing cannabis.
The Crown alleges that Barbara Lewis, of High Street, St Davids, was found in possession of 3.4 grams of herbal cannabis, a controlled Class B drug, during a police search on January 17.
Lewis was listed to appear before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday (Feb 11). Following her failure to attend, magistrates issued a warrant for her arrest at the request of the Crown Prosecution Service.
Crime
Drink driver handed suspended sentence and taken off the road

A BAGLAN man has been handed a suspended prison sentence after admitting to multiple driving offences, including driving while over the alcohol limit and while disqualified.
Nathan Lewis, 42, of Tyn Y Twr, Baglan, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Feb 10) and pleaded guilty to three charges: driving a motor vehicle while above the legal alcohol limit, using a vehicle without insurance, and driving while disqualified.
The court heard that on February 8, 2025, Lewis was stopped on the A40 in Llanddewi Velfrey, Narberth, while driving a Toyota Yaris with the registration SL59 YCA. A breath test revealed he had 83 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than twice the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.
Magistrates imposed a four-week custodial sentence for the drink-driving offence, suspended for 24 months, citing his history of two similar previous offences. He was also disqualified from driving for 54 months and ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work within 12 months, along with a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
In addition, Lewis was found to have been driving without valid insurance and while disqualified. He received a further 12-week custodial sentence, suspended for 24 months, bringing his total suspended sentence to 16 weeks. His driving record was endorsed, but no additional penalty was imposed for the insurance offence.
The magistrates stated that the offences were serious enough to warrant imprisonment but acknowledged a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. The case will be supervised by Swansea Magistrates’ Court.
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