IRONMAN Wales returns to Pembrokeshire in just over a week and there will be full and partial road closures in and around the south of the County.

IRONMAN Wales will be held on Sunday, 22^nd September with thousands of athletes from all over the world taking part in a 2.3mile swim, followed by a 112mile bike ride before finishing with a 26.2mile run.

The swim starts at 7.30am and the predicted last finisher time is around 1am the following morning.

Full information outlining road closures and alternative routes available across the course is available on the IRONMAN website (opens in new window) to help residents plan their travel ahead of the event.

The A40 and A477 will remain open and are unaffected to facilitate access east-west throughout the event.

Emergency services will maintain full access.

Due to the road closure it will not be possible for the 387/8 (Coastal Cruiser) bus service to operate on Sunday 22^nd September. The service will operate as normal on Saturday 21^st and Monday 23^rd September.

The bike course closure map (opens in new window) and run course closure map can also be downloaded from ironman.com

There will also be restrictions in Tenby town centre on Saturday 21^st when IRONKIDS from across the county take part in their running races.

A park and ride shuttle bus will be running on Saturday and Sunday from Carew Airfield and Saundersfoot.

If you have any IRONMAN Wales access questions, please contact [email protected] or call 03330 11 66 00 and provide the following details:

• Name
• Telephone Number
• Journey Start Postcode
• Journey End Postcode
• Time of Departure
• Details of Enquiry

Please note the e-mail address will not be monitored on the event weekend so please plan ahead.

A WEST WALES man, initially convicted of grooming and sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy, has been acquitted after a trial was ordered following a successful application to the court based on new evidence about his mental capacity.

The accused, Alec Davidson, from Carmarthen, pleaded guilty in June 2023 of two charges related to historical sexual abuse against a then 13-year-old boy. These charges stemmed from an incident in 2005, when Davidson had allegedly groomed the victim via the social media platform Bebo before assaulting him. The guilty plea by the defendant had followed a judicial review initiated by the victim, who had to take legal action to compel Dyfed Powys Police to pursue the case after their initial reluctance to do so.

However, Davidson applied to the court to vacate his pleas vacated (cancelled). The court heard that he had the mental capacity of a primary school child and had only pleaded guilty under pressure to stay out of jail. His application to vacate his pleas was granted, and the subsequent trial resulted in Davidson being found not guilty last Friday (Sept 6).

Davidson’s legal team successfully argued that their client had been wrongly advised to plead guilty. His father, John Davidson, testified that Alec, who has the cognitive capacity of a child, was told by his barrister that a guilty plea would likely result in a non-custodial sentence, while contesting the charges could lead to a guaranteed jail term if convicted.

John Davidson revealed to the court that he had instructed his son to follow the barrister’s advice, believing it was the only way to avoid prison. As a result, Alec Davidson pleaded guilty without fully understanding the consequences of his actions or the implications of the plea.

At the eventual trial, which took place on September 6, 2024, the jury returned a not guilty verdict, resulting in Alec Davidson’s acquittal.

The victim, now in his 30s, had faced significant challenges in getting justice. The abuse took place in the winter of 2004/2005, when Davidson groomed the victim online and took him to a secluded location where the assault occurred. The victim did not report the incident until 2019, when he confronted Davidson on Facebook. In the exchange, Davidson admitted to the sexual act but claimed he believed the boy to be 17 at the time.

Despite this admission and the evidence from the Facebook conversation, Dyfed Powys Police initially declined to prosecute, citing insufficient evidence and referencing the victim’s mental health and troubled background as potential obstacles to securing a conviction. The victim, undeterred by the police’s decision, sought a judicial review to challenge the authorities’ refusal to proceed. His persistence paid off, with the judicial review forcing the police to arrest and charge Davidson in 2023.

The victim has described his ordeal as “a nightmare that never ends,” not only due to the abuse but also because of the systemic failures by the police, NHS, and local authorities in handling his case. He revealed that confidential medical and school records, which detailed his history of mental illness and behavioral problems, were shared with the police without his consent by the NHS and Carmarthenshire County Council. Both organizations admitted to mishandling his records and settled with the victim for an undisclosed sum believed to be less than £10,000.

These institutional failings further complicated the case, with the police initially using the victim’s background as justification for not proceeding with the investigation. The victim’s decision to pursue a judicial review forced the authorities to reconsider their position, leading to Davidson’s arrest and first conviction.

Davidson’s acquittal raises serious questions about the handling of cases involving vulnerable individuals on both sides of the legal system. While the retrial has cleared Davidson, the case highlights the difficulties faced by both victims and defendants with mental disabilities in navigating the criminal justice process.

The alleged victim, reportedly devastated by the retrial outcome, remains concerned about the broader implications of the case.

A LIGHTHOUSE beacon that has guided more than a billion metric tons of shipping over six decades into the Port of Milford Haven has undergone a major refit.

The Mid Channel Rock lighthouse, bedded on an undersea reef and known by mariners as ‘the Pole’, has endured Atlantic storms for over nearly 60 years to warn ships of shallow rocks at the entrance to the Port of Milford Haven. In recent years it has also provided extensive weather and sea condition information to commercial and leisure sailors using the UK’s leading energy port.

The multi-million-pound project, led by engineers at the Port of Milford Haven, saw a 25 tonne steel sleeve lowered over the tower and strengthened with infill to reinforce the structure. One of the tripod legs that are drilled into the seabed to support the column was also reinforced and new electrical systems and weather monitoring equipment were fitted.

Shan McGarty, the Port’s Project Manager leading the scheme, explained: “This project has been long in the planning, taking several years to move from initial concept to completion due to the complexity of the task. Once works began they were delivered relatively swiftly despite the difficult working conditions we faced, including strong winds and heavy seas.”

“It is our job to ensure the safe navigation of these waters for everyone that uses them and that’s why an investment such as this is top of our priorities,” explained the Port of Milford Haven’s Harbourmaster, Mike Ryan. “Not only is the Mid Channel Rock lighthouse a highly visible mark for all, it’s also an essential part of our weather and sea monitoring systems helping us plan shipping movements,” he said.

“And for sailors coming from often heavy seas, this historic marker will continue to stand proud as a welcome to the sheltered harbour at the Port of Milford Haven for many years to come.” Mike added.