Crime
Man who threatened to chop off teenage girl’s ears given community sentence
A COURT has heard how a 17-year-old girl was left fearing for her life after a man threatened to chop off her ears and impose further injuries on her with a gun and a baseball bat.
Paul Gurney phoned the victim on the evening of February 11 when she was alone in a property in Whitland.
“The defendant and the victim had been in a relationship for a few months, and that night he called her and had a very slurred voice,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.
“She could hear him throwing things in the background, and he accused her of being with someone else during their relationship.
“He then said he was going to come to her house and chop her ears off, and would also bring a gun and a baseball bat with him.”
Gurney rang the 17-year-old yet again that same evening, when he accused her of betraying him.
“You betrayed me, so now I’m going to betray you and your family,” he said.
Gurney, 32, of Maes Grug, Stop and Call, Goodwick, also posted a photograph of himself on Facebook which pictured him holding a knife. When officers carried out a search of his property, they discovered a BB gun and pellets.
A victim statement was read out to the magistrates, in which the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she now fears for her safety as a result of the incident.
“I was really scared, believing he was going to come to my address,” she said. “I’m genuinely scared about what he might do, because I know he’s capable of violence.”
Gurney pleaded guilty to sending communications to the woman which threatened death and serious harm.
He was legally represented in court by Mr Tom Lloyd who informed the magistrates that at the time of the offence, Gurney was heavily dependent on drugs.
“Since this incident, he has addressed his drug issues and is very remorseful for what happened,” he said. “He said some extremely foolish and unpalatable things to her, but he meant no harm.”
Mr Lloyd refuted the Prosecution’s allegation that Gurney had had a relationship with the victim.
After considering the mitigation, magistrates sentenced Gurney to a 12-month Community Order during which he must carry out 25 rehabilitation activity requirements and 150 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay £120 compensation to his victim, a £114 court surcharge and £85 prosecution cost.
A restraining order was imposed preventing him from having any contact with the victim.
Crime
Arrest after fatal Carmarthenshire hit-and-run
A MAN has been arrested following a fatal hit-and-run collision in Llanpumsaint, Carmarthenshire, on Monday (December 23), which claimed the life of 38-year-old Aaron Jones.
The incident happened near Caer Salem Baptist Chapel between 6:45pm and 7:45pm while Aaron was walking his dog. Police said the vehicle involved, a blue car with noticeable damage, was travelling northbound through the village at the time of the collision.
Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that the vehicle believed to have been involved has now been located, and a 27-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop for a collision, and failing to report a collision.
Specially trained officers are supporting Aaron’s family, who have asked for privacy during this difficult time.
A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “We are appealing to anyone who may have seen the vehicle or has dashcam footage from the area during the relevant times to contact us immediately.”
The road remains closed while investigations continue, and residents can expect an increased police presence in the area.
Anyone with dashcam footage, doorbell camera recordings, or CCTV footage from the area is urged to check their recordings and contact Dyfed-Powys Police immediately using the details provided in the comments.
Crime
Repeat offender jailed for breaching Sexual Harm Prevention Order
A SERIAL offender who repeatedly defied a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) has been handed a three-year prison sentence following his latest breaches while living in Pembrokeshire.
Adrian John Thomas, 31, of no fixed abode, was originally made subject to a SHPO and notification requirements in 2017 after being convicted of offences involving a 14-year-old girl. Despite the restrictions imposed on him, Thomas has shown a persistent pattern of non-compliance.
The latest sentencing at Swansea Crown Court on Thursday (Dec 19) addressed four fresh breaches of the SHPO and one count of failing to meet notification requirements.
Following his release from prison in October 2023, Thomas initially registered at an approved address in Swansea. By January, he had moved to Pembrokeshire and declared himself as having no fixed address to the police.
However, it later emerged that he had moved in with his mother, who resides in sheltered housing, without notifying authorities of his change in circumstances—a direct violation of his notification requirements.
While living with his mother, Thomas took control of her iPhone, setting up a PIN and facial recognition lock without her consent. He then used the device to create multiple social media accounts, including Instagram, Gmail, and Facebook profiles, all in clear breach of his SHPO terms.
The court heard how Thomas’s actions left his mother feeling distressed and powerless in her own home.
Prosecutors revealed Thomas’s extensive criminal history, including eight previous convictions spanning 15 offences. Between February 2019 and October 2022 alone, he breached the SHPO 11 times and once failed to comply with notification requirements, resulting in multiple prison sentences.
In mitigation, the defence argued that Thomas had shown remorse and was struggling with his mental health. They claimed he had no viable housing options other than moving in with his mother or living in a tent.
Judge Paul Thomas KC delivered a stark assessment of the defendant’s repeated disregard for court orders.
“Your track record shows a persistent determination to flout the Sexual Harm Prevention Order placed on you after a serious child sexual offence conviction,” the judge said.
“You have breached this order and notification requirements time and time again. You misled the police about your living arrangements, manipulated your mother’s phone despite her pleas, and did so while on licence from a previous sentence.”
The judge concluded: “You seem entirely undeterred by the consequences of your actions.”
Thomas was sentenced to three years in prison, with a review of the SHPO’s duration scheduled for January.
Crime
Police hunt driver after dog walker killed in Carmarthenshire hit-and-run
A PEDESTRIAN walking his dog has died after being struck in a hit-and-run collision on a Carmarthenshire road on Monday (December 23).
The incident occurred in Llanpumsaint, near Caer Salem Baptist Chapel, between 6:45pm and 7:45pm.
The road remains closed, and police are urgently appealing for information to locate the driver of a blue vehicle believed to have fled the scene.
A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “We are actively searching for the driver of a blue vehicle with noticeable damage, which was involved in a fatal hit-and-run collision in Llanpumsaint, Carmarthenshire. The driver left the scene, and locating them is now our top priority.
“We are appealing directly to the driver to do the right thing and come forward. Additionally, we urge anyone who may have seen the vehicle or has dashcam footage from the area during the relevant times to contact us immediately.
“This collision, which tragically resulted in the death of a pedestrian, happened near Caer Salem Baptist Chapel between 6:45pm and 7:45pm on Monday, December 23, as the man was walking his dog.
“Our investigation indicates the vehicle was travelling northbound through Llanpumsaint at the time of the incident.”
The road is expected to remain closed for some time while enquiries continue. Police stress that any piece of information, no matter how small, could be crucial in identifying and locating the driver. Anyone with information is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police immediately using the details provided in the comments.
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