Crime
Victim left unconscious after unprovoked attack in Haverfordwest
A MAN has been sentenced for carrying out an unprovoked attack that knocked another man unconscious outside Eddie’s nightclub in Haverfordwest.
CCTV footage shown to Llanelli magistrates showed the defendant, David Petrie, 31, stride up to Mr David Corbin as he began walking away from the nightclub’s entrance.
“I can’t remember anything about the incident, and I think this is probably for the best,” Mr Corbin told the court in a victim personal statement.
“This was an unexpected and unprovoked attack, and I’m shocked that it happened. I don’t know [David Petrie], and I have no connection to him.”
The attack took place on the night of October 22 as Mr Corbin made his way from Eddie Rocks.
“The victim was speaking to a female outside the club and the next thing he knew was when he woke up on the ground,” said Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson.
“The door staff told him that he’d been hit, and had lost consciousness.”
As a result of the attack, Mr Corbin required five stitches to his right ear and sustained cuts around both his eyes. He also suffered considerable pain as a result of the attack, particularly in his ribs and chest.
Police officers were called to the scene and subsequently arrested the defendant. He was placed inside the cage in the rear of a police van, but began thrashing around violently, and screaming incoherently.
As a result of his behaviour, he was taken to Withybush Hospital but while he was being examined, he began kicking out at the officers.
“He made a number of swings with his right arm which made contact with one of the officer’s right cheek and chin,” said Ms Jackson.
Photographs of the injuries sustained by the police officer and Mr Corbin were shown to the magistrates.
Petrie, of Newport Road, Lower Town, Fishguard, pleaded guilty to assaulting Davd Corbin, causing him actual bodily harm, and of assaulting an emergency worker by beating. He chose to be legally unrepresented in court and chose to say nothing in mitigation.
After considering a detailed probation report, magistrates sentenced Petrie to 22 weeks in custody suspended for 18 months.
He was ordered to pay £750 compensation to Mr Corbin, £85 prosecution costs and a £154 court surcharge. He must wear an alcohol abstinence tag for 120 days and must carry out 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
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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