News

The proposed regulation of cannabis: A Pembrokeshire perspective

Published

1 year ago

October 1, 2024

CANNABIS cultivation and its regulation have become pressing issues in Pembrokeshire and the wider UK. With recent raids in West Wales revealing a thriving illegal cannabis industry, some argue that legalisation might be the way forward. CLEAR, the UK’s longest-established cannabis reform group, has put forward a comprehensive plan to regulate the market, which could address many of the challenges faced by communities such as ours.

The problem of illegal cannabis farms is not just a distant concern; it is very much a reality in West Wales. Recent police raids across Pembrokeshire have uncovered extensive cannabis grows. In Neyland, an industrial unit was raided in August, uncovering a substantial cultivation operation, and two men were arrested. In a separate incident in November, another significant grow in Neyland led to charges of cannabis production and electricity theft. Milford Haven’s Charles Street was also the scene of a major bust in July, with police removing nearly 400 plants from a disused bar.

Just weeks ago, police conducted a raid on High Street in Haverfordwest, but the illegal operation had already been abandoned by the time officers arrived, leaving behind their equipment. No arrests were made, according to Dyfed-Powys Police.

Despite these high-profile raids, it is widely believed that many more cannabis farms remain undiscovered in the area. These operations often steal electricity, posing fire hazards, and exploit foreign workers, such as Vietnamese or Bulgarian immigrants, who are forced to live on-site to care for the plants and provide security due to the high value of the crops.

The ongoing raids in Pembrokeshire highlight the dangers of the current prohibition approach. The illicit cannabis market continues to flourish, bringing with it a range of associated problems: from organised crime and unregulated products to the exploitation of vulnerable workers. This mirrors the situation across the UK, where CLEAR estimates that between 1.5 and 2.7 million people consume cannabis monthly, with an illicit market valued at up to £8.8 billion annually.

***Illegal grow: 400 plants were found in July 2024 in Charles Street, Milford Haven (Pic: Herald)***

CLEAR’s detailed plan proposes that regulation, including legalising cannabis with a tax of £1 per gram, could deliver a net gain to the UK Treasury of up to £9.5 billion per year. This money could fund public services, create new jobs, and undercut organised crime. Experiences from countries and regions where cannabis has been legalised show that regulation can reduce underage use and eliminate the conditions that exploit workers.

The heart of CLEAR’s proposal is the creation of a Cannabis Inspectorate, a government agency tasked with overseeing the entire cannabis market. This inspectorate would be responsible for:

Licensing: Issuing licenses for commercial cultivation, importation, wholesale distribution, and retail sales, ensuring a controlled and safe market. Previous non-violent cannabis convictions would not disqualify applicants, allowing for a fresh start for those affected by past laws.
Quality Control: Conducting scientific analysis of cannabis to ensure products meet safety and cannabinoid content standards, preventing contamination and regulating new products like edibles, beverages, and concentrates.
Enforcement: Implementing penalties for regulatory breaches, with severe penalties for supplying to minors, ensuring that cannabis products are sold responsibly.

CLEAR’s plan stresses that doctors should be allowed to prescribe cannabis for medical purposes. Currently, medical cannabis products are regulated but are often expensive and accessible only through private healthcare. CLEAR advocates expanding prescription rights to General Practitioners (GPs) and having the Cannabis Inspectorate oversee Cannabis-based Products for Medical Use (CBPMs). This would simplify the process and make medical cannabis more accessible, addressing the current system’s flaws and overly strict regulations.

CLEAR proposes a retail model similar to those for alcohol and tobacco, where only licensed and “fit and proper” individuals or companies can sell cannabis. Retail sales would include:

Age Restrictions: Sales limited to adults, with mandatory ID checks.
Packaging: All products supplied in childproof packaging with clear labeling on origin, cannabinoid content, and harm reduction information.
Harm Reduction Information: Retailers would provide health information to promote responsible consumption.

CLEAR recommends a tax rate of £1 per gram for cannabis, providing the government with significant revenue. A careful tax strategy would aim to undercut the illicit market while funding effective regulation, education, and public services. The Canadian model serves as a successful example, where, after six years, over 70% of cannabis purchases are through legal channels.

In Pembrokeshire, recent raids have shown that illicit cannabis operations are often linked to other illegal activities, such as electricity theft and the exploitation of vulnerable, often foreign workers. By legalising and regulating cannabis, Pembrokeshire could see a reduction in these criminal activities. Legitimate businesses would be established under strict guidelines, removing the need for illegal grows and making the industry safer for workers.

***Cannabis grows often use dangerous electricity hook ups (Image: File)***

Pembrokeshire’s recent cannabis farm discoveries indicate that legalisation could bring the industry into a safer, regulated space. The proposed Cannabis Inspectorate would ensure that only safe, high-quality products are available, and it would oversee commercial and domestic cultivation. Licenses for home cultivation would allow residents to grow up to three plants under artificial lighting and three more under natural light, eliminating the need for dangerous and unregulated grows.

***Police found a cannabis farm in a former school in Llandysul in July 2024 (Pic: DPP)***

Cannabis Cafés similar to the Dutch coffee shop model could also be introduced, providing safe and social environments for adults to consume cannabis. The introduction of legal outlets would also reduce underage use, as seen in other countries with legal cannabis markets.

The ongoing issues in Pembrokeshire illustrate the flaws of the current prohibition approach. By moving cannabis into a regulated market, CLEAR’s plan aims to reduce health and social harms, protect children, maximise economic benefits, and dismantle a significant revenue stream for organised crime. Legalisation could provide Pembrokeshire, and the UK as a whole, with a way to turn a dangerous illicit trade into a legitimate, safe, and beneficial industry. The conversation in Pembrokeshire must now shift to how the community can best implement a regulated market, ensuring safety, quality, and a fair path forward for all involved in the cannabis trade.

Crime

Man charged with attempted murder after Carmarthen park incident

Published

2 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

57-year-old due in court following alleged knife and stalking offences

A MAN has been charged with attempted murder following a serious incident in Carmarthen town centre last week.

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that James McKenna, aged 57, from Carmarthen, has been charged with attempted murder, possession of a bladed article in a public place, and stalking.

The charges relate to an incident in Carmarthen Park on Thursday (Jan 29), which prompted a significant emergency services response and caused concern among residents.

Police have not yet released full details of the circumstances, but officers were seen in and around the park area for several hours following the incident while enquiries were carried out.

McKenna is due to appear before Llanelli Magistrates Court on Thursday (Feb 5).

The Herald understands the case involves allegations of both violence and targeted behaviour towards an individual, with stalking listed among the charges.

Public concern

Carmarthen Park is a popular and busy public space used daily by families, dog walkers and joggers, and incidents of this severity are rare.

The news has prompted concern locally, particularly as the alleged offences include possession of a knife in a public place.

Residents have previously raised questions about safety in parks and open spaces across west Wales, especially during darker winter evenings.

Court proceedings

At this stage, the charges remain allegations and the case will now proceed through the courts.

Magistrates will decide whether the case is sent to Crown Court due to the seriousness of the attempted murder charge.

Further details are expected to emerge during Thursday’s hearing.

The Herald will be attending court and will provide updates as they become available.

Crime

Sex offender jailed after living off grid in Pembrokeshire and refusing to register

Published

2 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Court Reporter

Man walked into police station after months avoiding authorities

A CONVICTED sex offender who told police he intended to live “off grid” rather than comply with legal monitoring rules has been jailed after handing himself in at a Pembrokeshire police station.

Christopher Spelman, aged 66, of no fixed address, appeared for sentence at Swansea Crown Court after admitting breaching the notification requirements of the sex offenders register.

The court heard Spelman was released from prison in Dorset on July 4 last year but immediately refused to provide police with an address, despite being legally required to do so within three days.

Instead, he indicated he planned to buy a tent and live outdoors.

Prosecutor Brian Simpson said officers subsequently launched a nationwide search when Spelman failed to make contact with police. Public appeals were issued and his case featured on the television programme Crimewatch.

Detectives believed he had been travelling around the UK using public transport and staying at campsites. He was known to have links to several areas including Merseyside, Manchester, Devon, Cornwall and Hampshire.

His whereabouts remained unknown until January 3 this year, when he walked into Haverfordwest police station and was arrested. It is unclear how long he had been in Pembrokeshire.

Spelman previously served seven years in prison after being convicted in 2014 of 12 counts of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 14. He was placed on the sex offenders register for life.

The court heard this was not the first time he had failed to comply with the rules. After an earlier release in 2016, he again failed to register his address and avoided police for around five years before being caught.

He has 11 previous convictions for 29 offences.

Defence barrister Andrew Evans described the case as unusual and said his client had long disputed his original conviction and had expressed a wish to live “outside society”.

However, he said Spelman had gradually accepted that he remained subject to court orders and now wanted more stable accommodation and a chance to rebuild his life. The defendant asked the court to impose a custodial sentence so arrangements could be made for his future release.

Judge Geraint Walters noted there were signs Spelman wished to change but warned that any further breaches would result in longer prison terms.

With credit for his guilty plea, Spelman was sentenced to 10 months in prison. He will serve up to half in custody before being released on licence.

Crime

Former Wales rugby star admits Christmas Day drink-driving offence

Published

8 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

Ex-Ospreys captain was almost twice over limit in Pembroke town centre

Former Wales back row Jonathan Thomas has admitted driving through Pembroke town centre on Christmas Day when he was almost twice over the drink-drive limit.

This week Haverfordwest magistrates heard that Thomas, 43, was stopped by officers as he drove his Mercedes CLA 220 along The Green, Pembroke, at around 5pm on Christmas Day.

“The officers were very concerned at the manner of his driving, as the car was being driven erratically and was swerving to the other side of the road,” said Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan.

“When Jonathan Thomas got out of the car, the officers could see that he was having difficulty standing and was unsteady on his feet.”

Subsequent breathalyser tests showed Thomas had 62 mcg of alcohol in his system, the legal limit being 35.

Thomas, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the drink-drive charge and was represented in court by solicitor Jess Hill.

“He has family in the area and had travelled to spend time with them on Christmas Day,” she told the magistrates. “He’s very remorseful for his actions and hugely regrets his decision that day.”

Jess Hill concluded by saying that Thomas is currently “between jobs and living off his savings”.

Thomas, who gave his address as Main Road, Bredon, was disqualified from driving for a total of 18 months.

“The length of your disqualification reflects the fact that you were more than a little bit over the limit,” commented the presiding magistrates when imposing sentence.

He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 court surcharge.

The former Wales back row left his role as Swansea RFC head coach at the beginning of December 2025 as a result of ongoing health concerns. He was forced to retire from playing in 2015 on medical advice after being diagnosed with epilepsy and is one of the 390 former rugby union players currently taking part in a concussion lawsuit against the sport’s authorities.

“Long-standing issues linked to the head trauma have caused me some concern recently and it has been impossible for me to give the role everything it needs,” he said in a previous interview with the BBC.

His rugby career started out with Pembroke RFC juniors before moving to Swansea RFC, which he captained when he was 19. He then joined the Ospreys where, over a ten-year period, he won four league titles and an Anglo-Welsh Cup. He was the youngest player to captain the Ospreys and, at the time of leaving, was the joint highest appearance holder, together with Andrew Bishop, on 188 appearances.

His international career saw him play for Wales at Under-16, Youth, Under-19, Under-21 and Sevens levels. He made his senior international debut against Australia in 2003, featured at the 2007 Rugby World Cup and was part of two Six Nations Grand Slam-winning sides in 2005 and 2008. Between 2004 and 2011, Thomas was included in every Wales Six Nations squad. In his appearances for Wales, he scored seven tries.