News

Welsh Water fined £24m for underperformance

Published

1 year ago

October 9, 2024

WELSH WALTER has been hit with a £24.1 million penalty by industry regulator Ofwat for failing to meet key performance targets. The company, which serves much of Wales, was one of only three water firms across England and Wales placed in the regulator’s worst-performing “lagging” category.

The fine comes as water companies across the two nations face a collective penalty of £158 million for failing to meet standards on pollution, leaks, and supply interruptions. Welsh Water’s penalty has increased from £18.3 million last year, making it the fifth largest issued by Ofwat in this round of enforcement.

A spokesperson for Welsh Water said the company was “working hard” to deliver the improvements its customers expect, acknowledging that progress will require time and significant investment.

In 2023, Welsh Water was responsible for releasing sewage into Welsh rivers, lakes, and coastal waters for over 916,000 hours — accounting for about 20% of all sewage discharge hours in England and Wales. These figures come amid increasing public concern over pollution, with growing calls for tougher penalties on water companies responsible for environmental damage.

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds, a Member of the Senedd for Mid and West Wales, has been outspoken on the issue. She emphasised her party’s long-standing campaign for tougher punishments for those responsible for sewage dumping. Dodds said: “For too long, the people of Wales have faced rising water bills while our rivers and coastlines are being polluted with sewage. Welsh water companies have consistently fallen short of the standards expected of them.”

Despite the fines, not a single water company across Wales or England has been placed in Ofwat’s highest “leading” category for performance. Alongside Welsh Water, Anglian and Southern Water were ranked in the lowest tier, with the remaining firms deemed “average”.

Janet Finch-Saunders, the Conservative shadow minister for climate change, highlighted the long-term nature of the problem, stating: “There is no quick or easy fix to this pollution crisis. Improvements will take time, detailed plans, and significant financial investment.” She questioned the impact of the fines, suggesting that funds could be better used for infrastructure upgrades rather than customer refunds.

Ofwat’s chief executive, David Black, called the sector’s performance “stark evidence” that financial penalties alone are insufficient to drive improvement. He stressed the need for water companies to address issues of culture and leadership, rather than shifting blame onto external factors like weather or third parties.

Welsh Water has acknowledged the need for a “step change” in its operations and announced a record £4 billion investment plan for 2025-2030, with more than half of that funding earmarked for environmental improvements. However, despite today’s penalty, customers are unlikely to see reductions in their bills, as rising costs and necessary infrastructure upgrades are expected to increase water rates in the long term.

Ofwat’s penalties are separate from its ongoing investigation into the environmental performance of all 11 water companies in England and Wales, with three firms already facing a total of £168 million in fines. Welsh Water has repeatedly been downgraded by another regulator, Natural Resources Wales, moving from “industry-leading” to a rating of “requires improvement” in recent years.

As investigations continue, Welsh Water has recognised the need for significant improvements to rebuild its reputation and meet regulatory standards.

Crime

Man charged with attempted murder after Carmarthen park incident

Published

16 minutes 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

53 minutes 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

7 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.