Crime
Pembrokeshire carpenter jailed for stealing vehicles and handling stolen goods
A PEMBROKESHIRE carpenter has received a jail sentence after pleading guilty to receiving stolen goods and stealing vehicles on two separate occasions.
This week a judge was told that Daniel Hudson, 30, committed the catalogue of crime while he was heavily dependent on Class A drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine.
Appearing at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, Hudson admitted the aggravated taking of a vehicle from Holyand Road, Pembroke; using that same vehicle on a road without third party insurance; going equipped for theft; stealing another motor vehicle in Bristol; receiving stolen goods; driving above the specified drug-drive limit; driving whilst disqualified on two separate occasions and failing to surrender to bail.
Crown Prosecutor Nia James said that on August 28, 2022, police received a call saying that a delivery van had been stolen in Bristol.
“Its driver had been delivering a package, but when he went back to his vehicle, it had gone,” she said.
“It was later picked up on an ANPR camera and there were two males seen inside the vehicle.”
Then the vehicle was stopped by police, Hudson jumped out of the driver’s seat and ran off into a large open space.
Officers detained him, and Hudson immediately admitted that he had been the driver.
“He said he’d just seen the keys in the van so thought he’d have a go at it,” stated the Crown.
“He also admitted that he’d taken crack heroin that same day.”
Subsequent drugs tests showed Hudson had 200 mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system. The legal limit is 50.
Meanwhile on July 22, 2022 a Mr William Greeves had ridden his Genesis Equilibrium bike, valued at £1,800, to a church in Bristol where he was instructing a class.
“But when he returned to the bike, he found that it had gone,” continued Nia James.
“He made enquiries on social media and arranged to meet a man, who turned out to be the defendant, to buy the bike. Mr Greeves alerted police about the situation and the defendant was arrested.”.
Ms James said that Hudson informed the officers that his intention was to sell the bike ‘to make some money’.
On September 25, 2024, the owner of a Renault Kangoo that had been parked outside a property in Holyland Road, Pembroke, received a call to say that his van was in the middle of the road and both of its airbags had been deployed.
Police were called to the scene and discovered that the vehicle had mounted the verge, resulting in damage to its bodywork. The registered keeper was spoken to who confirmed that prior to being removed from his property, the vehicle was undamaged..
Just after 7am the following morning police received a call from Hudson who admitted stealing the van the night before. He also told them where he had left it.
“It was obviously the same vehicle,” said Ms James.
Hudson was legally represented in court by Jess Hill who said that at the time of the offences, her client was heavily dependent on class A drugs.
“He was heavily influenced by drugs and was a Class A user,” she said. “He then decided to leave this lifestyle behind and is now clean from drugs, however hasn’t been able to tackle his alcohol abuse, which is why the more recent offences were committed.”
Ms Hill informed District Judge Mark Layton that Hudson, of Trewent Park, Freshwater East, works as a self-employed carpenter.
After considering the mitigation, Judge Layton sentenced Hudson to 42 weeks in custody. Half of the sentence will be serviced in prison, with the remaining time on post-sentence supervision.
He was ordered to pay £800 compensation for the damage caused to the Renault Kangoo, £350 costs and a £187 court surcharge. He was disqualified from driving for a total of five years and six months.
Crime
Teenager banned from roads after being caught six times over drug-drive limit
A DOCK teenager has lost his licence after driving his vehicle on the Cleddau Bridge when he was six times over the legal drug-drive limit.
Gethin Moseley, 19, was stopped by officers carrying out random traffic checks on the bridge on January 24. Smelling cannabis emanating from his Mazda, a roadside drugs swipe was carried out which proved positive Subsequent blood tests showed that Moseley had 14 mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system, the legal limit being 2.
Moseley, of Milton Terrace, Pembroke Dock, pleaded guilty to drug-driving when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates this week. He was represented in court by solicitor Jess Hill who informed the Bench that the defendant only uses cannabis recreationally or socially. He has no previous convictions.
Moseley was fined £249 and ordered to pay a £100 court surcharge and £85 costs. He was disqualified from driving for 12 months.
Crime
Drunk motorist arrested at Pembrokeshire petrol station
A Johnston motorist has appeared before magistrates after being caught driving when he was almost twice the legal drink-drive limit.
Police received a call at around 11am on April 23 from a member of the public concerned that local resident Martin Phelps, 55, was driving after consuming alcohol.
“He was at the petrol station and the member of the public was concerned that he was drunk,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.
“When they arrived, they could see he was unsteady on his feet and had trouble getting into his parked vehicle.”
When spoken to by the officers, Phelps admitted drinking alcohol earlier that morning. Subsequent breathalyser tests carried out at the police station, showed that Phelps had 68 mcg of alcohol in his system, the legal limit being 35.
Phelps, of Langford Road, Johnston, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and was represented in court by solicitor Jess Hill.
“He’s had a troublesome relationship with alcohol which has increased over the years,” she told the court.
“He’s engaged with the Dyfed Drugs and Alcohol Advisory Service and Alcoholics Anonymous over the years, and this incident has been a wake up call for him.”
Phelps was disqualified from driving for 17 months and fined £120. He must also pay £85 court costs and a £48 surcharge. He was disqualified form driving for 17 months.
Crime
Violent man jailed after ‘Banksy’ claims and campaign of domestic abuse
A PEMBROKESHIRE woman told a court she wished her former partner had killed her after enduring a campaign of violence and coercive control by a man who claimed to be Banksy.
Patrick Smyth, 49, of Oaks Avenue, Romford, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Wednesday to 22 months in custody after admitting coercive and controlling behaviour and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Swansea Crown Court heard that Smyth met the woman while on holiday in Tunisia in 2024 and later travelled from Essex to visit her in Haverfordwest.
Thomas Scapens KC, prosecuting, said Smyth quickly began mentally and physically abusing her. He checked her phone, isolated her from friends and family, and installed a phone tracking app which he controlled under the username “Powerful 666”.
He also claimed he was Banksy, the world-famous street artist, telling the victim he was powerful, wealthy and well connected.
“He copied Banksy’s signature and presented it to her, and she believed everything he told her,” Mr Scapens said.
The court heard that Smyth’s abuse escalated during a trip to Cardiff in July 2025, when the couple attended a concert. Smyth lost his temper and had to be removed by security.
Later, at the Coal Exchange hotel, he locked the victim in a room and placed a chair under the door handle to stop her leaving.
“He beat her continuously,” said Mr Scapens. “He put his hand around her throat to prevent her breathing.”
Hotel staff heard him calling her a “slag” and later saw reddening to her neck. They moved the woman to another room for her safety, but Smyth repeatedly tried to force his way inside, banging on the door and shouting.
Staff contacted the woman’s son, who worked in Cardiff. When he arrived, he became emotional after seeing her condition.
In September 2025, Smyth threw the woman into a wardrobe, fracturing two of her ribs. The following month, despite being on bail with a condition not to contact her, he turned up at her home.
“He pushed past her, tied her to a chair in the kitchen and turned off the lights,” said Mr Scapens.
The court heard Smyth refused to let her use the toilet and told her men were coming from London to put her in a pre-dug grave.
The final incident happened in October after the couple visited Morrisons in Haverfordwest. Smyth became aggressive in the store and threw shopping items at the victim. Concerned staff asked a security guard to shadow them.
During the taxi journey home, Smyth threatened to break the woman’s legs and punch her. When the taxi driver intervened, Smyth threatened to break his legs too.
Later that evening, a 999 call was made. No one spoke, but officers could hear a woman screaming and a man’s voice in the background.
When police arrived, they found the victim with cuts to her head. She was extremely upset and tried to hide her face in her roll-neck jumper.
When asked what had happened, she said: “I would in a heartbeat, but I can’t.” The court heard this was because Smyth was listening outside.
In a victim impact statement read to Judge Catherine Richards, the woman said her life had been “fundamentally scarred”.
“I hid my injuries away from other family members because I was scared,” she said.
“I’m scared to go out in case Patrick is there. I don’t treat life the same way anymore and I don’t leave the house by myself.
“It got to the point where I wish Patrick had killed me because I’d prefer to be dead. I’ll never be the same again.”
Smyth appeared by video link from prison, where he had been remanded since his arrest.
His barrister said he “wishes no bad will on the victim” and had reflected on his behaviour.
“He wishes to apologise,” she said. “He has no intention of making any further form of contact with her. Custody has acted as a wake-up call.”
Sentencing Smyth to 22 months in custody, Judge Richards said half would be served in prison and the remainder on licence.
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