Group marks December meeting with charity collection and Christmas celebrations

NARBELLES WI rounded off the year with a festive December meeting featuring a bring-and-share buffet, party games and a Secret Santa gift exchange.

Members also used the occasion to support families in need across the county, collecting food items and presenting a £120 cheque to Ann Watling from Pembrokeshire Food Bank. The donation represents the proceeds of the group’s bucket collection during Narberth Civic Week 2024.

A spokesperson for the WI said the group was delighted to finish the year “with fun, friendship and a chance to give something back to the community.”

(Photo: Narbelles WI members presenting the cheque to Ann Watling, Pembrokeshire Food Bank.)

Officers handling one of the force’s most serious road incidents of the year

DYFED-POWYS POLICE has launched a major investigation after a devastating collision on the A489 near the village of Snead left three people dead and another seriously injured.

Emergency services were called at around 4:50pm on Thursday (Dec 11) to reports of a two-car collision between a grey Audi A4 and a red Toyota Yaris on the rural stretch between Churchstoke and Lydham, close to the Shropshire border. A blue tractor with a front attachment was also travelling on the same section of road at the time of the crash.

Police confirmed that two occupants of the Yaris and the driver of the Audi were pronounced dead at the scene. A further passenger from the Yaris was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries. All next of kin have been informed and specialist family liaison officers are offering support.

Rural force faces one of its most challenging incidents this year

The collision is being described internally as one of the most serious road death incidents Dyfed-Powys Police has dealt with in 2025. Covering the largest geographical area of any force in England and Wales, Dyfed-Powys routinely responds to emergencies across long rural corridors, where limited access points and long travel distances can complicate major incident response.

The A489, which links Mid Wales with the Shropshire Marches, is a busy agricultural and commuter route, with narrow sections, fast straights and limited overtaking opportunities. Several serious collisions have been recorded in recent years, and officers say the geography of the road often increases the complexity of managing scenes such as Thursday’s.

Roads Policing teams, collision investigators, fire crews and the Wales Air Ambulance attended, with the road remaining closed for many hours while forensic work took place.

Appeal for witnesses and dash-cam footage

Dyfed-Powys Police is urging anyone who was travelling on the A489 around the time of the collision – particularly those with dash-cam footage – to come forward.

Information can be submitted online via the force website, by calling 101 quoting reference 267 of December 11.

Officers say they are especially keen to trace anyone who may have seen the vehicles involved shortly before the crash.

Judge condemns “horribly abused” victims as Carmarthen man admits offences

A FORMER Army Cadet instructor from Carmarthen has been sentenced for a string of child abuse image offences after police uncovered indecent material on his mobile phone.

Michael Monks, aged 55, of Russell Terrace, came to the attention of officers when a warrant was executed at his home in May 2022. During the search, police seized his Huawei phone, later discovering dozens of indecent images of children.

A forensic examination found 48 illegal images, including 25 Category A images – the most serious level, involving graphic sexual abuse. Officers also located three images involving bestiality.

The investigation showed Monks had been involved in a group on the encrypted messaging app Wickr, where members exchanged illegal material. The court heard he had both received images and shared four of his own with other users.

At the time, Monks was serving as a leader at the Army Cadet centre in Llanelli.

During his police interview, Monks denied any sexual interest in children and maintained that position until moments before his appearance at Swansea Crown Court.

Judge Paul Thomas KC told him the children depicted were “real victims being subjected to horrific abuse so that people like you could derive sexual gratification”. He added he had lost count of the number of defendants who had tried to claim they viewed such material “out of curiosity”.

The judge noted it was troubling that Monks had only just accepted he had a sexual interest in children, saying meaningful rehabilitation would not be possible unless offenders first acknowledge their behaviour.

Defending, Dan Griffiths said Monks’ reluctance to admit his sexual interest was likely due to shame, not deception. He said there had been no further offending in more than three years, suggesting his client could control his behaviour. Monks also cares for his wife and was willing to comply with any order imposed.

The court also heard of significant delays in the case. Although police received the forensic report in March 2023, they did not seek charging advice from the CPS until January 2025. Judge Thomas described the delay as “wholly unacceptable”.

Monks admitted three counts of possessing indecent images of children (Categories A, B and C), three counts of making such images, two counts of distributing images (Categories B and C), and one count of possessing extreme pornography. He had no previous convictions.

With credit for early guilty pleas, the court imposed a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. Monks must undertake a rehabilitation programme, complete 200 hours of unpaid work, and comply with a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which restricts his internet use. He will also be on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Judge Thomas said he expected the Army Cadet organisation to take whatever action was necessary following the conviction.