UNIFORMED and plain clothed police officers will act as disruption teams to prevent sexual offences and violence against women from taking place during nights out in the lead-up to Christmas.

A pilot project being carried out by Dyfed-Powys Police will see plain clothed officers with specialist training acting as spotters during busy evenings, identifying people who appear to present a risk to others by displaying sexually predatory behaviour. These concerns will be reported to police in uniform, who will step in to disrupt potentially criminal behaviour before it happens.

The scheme is called Project Vigilant and is being trialled over three weekends in December with the aim of rolling it out across the force area in the new year. Ahead of the launch, 12 proactive policing team officers will receive specialist behavioural observation training from colleagues at Thames Valley Police to upskill them in risk management and to encourage proactivity in spotting predatory behaviour.

Chief Inspector Dominic Jones said: “This is an exciting new project for Dyfed-Powys Police, and one we’re looking forward to getting off the ground. We’re confident Project Vigilant will have a great impact in helping to reassure and protect women during the nighttime economy.

“Women should feel safe on a night out and should not feel the need to change their behaviour to stay so. By looking out for potential predators, we will ultimately be changing the behaviours of those who could cause harm, and making our communities safer for all.

“While Project Vigilant has the specific aim of helping to reassure and protect women during the nighttime economy, we anticipate it will have an overall result of deterring all types of criminality.

“There’s evidence to show that in cases where forces have deployed a greater number of uniformed officers to hotspot areas, perpetrators dispersed to other locations. The key here is in using plain clothed officers to spot the concerning behaviour and identify individuals to their colleagues who can step in.

“This is one of many examples of preventative policing being used by Dyfed-Powys Police to help identify potential criminal activity and intervene before offending occurs.”

Under Project Vigilant, officers will be deployed to patrol areas that are particularly busy during the evening and nighttime to be on the lookout for potential predatory behaviour towards women. Anyone who is flagged as a potential risk will be approached by uniformed police who will assess the situation and take appropriate action if needed.

Their deployment will be based on intelligence to make sure officers are in the right place at the right time.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has funded the pilot under the Serious Violence Duty. PCC Dafydd Llywelyn said: “As Police and Crime Commissioner, I’m committed to ensuring the safety of women in our communities, particularly during busy night-time periods.

“Project Vigilant is an important step toward proactive and preventative policing, aiming to identify and disrupt predatory behaviour before any harm can occur.

“This initiative not only helps protect individuals but also reinforces our commitment to creating safer public spaces across Dyfed-Powys.

“I’m proud to support this pilot and look forward to its impact on our communities.”

SPECSAVERS HAVERFORDWEST has relocated to a larger, state-of-the-art premises in the Riverside Shopping Centre, becoming the largest Specsavers store in Wales following a £1.2 million investment by local partners.

The grand opening of the new landmark store took place on Monday 16 December, with customers and local dignitaries, including several mayors, in attendance.

On arrival, guests were welcomed with performances from the Haverfordwest Male Voice Choir and local musician and dispensing technician, Kyle Kirkhouse, followed by a ribbon cutting by one of the store’s long-standing customers, Madaline Roberts, who runs the Milford Haven branch of the Macular Society.

William McNamara, owner of Bluestone National Park Resort and patient of Specsavers Haverfordwest was also in attendance.

To encourage guests to explore the new store and learn fun facts about optometry and audiology, staff organised an interactive treasure hunt.

‘After years of planning and preparation, we are delighted to officially open our brand-new store,’ says Wayne Jones, retail director. ‘We are confident that this investment will bring lasting benefits to the local community for years to come.’

He adds, ‘A heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported our relaunch event. It was incredible to see so many customers, both familiar faces and new ones, celebrating with us. I also want to extend my deepest gratitude to our incredible team, whose hard work and dedication made this all possible. Without their commitment, none of this would have materialised.’

The new premises at 21 Riverside Quay offers cutting-edge facilities and enhanced services to meet growing community needs with 14 test rooms, including two dedicated audiology suites.

As the largest Specsavers practice in Wales and one of the largest in the UK, the store is equipped with advanced diagnostic technology to deliver exceptional care. These services will also help alleviate pressure on local NHS resources, providing convenience and vital support to residents who previously had to travel significant distances for specialised treatment.

Narbeth local, Sandra Tarrant, previously needed private consultations in Swansea, but she was referred to ophthalmic director, Andy Britton by her consultant earlier this year, who recognised his expertise and the store’s advanced diagnostic equipment.

Mrs Tarrant explains: ‘The staff at Specsavers Haverfordwest are highly trained and genuinely care about your eye health. I no longer face long journeys for tests, and the team’s professionalism gives me complete confidence in their care. You feel like you’re in good hands, with staff who take you seriously and don’t pass you around.’

Partners Andy Britton and Wayne Jones are also passionate about shaping the future of optometry. The new store will provide hands-on training opportunities for optometrists pursuing advanced qualifications such as Glaucoma and Independent Prescribing certificates, ensuring they gain essential clinical experience in a world-class facility.

The new Specsavers Haverfordwest store will be open seven days a week, offering flexible appointment times to cater to the community’s needs. To book an appointment or learn more about the services available, visit www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/haverfordwest.

A Milford man has been sentenced after urinating in his girlfriend’s flat before subjecting her to ‘persistent’ blows to her head.

Today (Monday), Swansea Crown Court was told that Zachariah Roberts carried out the attack after downing copious amounts of alcohol, including an entire bottle of vodka, on the night of November 7.

“When she told him not to urinate in her flat, he assaulted her causing nosebleeds and lumps to her head,” Francesca Parry, KC for the Crown, told Swansea Crown Court.

“When police officers arrived, they met the victim in the hallway of the flat…she was crying and hysterical and told them that he’d punched her all over and wouldn’t stop.”

Ms Parry said that Roberts, 23, of Marble Hall Road, Milford Haven, had ‘drunk hard’, including a bottle of vodka.

Roberts was arrested, but during a police interview he denied the offence.  He pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance before Llanelli Magistrates, but changed his plea to guilty to assault by battery during the pre-trial preparation hearing at Swansea Crown Court earlier this month.

Francesca Parry concluded by saying that Roberts already has 11 previous convictions, which include three convictions against a person.  The latest offence was committed while Roberts was serving a suspended prison sentence for violence against the same victim.

“The victim has described the assault as persistent and has expressed that she’s since had unwanted contact from the defendant,” continued Ms Parry.  “He’s been contacting her from prison, even though he isn’t allowed to do so.”

Roberts was legally represented by Emily Bennett, KC.

“He’s disappointed in himself and his actions, and wants to apologise to her for his unacceptable behaviour,” she said.

“He’s at the stage where he’s progressing from teenage years to adulthood, however his first offence was committed when he was just 12 years old.

“His behaviour is indicative of his lack of maturity, and he appreciates the seriousness of his actions, which have brought him to court yet again.  He accepts that the relationship is now over and he’s seeking to move on with his life.”

Roberts was sentenced to 25 weeks in custody.  Half of his sentence will be spent in custody and the remainder will be spent on post sentence supervision.  Judge Catherine Richards imposed a restraining order, preventing Roberts from having any contact with the victim for the next three years.