Crime

Grief stricken woman assaulted police officer after drinking binge

Published

3 days ago

January 3, 2025

A PEMBROKESHIRE woman has been sentenced for assaulting a police officer following a drinking binge one month after her partner was killed in a motorcycle accident at Canaston Bridge.

This week Haverfordwest magistrates were told that Miranda Mayhew, 46, struggled to cope with her grief following the tragic death of motorcyclist Joshua Jones-Rogers, who was killed at Canaston Bridge on November 1, 2024.

“One month before the offence, she witnessed the death of her partner who died in her arms at the side of the road,” Mayhew’s solicitor, Jess Hill, told the court.

Police were called to Dredgemans Hill, Haverfordwest in the early hours of December 9 following reports that Mayhew, 46, of Portfield Avenue, Haverfordwest, and another female had been seen jumping on the bonnets of parked vehicles.

“The officers tried to get them to move away but the defendant became obstructive, calling them c* and f*** b*,” said Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan.

“She then kicked out at one of the officers and missed, but kicked out a second time and made contact.”

Meanwhile probation officer Julie Norman said Mayhew had spent the evening at a friend’s property in Johnston.

“She’d consumed alcohol but then decided to walk back to her home in Haverfordwest,” she said.

“She’d gone there because her partner had been killed in a motorcycle accident at Canaston Bridge. She’d seen it and it was traumatic.”

As magistrates listened to the evidence, Mayhew could be seen wiping her eyes as she stood in the dock.

She was sentenced to a 12 month Community Order during which she must carry out 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days. She was also placed on an alcohol monitoring tag for 120 days.

She was ordered to pay £100 compensation to the police officer, £85 court costs and a £114 surcharge.

“It’s obvious to us that you’ve had trauma in your life,” commented the presiding magistrates, “but this is an opportunity for you to work with the probation service and set an example to yourself.”

Crime

Dyfed-Powys Police pays out hundreds of thousands in compensation claims

Published

20 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

NEW figures reveal Dyfed-Powys Police has paid out £324,000 in compensation over the past five years, following nearly 200 claims made by members of the public.

A Freedom of Information requests show a whopping 186 claims were lodged against the force between 2019 and 2024, with compensation payments peaking in 2021/2022 at £138,111. Claims included allegations of unlawful arrest, financial losses, personal injury, and failure in duty of care.

In 2019/2020, 36 claims were made, with nine settled. The following year, 22 claims were lodged, with nine again resulting in payouts. Numbers rose to 38 claims in 2021/2022, with 11 settlements, before dropping slightly in 2022/2023 to 36 claims and eight payouts. However, the most recent figures for 2023/2024 show a significant rise, with 54 claims and seven settlements.

Lucy Parker, a solicitor from JF Law, said: “Claims against police forces highlight the importance of accountability. Issues such as wrongful arrest, assault, and negligence must be addressed seriously.”

Nationally, UK police forces have paid out millions in compensation, with property damage from botched raids cited as a frequent reason.

Dyfed-Powys Police has been approached for comment.

Crime

Police issue update following incident at Tenby multi-storey

Published

3 days ago

January 3, 2025

Luke Sinclair

Dyfed-Powys Police have confirmed this morning that they are investigating a collision on the ground floor of the multi-storey car park in Tenby, at around 4pm on Thursday, January 2.

The collision, police said, involved a grey Nissan Qashqai and a young child.

The child remains in a critical condition in hospital.

The family are being supported by specially trained officers.

One man, aged 33, has been arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury through dangerous driving, drink driving, and drug driving. He remains in police custody.

Police issued a statement saying: “This is a tragic incident and is a live investigation.

“We ask that you do not speculate the circumstances and allow our officers to carry out their enquiries.

Anyone with information or dashcam footage that could help officers with their investigation is asked to report it to us, either online at: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101.

Quote reference 25*6238”

Crime

Driver wasn’t aware he was over the cannabis drug-drive limit

Published

3 days ago

January 3, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A MILFORD HAVEN motorist has been banned from driving after being caught travelling ‘at speed’ along Dale Road, Haverfordwest, after consuming cannabis.

John Lewis, 30, was followed by police officers as he travelled along the Dale Road on June 24, 2024.

“The officers believed the car was travelling at speed, and when they spoke to the driver, who was identified as the defendant, he said he’d taken cannabis the evening before,” said Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan when Lewis appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates this week.

Blood tests carried out at the police station confirmed the defendant had 3.7 mcg of Delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system. The prescribed legal limit is 2.

Lewis, of Coombs Drive, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to driving over the legal drugs limit. He was represented in court by solicitor Tom Lloyd.

“If he had been aware that he was over the limit that day, he’d never have driven,” he said.

Lewis, who has no previous convictions, was disqualified from driving for 12 months. He was fined £300 and ordered to pay a £120 court surcharge and £85 costs.