A 23-YEAR-OLD Pembrokeshire man has been sentenced by magistrates after admitting stealing cans of Hooch and a bottle of wine from the B&M store, Haverfordwest.

Rhys Wheeler was seen stealing three cans of Hooch and a bottle of wine from the store on December 4. As a result, he was arrested by police officers and placed inside a police van.

“He started shouting and swearing and was put in the back of the van, in a cage,” Crown Prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“En-route, officers stopped to make a phone call to the defendant’s mother and this was when he kicked out and spat towards one of the officers, causing saliva to land on the perspex of the cage. He later said he had HIV.”

Wheeler, who is currently on no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to the theft of the drinks, valued at £8.70, and of causing criminal damage to the police cage.

He was represented in court by solicitor, Tom Lloyd.

“He’d lost his job at a sushi bar and things have been difficult for him since then,” he said.

“He wasn’t in quite the right frame of mind and didn’t know what he was doing.

“There are no excuses for what he’s done and if you sit down with him today, he would tell you how genuinely sorry he is for what he’s done.”

Wheeler was ordered to pay £100 compensation to Dyfed-Powys Police for the damage caused to the police van and £8.70 compensation to B&M, Haverfordwest. He was fined £80 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £32 surcharge. “

A MAN has been sentenced for trashing a car that had been left in a car park in Fishguard town centre.

Father-of-two Daniel Mitchell walked up to the car, which was owned by Mr Lloyd Bowen, during the night of September 13, 2024 and:-

SMASHED each of the passenger side windows;

SMASHED the boot window;

SMASHED each of the rear lights and

SCRATCHED the paintwork on the car bonnet and the driver’s door.

“The car was completely destroyed,” Crown Prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“It was surrounded by broken glass and it looked as if the damage had been caused by a weapon.”

The court was told that Mr Bowen had parked the car close to his father’s property in Harbour Village, Fishguard, at around 9.30pm, but when he returned to it just before 7.30am the following morning, he discovered it had been extensively damaged.

Mitchell, 29, of Dunster Close, Rugby, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to the vehicle.

He was fined £600 and was ordered to pay £500 compensation to Mr Lloyd Bowen, a £240 court surcharge and £85 costs.

A SAUNDERSFOOT man accused of strangling his partner and making threats to kill has been remanded in custody.

Thomas Silveria, of Acorn Court, faces charges of intentional strangulation, assault causing actual bodily harm, and property damage following an alleged incident on January 12. Prosecutors claimed he strangled his partner until she convulsed and made threats against her life.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, and Silveria’s trial will commence at Swansea Crown Court on February 14.