News

Young woman’s plea to public: Don’t film crash scenes – show compassion instead

Published

7 months ago

July 2, 2025

Trauma campaign launched following father’s near-fatal accident

A YOUNG woman whose father was left with life-changing injuries after a crash has joined a powerful new campaign urging people in Pembrokeshire and beyond to stop filming at the scene of serious incidents.

Eve Thomas, who was just 17 when her father Nigel was struck by a car while cycling home from work, said the trauma of the crash was made significantly worse by people filming the aftermath on their mobile phones and uploading the footage to social media.

The campaign – It’s not your story to tell – is being led by the South Wales Trauma Network and is supported by emergency services and hospitals across Wales, including Withybush General Hospital in Haverfordwest, which forms part of the network’s rural trauma response.

Speaking about the day of the incident, Eve said: “I was on my school bus when we were stopped due to a crash. I saw my dad’s bike – I recognised it immediately because I had put the stickers on it. Students started filming on their phones, and I knew deep down it was him.”

Nigel, then 65 and a delivery driver, was left in an induced coma and spent nine months in hospital. Eve said the family endured intense pain not only from his injuries but also from the circulation of speculation and graphic footage online.

“My godmother called us after seeing a post on social media – she thought Dad had died,” said Eve, who is now 25 and her father’s primary carer. “No family should have to go through that. The ways things were filmed and shared became a big part of what I had to work through in therapy.”

Pembrokeshire’s emergency responders are all too familiar with the dangers of mobile phone use at incident scenes – not only for the dignity of those involved, but because it often interferes with the work of ambulance crews and firefighters.

Andrea Bradley, a senior nurse and Operations Manager at the South Wales Trauma Network, co-produced the campaign alongside Eve. “We’re incredibly proud of Eve’s bravery,” she said. “Filming crash victims not only affects those individuals and their families – it can hinder our ability to save lives.”

The trauma network includes local response from Withybush General Hospital, as well as Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth, both of which serve rural communities like Pembrokeshire where long-distance travel times can already complicate emergency care.

Welsh Government Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Sarah Murphy MS, added: “What might feel like a moment of curiosity – a quick photo or video – can have devastating long-term effects on those involved. I commend Eve for speaking out.”

The Herald understands this is part of a wider push across Wales to challenge public attitudes towards crash scenes, with a focus on education, dignity and the importance of calling for help rather than capturing content.

Eve concluded: “That person in front of you is someone’s parent, child, or best friend. Would you want someone filming your loved one when they were at their most vulnerable?”

With Pembrokeshire’s roads often busy in the summer and a growing number of cycling and motorbike incidents reported annually, the campaign hopes to influence behaviour across the region and beyond.

Community

Princess of Wales praised for ‘skill’ during local wool mill and factory visit

Published

1 hour ago

February 3, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Royal tour shines spotlight on west Wales textile heritage and local jobs

CATHERINE, Princess of Wales was told “she’s got the skill” after trying her hand at traditional textile work during a visit to west Wales on Tuesday (Feb 3).

The royal spent the day meeting staff and apprentices at two well-known manufacturers – Melin Tregwynt in Pembrokeshire and Hiut Denim in Cardigan – highlighting the region’s long-standing reputation for craftsmanship and small-scale, high-quality production.

Stitching and mending at historic mill

At Melin Tregwynt, a family-run woollen mill that now operates as an employee-owned trust, the princess was guided through each stage of production, from weaving to finishing.

In the quality control room she was invited to mend a blanket using a needle and thread, carefully repairing the fabric under the watchful eye of experienced staff.

Paula Harding, who has worked at the mill for more than a decade, praised her technique, saying: “She did it right – and she didn’t go through the other side. That’s skill. She’s got the skill.”

Laughing, the princess told workers: “You make it look so easy,” adding that the craft was clearly “a labour of love”.

She asked questions about the history of the business, which has produced Welsh-designed blankets and throws for more than a century, and spoke with several generations of the same families who have worked at the mill.

‘Made in Wales’ denim

Later, the princess travelled to Hiut Denim, the Cardigan-based firm credited with bringing jeans manufacturing back to the town after large factories closed in the early 2000s.

The company now focuses on small-batch, premium denim and employs skilled cutters and machinists locally.

During a tour of the factory floor, the princess tried cutting out a pair of jeans and helped stitch a “Made in Wales” label onto a finished pair that staff said would be presented to the Prince of Wales.

“He will love those,” she replied.

She joked that there was “no pressure” when handed the cutting tools and said she enjoys making clothes herself, admitting the most adventurous project she had attempted was sewing a pair of pyjamas.

The royal also stopped to greet Barney, the factory’s English cocker spaniel, drawing smiles from staff.

Meeting well-wishers

Crowds gathered outside both sites to catch a glimpse of the visitor, with the princess spending time chatting with families and children before moving on.

The visit forms part of ongoing efforts by the royal household to showcase traditional industries and skilled manufacturing across the UK, with west Wales’ textile sector recognised as a key part of the region’s heritage and economy.

For workers at both businesses, the message was simple: the spotlight on locally made products and homegrown skills was just as important as the royal presence itself.

***Local flavour: The Princess of Wales chats with staff and accepts a jar of Crwst’s Welsh honey butter before departing Cardigan following her visit to Hiut Denim (Pic: Crwst).***

Crime

Man spared jail after admitting child abuse image offences

Published

1 hour ago

February 3, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

Police seized devices after intelligence linked Pembrokeshire address to illegal cloud storage accounts

A 23-YEAR-OLD Pembrokeshire man has avoided immediate custody after admitting making and possessing indecent images of children, including extreme bestiality material.

Ryan Beale, aged 23, appeared at Swansea Crown Court for sentencing this week.

At his first hearing, before magistrates on December 31, he entered guilty pleas and being granted conditional bail.

The court heard the case followed an intelligence-led police investigation linking Beale to a Dropbox account suspected of storing illegal material. Officers executed a warrant at his home on December 18.

During his arrest, Beale told officers: “I don’t use Dropbox,” claiming his email and Google accounts had been compromised.

However, police seized his mobile phone and computer equipment. A forensic examination found the email address connected to the Dropbox account stored on his device. Although the account had also been accessed from overseas locations, including Nigeria, investigators were satisfied it was controlled by Beale and linked to a larger cloud storage account containing significant volumes of illegal content.

Officers discovered 120 Category A images, 36 Category B images and 29 Category C images.

Category A represents the most serious level of abuse.

The material included extreme and disturbing bestiality content. Further Category C images were also located within the Dropbox account.

Two identified victims depicted in the images were girls aged nine and eleven.

Beale initially denied the allegations but later admitted the offences.

Passing sentence, at Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday (Feb 3) the His Honour Geraint Walters said: “This was not an innocent pastime. Every time an adult views that image, a child is still being abused.”

He added that an early guilty plea had spared Beale immediate custody but warned the offences would have lifelong consequences.

“The public have no time for anybody doing this,” the judge said. “If you’re doing this, the police will find out. They didn’t knock on your door randomly — they knew what they were looking for.”

Beale was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years. He must complete 20 days of rehabilitation activity and pay £300 in prosecution costs.

The court also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, ordered the forfeiture and destruction of his electronic devices, and placed him on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years.

“If you keep yourself out of trouble, you won’t have to serve that custodial sentence,” the judge told him.

Entertainment

One Night in Dublin returns to the Torch with a brand-new show

Published

2 hours ago

February 3, 2026

Tom Sinclair

ONE NIGHT IN DUBLIN is heading back to the stage at the Torch Theatre with a lively new production fronted by renowned Irish singer Danny Muldoon.

Tickets are already selling fast for the feel-good celebration of Irish music, which promises two hours of songs, stories and plenty of craic.

Backed by an award-winning five-piece band, Muldoon leads audiences through a packed set of sing-along favourites including Galway Girl, Tell Me Ma, The Irish Rover, Dirty Old Town, Whiskey in the Jar, The Wild Rover and The Galway Shawl, along with many more well-loved classics.

The show recreates the atmosphere of a bustling Dublin pub, complete with fiddle, whistle, guitars, banjo, bodhrán, accordion and driving drums, transporting the audience straight into “Murphy’s Tavern” for an unforgettable night of live entertainment.

Fans can also expect hits from Irish legends including The Pogues, The Saw Doctors, The Dubliners, The Fureys, Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys.

One Night in Dublin comes to the Torch Theatre on Thursday, March 26 at 7:30pm.

Tickets cost £26.50. Visit the theatre website or call the Box Office on (01646) 695267 to book.