News
Cannabis using pensioner gets suspended sentence
A PENSIONER who has fought a 30 year campaign to be allowed to use cannabis as a medicine has received a suspended prison sentence on Tuesday (Dec 9). The retired oil refinery supervisor, has previously served two prison sentences while taking on the government in a bid for those suffering chronic pain to be allowed to take cannabis for pain relief. Eric Mann, aged 71, who believes cannabis can be used to treat even cancer, admitted producing the drug and to supplying it sick people.
Mann, of Harbour Way, Pembroke Dock, had earlier told the court he would fight the charges on the grounds that it was his human right to be free of pain. But on the day his trial was due to begin at Swansea Crown Court he changed his pleas to guilty to charges of producing cannabis and to supplying cannabis oil. Judge Paul Thomas told Mann that, like everyone else, the law of the land had to be obeyed and no-one could pick and choose which ones to abide by. Ian Ibrahim, representing Mann, said he had been a coal miner and a construction site supervisor until he was forced to retire because of severe arthritis.
He self medicated himself and began to take cannabis, which, he said, relieved the pain. Mr Ibrahim said police found 21 small cannabis plants and five jars of cannabis oil at the defendant’s home last year and in another raid this summer found he been producing cannabis again. “The defendant regards himself as a care giver and looks upon cannabis as a medicine allowing him to break the law,” added Mr Ibrahim. Mann had claimed to have developed a way of removing the psycho-active element of cannabis so users would get the benefit but not get “high.”
The court heard Mann had numerous previous convictions relating to cannabis. He told the court personally, “I worked all my life and when I got ill I tried conventional drugs but they didn’t work. One drug I was using was withdrawn because people were killing themselves after becoming suicidal on it. “When you’re in pain all the time and you can’t even put your socks on or make a cup of tea or anything life isn’t worth living but I found I could function through the use of cannabis as a medicine.” Mann was jailed for 12 months, suspended for 12 months, and placed under supervision.
Judge Thomas told him, “Week in, week out in these courts see the effects cannabis has on people, particularly on their mental state. Whatever your views, cannabis does effect people’s minds, that is my experience and there is very good medical opinion as to why people should not take cannabis. “I think you genuinely consider you are helping yourself and can do a service to others and that cannabis can cure or at least have a beneficial effect on cancer sufferers. But the vast proportion of medical opinion is that you are misguided in that and you are deluding yourself and others.” The judge added he hoped Mann would now look at alternative methods of pain relief.
News
Welsh Lib Dems urge First Minister to return dodgy donation
THIS week in the Senedd, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have urged the First Minister to return the £200,000 donation he received from a company linked to environmental crimes.
Speaking to the Senedd on Wednesday, party leader Jane Dodds MS urged FM Vaughan Gething to return money donated to his campaign by Dauson Environmental, a refuse and recycling business owned by David John Neal.
Mr Neal received a 3-month suspended prison sentence in 2013 for illegally dumping waste at a conservation site on the Gwent levels.
His companies Atlantic Recycling and Neal Soil Suppliers were also prosecuted and given fines and costs of £202,000.
Then in 2017, Mr Neal was given another suspended sentence of 18 weeks, with fines and costs of £230,000 after failing to remove the waste.
The Welsh Lib Dems have called on the FM to return the donation, as part of wider calls for a shift away from the influence of “big money” in Welsh politics.
Commenting, the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said:
“This entire episode has casted a dark shadow upon Welsh democracy and has rightfully led to many questioning the integrity of Vaughan Gething’s leadership campaign and the way our democracy works here in Wales.
Unfortunately for many of us this is hardly surprising, as our political system has been broken for quite some time now.
A system that empowers the elite donor class whilst simultaneously shutting out the voice of the voter is a perversion of democracy itself.
This is why our wider goal must be to remove the influence of ‘big money’ from Welsh politics once and for all.
We cannot have another government that prioritises the interests of its financial benefactors over those of the Welsh people.
We need to take a firm stance in rooting out the influence of cash in Welsh politics, for the sake of our communities we must start prioritising their interests and needs instead of having more self-serving politicians.”
News
Council seeking legal advice to address Withyhedge enforcement
PEMBROKESHIRE County Council says it has sought legal advice and is contemplating legal proceedings against Withyhedge Landfill operators RML, in regards to the ongoing odour issues at the site.
The Council intends to ask the Court for an injunction requiring RML to abate the public nuisance odour arising from the landfill. Failure to comply with the injunction would be contempt of court, which carries a penalty of up to two years’ imprisonment and unlimited fine.
Following significant work undertaken by RML the Authority is disappointed that the problem has not been resolved and residents continue to be impacted by the odour.
Working in collaboration with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Public Health Wales (PHW), we fully appreciate that the communities affected cannot tolerate this any longer.
NRW announced that the first set of deadlines for the completion of actions to tackle the ongoing odour issues at Withyhedge Landfill have been met, one week on following the issuing of further enforcement action on 18th April.
This will be closely monitored by NRW to ensure the operator complies with all the actions set out in Notice by 14 May.
It was deemed appropriate to wait until the operator had carried out mitigation to comply with the enforcement requirements by NRW prior to considering this additional action.
To that end, on 26th April 2024, the Council served RML with a letter of claim and invited them to give legally binding undertakings to abate the odour nuisance or face legal proceedings. The Council also asked for disclosure of documents relevant to the proceedings, including records of waste brought in or removed from the landfill.
The Council has given RML until 14th May 2024 to respond to its letter of claim. This aligns with the current deadline set by NRW under its enforcement notice.
Pembrokeshire County Council Chief Executive Will Bramble welcomed the move. He said: “We are extremely disappointed that RML has not delivered the necessary action to stop the completely unacceptable smells from the site.
“We fully support the additional enforcement action being taken by NRW and continue to work closely with them to do all in our power to correct the situation.
“Our intention to ask the Court for an injunction requiring RML to stop the odour nuisance arising from the landfill, is another part of our collaborative approach. The smell from Withyhedge is having a major impact on residents and visitors. This situation has gone on too long and it is unacceptable.”
News
Beautiful, funny and lovely: Family pay tribute to Sian Batchelor
THE family of a woman has paid tribute to a “beautiful, funny, lovely person.”
Sian Batchelor, aged 32, was found on a beach near Pennar, Pembroke Dock on Tuesday evening, April 30th, 2024.
Her family has issued a statement to say: ‘We are devastated by our loss. Sian was a beautiful, funny, loving person. We will treasure the good times we had with her.
“We would now like time to grieve and would ask to be given privacy in which to do so.”
The circumstances surrounding Sian’s death are being investigated and police would like to hear from anyone with information, sightings of Sian or contact from Sian, between Thursday April 25 to Tuesday April 30.
Police can be contacted either online at: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908.
Quote reference: DP-20240430-284
-
News2 days ago
Police investigating after woman found dead on beach near Pennar
-
News2 days ago
Police discover body in search for Luke Stephenson, 19
-
News2 days ago
Councillors block Milford Haven boxing event – promoter to appeal
-
Crime3 days ago
Llandissilio man accused of making hundreds of child abuse images
-
Business7 days ago
Largest Welsh port appoints communications and marketing director
-
Business3 days ago
Lidl GB eyes Pembroke Dock for new larger supermarket
-
News20 hours ago
Beautiful, funny and lovely: Family pay tribute to Sian Batchelor
-
News3 days ago
Search efforts continue for missing teenager Luke Stephenson