Crime
Haverfordwest man jailed after violent attacks on partner
A HAVERFORDWEST man who subjected his partner to hours of violence, including stubbing a lit cigarette into her face, has been jailed for 16 months.
Night of violence
Michael Simms, aged 43, turned up at his partner’s address in Haverfordwest on the evening of August 24, despite being barred from contacting her under a domestic violence protection order imposed just ten days earlier.
Over the course of four hours, Swansea Crown Court heard, he pursued her between different locations, turning up at a friend’s house, then following her home, before launching a series of assaults.
Prosecutor Regan Walters said Simms was believed to have been under the influence of drugs when he arrived. After returning with alcohol and cigarettes, he stubbed a burning cigarette into his partner’s cheek when she attempted to smoke.
The victim tried to escape, but Simms forced his way into her home, using his foot to stop the door closing and punching her in the face. Later, when she refused to hand over another cigarette, he hit her twice to the head.
Victim injured
The court heard the woman eventually fled to a neighbour’s house, where the neighbour saw swelling around her eye and a burn mark to her cheek. She called police, who attended at around 9:40pm and confirmed visible injuries.
Around 20 minutes later, Simms returned to the property, denying he had assaulted her and claiming instead that his “life was in danger” from the victim.
Previous history
The court was told that police had received almost 30 separate reports of domestic violence involving Simms in the previous twelve months, but no charges had been brought in those cases.
Simms also had a lengthy criminal record: 44 previous convictions for 69 offences, including a 2013 assault on a former partner who was pregnant at the time.
Defence plea
In mitigation, Emily Bennett said her client had begun using cannabis at the age of 15 before progressing to harder drugs including heroin and crack cocaine. She described his record as “unenviable,” but argued he had managed to stay out of trouble for five years before this incident.
She told the court that Simms had not been to prison for a decade and described the present sentence as a “sharp shock” that had left him “unhappy he had placed himself in this position.”
Sentence imposed
Judge Catherine Richards said the violence was aggravated by Simms’ previous record and the fact he was already subject to a court order when he carried out the attacks.
She sentenced him to 16 months in custody after he admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm, three charges of assault by beating, and stalking involving fear of violence.
Crime
Pembrokeshire hairdresser avoids prison after pub assault
When a Fishguard mobile hairdresser was branded a chav in her local pub, she took umbrage by throwing a glass of gin at the woman who had spoken the words.
But this week Haverfordwest magistrates heard that when the glass shattered into the victim’s face, the woman sustained lacerations to her neck and chin.
Appearing before the Bench was 43-year-old Donna Thomas of White Lodge, Dyffryn, Goodwick, who pleaded guilty to assaulting Hannah Llewellyn, causing her actual bodily harm.
The court was told that Thomas arrived at The Royal Oak pub in Fishguard, at around 8pm on October 18, accompanied by her husband. Approximately an hour later, Hannah Llewellyn arrived.
“The defendant began speaking to the victim and an argument broke out,” said Crown Prosecutor Dennis Davies.
“The defendant hit the victim to her face with a glass which smashed against her face, neck and skin, causing lacerations.”
Photographs of the lacerations were shown to the Bench.
But the probation service stressed that the assault had been prompted by a derogatory remark made to the defendant by Hannah Llewellyn.
“The defendant had had two drinks earlier that evening, she drank two more at the pub prior to the incident, and was tipsy but was aware of what was happening around her,” commented the probation officer.
“She went over to the table where the victim was sitting, her husband introduced her to the victim who he’d known since his school days, and they began discussing land on friendly terms. But the victim then laughed at the defendant’s job, which is a self-employed mobile hairdresser, and called her a chav.
“Without thinking, Donna Thomas went to throw the drink over the victim’s face but she knocked the glass. She didn’t intend to hurt her physically, but just wanted to throw the drink.”
Thomas was sentenced to 18 weeks in custody suspended for 18 months. During this time she must carry out 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work. She was ordered to pay £750 compensation to Hannah Llewellyn, a £154 court surcharge and £85 costs.
Crime
Farm worker overturns Mercedes when over drink-drive limit
A Pembrokeshire farm worker has lost his licence after overturning his Mercedes when he was over the drink-drive limit.
This week Haverfordwest magistrates were told that at around 3.40pm on January 10, police received reports that a black Mercedes had been involved in a single vehicle road collision on the A487 at Roch.
When officers arrived, they discovered the overturned Mercedes with its driver, Richard James, 45, trapped in the driving seat.
At around 5 pm James was arrested and transported to Withybush hospital where blood samples were carried out. These gave a reading of 112 mcg of alcohol, the legal limit being 80.
James, of Bryn Seion, Solva, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and was represented in court by solicitor Jess Hill who informed magistrates that the defendant had collected items for work on the afternoon in question.
“He’d consumed alcohol the night before and had also taken some prescribed medication,” she said. “He believed he would be safe to drive the following day, but obviously this wasn’t the case.”
Jess Hill added that James is expecting to lose his employment as a farm worker, as the mandatory driving ban will prevent him from driving the vehicles involved with his work.
James was disqualified from driving for 14 months and ordered to pay a £346 fine, a £138 court surcharge and £85 costs.
Crime
Pembrokeshire man charged with making hundreds of indecent images of children
A PEMBROKESHIRE man has appeared before magistrates charged with making hundreds of indecent images of children.
David Lewis, 42, is accused of making 261 of the most serious category A images of a child together with 71 category B images and 51 category C images of a child. The offences are alleged to have been committed between March 19, 2025 and August 6, 2025.
He is further accused of distributing one indecent category A image of a child at an undisclosed location in Llanteg, Narberth, on July 27, 2025.
This week Lewis – formerly of Ashdale Lane, Pembroke but now residing at Hoopers Guest House in Swansea – appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates where he submitted no pleas to all four charges.
Crown Prosecutor Dennis Davies told magistrates that a total of 81,000 images and videos are currently being investigated in respect of the defendant, with the result that the police enquiry is not yet complete.
“A lot of these photographs are of babies, with the result that their severity is not suitable for the magistrates court,” Dennis Davies told the Haverfordwest Bench.
As a result of the Crown’s comments, magistrates declined jurisdiction and the matter will now be dealt with by Swansea Crown Court, commencing on May 29. Lewis was released on unconditional bail.
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