A PEMBROKESHIRE man has been sentenced for disrupting an entire town’s broadband connection by causing over £26,000 worth of damage to Ogi’s underground cabling and fibre-optic network.

Between September 2023 and January 2024, Mickey Probert, 37, gained access to five of Ogi’s protected underground chambers extending from Wavell Crescent to Hamilton Court, Pembroke Dock.  Using wire snippers, Probert caused a total of £26,237.73 worth of damage to the Ogi network.

On January 23, 2024, Probert was caught red-handed after once again gaining entry to one of Ogi’s chambers armed with wire snippers, a screwdriver and a metal crowbar.

This week Swansea Crown Court heard that suspicions were raised when Ogi’s alarm system confirmed that numerous cables had been affected in the Pembroke Dock area between September, 2023 and January 2024. When fault engineers began assessing the damage, they discovered that someone had gained access to the Ogi protected chambers and had cut numerous cables.  Five different locations were flagged with six separate findings of damage.

Mickey Probert was subsequently discovered by police officers in the Wavell Crescent site as they carried out a search following reports of what the Crown described as ‘suspicious activities’ near one of the Ogi junction boxes.

Judge Huw Rees was told that when officers arrived at the scene at 3.55 am, they located the defendant hunched over a metal manhole cover.  He had in his possession  a pair of wire snippers and a screwdriver, and was wearing a head torch and latex gloves.  A metal crowbar was also found nearby.

“His actions severely impacted the network services of the Pembroke Dock area, but also OGI’s reputation,” the Crown counsel told Judge Rees.  “As a result, they suffered a cascade of negative effects and the 999 services were also affected.  Many people rely on these services for their lives.”

Probert, of Laugharne Close, Pembroke, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to the Ogi network and Judge Huw Rees described the defendant’s actions as ‘very serious offending’.

“I take a serious view of this as a result of the damage that was caused, and this is a serious example of a crime to an independent public network provider in Wales,” he said.

“People who use that network and people who wanted to make emergency calls in dire circumstances, were prevented from doing so by your actions. Your actions disrupted essential services.”

But Judge Rees went on to say that as a result of Probert’s ‘realistic prospect’ of rehabilitation, his custodial sentence will be suspended.

“There’s been a period of non-offending when you’ve shown your ability to live a normal life,” he said.  “ You’ve got it in you to keep out of trouble and there’s a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.”

Probert was sentenced to 16 months in custody suspended for two years.  During this time he must carry out 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and a 120-day alcohol abstinence monitoring programme.

A court has heard how a man drove his unlit van through Pembroke Dock at midnight while two women shared the front seat.

When David Janssens was arrested by officers on April 6, he was found to be over twice the legal drink-drive limit.

“The officers were concerned about the manner of his driving,” Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker told Haverfordwest magistrates court this week. 

“The Fiat Doblo was swerving in the middle of the road and the officers saw the lights being turned off while it was moving.”

After stopping the vehicle, the driver was identified as 38-year-old David Janssens.

 “The officers also discovered two females in the passenger seat, one sitting on the other’s lap,” added Linda Baker.

Janssens, of Water Street, Pembroke Dock was arrested and breathalysed with the lowest reading showing he had 77 mcg of alcohol in his system, the legal limit being 35.

This week he pleaded guilty to drink-driving, using a vehicle without third party insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.  He was represented in court by solicitor Michael Kelleher.

“He was driving a two-seater van, which was why the two female friends were sitting the way they were,” Mr Kelleher told the court. “He was giving them a lift home.”

The solicitor went on to say that Janssens had previously lost his licence under the totting-up procedure.

“He’s very remorseful of what he did, and realises that he shouldn’t have been driving that night,” concluded Mr Kelleher.

Janssens was fined £320 and ordered to pay a £128 court surcharge and £85 costs.  He was disqualified from driving for 20 months.

A Pembrokeshire chef has admitted turning his Audi A3 onto its roof when he was over twice the legal drink-drive limit.

Police were called to Stevens Green, Milton, just before 1.30 am on April 2 following reports that an Audi A3 had been involved in a single vehicle road collision.   There, officers found the vehicle lying on its roof across the entire width of the road. 

“The driver, Davey Bailey, 32, was seen standing on the opposite side of the road, holding a mobile phone,” outlined Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker.  “And he confirmed to officers that he was the driver.”

After providing a positive roadside breath test. Bailey, 32, was arrested and conveyed to the police station where he gave further breathalyser tests, the lowest reading being 82 mcg.  The legal limit is 35.

Bailey, of Stover Avenue, Sageston, pleaded guilty to the drink-drive offence when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates court this week.  His solicitor, Tom Lloyd, confirmed that the defendant is employed as a chef, however the loss of his licence is unlikely to affect his work commitments.

Bailey was fined £600 and ordered to pay a £240 court surcharge and £85 costs and was disqualified from driving for 21 months.