Crime
Man given two-year Criminal Behaviour Order after noise complaints case
A PEMBROKE DOCK man has been handed a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order after a series of allegations that he breached a community protection notice by creating unreasonable noise at his home.
Paul Richard McNally, aged sixty-two, of Laws Street, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Nov 19) for seven linked charges of failing to comply with a community protection notice. The notice required him to prevent loud or offensive noise, including shouting and aggressive language, from causing a nuisance to neighbours.
Multiple charges dismissed
McNally had previously pleaded not guilty to six of the alleged breaches, said to have taken place between February and June this year in Pembroke Dock.
At Wednesday’s hearing, magistrates dismissed all six charges after no evidence was offered by Pembrokeshire County Council, which had brought the prosecution.
An application by the council to introduce bad-character evidence was also withdrawn.
A spokesperson for Pembrokeshire County Council said: “Following multiple complaints to the council, officers used The NoiseApp and professional sound-monitoring equipment to gather evidence of McNally repeatedly banging and shouting expletives whenever his neighbour carried out normal daily tasks, such as running taps or flushing the toilet.
The persistent shouting and thumping on the ceiling caused the tenant significant alarm and distress.
A Community Protection Warning (CPW) was issued, directing McNally not to create excessive noise or verbally abuse other tenants. Despite this, the behaviour continued and further evidence was obtained.
The council then served a Community Protection Notice (CPN) under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, again requiring him to stop. However, the nuisance persisted, and the authority brought a prosecution for breaching the CPN.
Magistrates fined McNally £162 and ordered him to pay a £65 victim surcharge and £1,000 in costs to Pembrokeshire County Council. A Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) was also imposed to prevent any further noise or abusive conduct. Any breach of the CBO will be referred back to the court and could result in a custodial sentence.
Cllr Jacob Williams said: “A Community Protection Notice is a formal legal measure councils can use to deal with nuisance behaviour that has a serious impact on people’s quality of life.
“Unfortunately, the CPN in this case was ignored, leaving the authority with no option but to pursue the matter through the courts. The conviction – and the significant costs imposed – could have been avoided had the notice been complied with.”
Guilty plea to April incident
However, McNally changed his plea to guilty on a separate charge relating to an incident on April 5.
Magistrates imposed a Criminal Behaviour Order lasting until November 2027. The order prohibits McNally from shouting aggressively at neighbours, using foul or offensive language towards them, or creating unreasonable noise from his property, including banging or slamming doors in a way likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
He must also stay in regular contact with supervising officers Rachel Stevenson-Thomas and Steve Morbey, and notify them of any change of address.
Fines and costs
McNally was fined £162. He must also pay a £65 victim services surcharge and £1,000 in prosecution costs. A collection order was made, with the court indicating that deductions from benefits may be applied. The total of £1,227 must be paid by December 19.
The court noted that his guilty plea was taken into account when sentencing.
Crime
Two arrested after high-value shoplifting incident in Kilgetty
TWO men have been arrested on suspicion of shoplifting following a rapid police response to a reported high-value theft at a supermarket in Kilgetty.
Dyfed-Powys Police said officers were called to the Co-op store at around 3.35pm on Wednesday (Jan 28), after a report that a large quantity of alcohol and other items had been stolen.
Using information provided by the caller, Roads Policing Unit officers worked closely with control room staff to identify a vehicle believed to be involved. Several patrol cars were deployed, and the vehicle was located a short time later travelling east.
Police said the safety of all those involved was treated as a priority, with specialist Tactical Pursuit and Containment (TPAC) advice obtained while officers maintained constant observation of the vehicle.
The car was brought to a safe stop on a back road approaching Hendy, involving three Roads Policing Unit vehicles. No injuries or damage were reported.
Following roadside checks, two men — aged 67 and 46 — were arrested on suspicion of theft from a shop.
Both remain in police custody while enquiries continue.
Police said the swift response helped prevent further offending and demonstrated the effectiveness of specialist roads policing officers acting on real-time intelligence.
Business
Eight-year prison sentence after vehicle stop uncovers drugs worth over £150,000
A ROUTINE vehicle stop by roads policing officers has led to an eight-year prison sentence after more than £150,000 worth of illegal drugs were discovered in a car in Pembrokeshire.
On Friday, January 2, officers from the Roads Policing Unit stopped a grey Seat Ateca on Hoyland Road, Pembroke. The vehicle was being driven by 43-year-old Dean Evans.
During the stop, Evans told officers they would find “stuff” in the car. He and the vehicle were subsequently searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
A search of the boot uncovered a cardboard box containing a one-kilogram block of cocaine and ten half-kilogram packages of herbal cannabis. The street value of the drugs was estimated to be well in excess of £150,000.
Evans was arrested at the scene on suspicion of possession with intent to supply controlled drugs. He was later charged with possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs.
The 43-year-old pleaded guilty at Swansea Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, January 3.
On Thursday, January 28, Evans was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court to eight years’ imprisonment for possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis.
DC Jones, from Dyfed-Powys Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit, said: “Tackling the supply of illegal drugs is a priority for Dyfed-Powys Police, and the misery that illegal drugs bring to local communities will not be tolerated.
“We welcome the sentence passed to Dean Evans, given the large quantity of harmful drugs he was caught trafficking into Pembrokeshire.
“This sentence should serve as a stark warning to anyone tempted to become involved in the illegal drugs trade in Dyfed and Powys.”
Crime
Former soldier jailed for stalking police officer over past arrest
Defendant tracked down officer’s home address and sent threatening messages
A FORMER serviceman has been sent to prison after tracking down and harassing a police officer who had arrested him two years earlier.
Gareth Nicholas, aged 41, from Waunarlwydd in Swansea, targeted the officer by discovering his home address and sending a threatening message via Facebook, Swansea Crown Court heard.
The officer had been part of a police team that executed a Scottish arrest warrant at Nicholas’s home in May 2023. Two years later, in August 2025, the officer received an unexpected friend request on social media, followed shortly afterwards by a message that immediately caused concern.
The message began with the words “I found you” and accused the officer of unlawfully entering Nicholas’s property, assaulting him while he was in his underwear, and “abducting” him. Nicholas also claimed he had identified a pattern of corrupt behaviour within the police and issued a veiled threat, stating: “I will catch you down the Liberty son. Look forward to it,” a reference to Swansea City’s former stadium.
The situation escalated further days later when a handwritten letter was delivered to the officer’s former address. The new occupant contacted the officer to alert him to the letter, which repeated allegations of corruption and suggested the matter could be dropped if the officer assisted in exposing alleged police misconduct.
Nicholas was arrested on September 3 and admitted sending the communications, but denied at the time that his actions amounted to stalking.
In evidence, the officer told the court that while he had faced verbal abuse during his policing career, this incident felt different and deeply personal. He said his family installed CCTV cameras, security lighting and fencing, and put safety plans in place for their children. He added that he feared Nicholas had not let go of his perceived injustice and remained concerned the behaviour could continue.
The court heard Nicholas has a substantial criminal record in Scotland between 2019 and 2024, including convictions for stalking, malicious communications, threatening behaviour, domestic abuse offences and possession of ammunition without a licence.
Sentencing Nicholas, Judge Huw Rees acknowledged the trauma the defendant had experienced during military service, but warned him not to repeat the behaviour.
Nicholas, who appeared unrepresented, pleaded guilty to stalking and was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison, reduced by 20 per cent for his early guilty plea. Having already served time on remand, his release is expected shortly. He was also made subject to a five-year restraining order banning any contact with the officer.
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