Choir members receive gold, silver and bronze medals after completing Royal School of Church Music programme

YOUNG singers from the choir at St Davids Cathedral have been recognised for their musical progress after receiving Voice for Life awards from the Royal School of Church Music.

The medals were presented during a ceremony at the cathedral, where choristers were praised for their dedication to developing their vocal skills and musical understanding.

The Voice for Life scheme is a national programme run by the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM), designed to help young choristers develop their singing ability, music theory knowledge and commitment to church music.

A total of ten choristers received awards during the presentation.

Harriet received the Gold Award, while Isabelle, Esther, Phoebe and Cora were presented with Silver Awards.

Bronze Awards were awarded to Avalon, Imogen, Megan, Abigael and Grace.

Two additional choristers were unable to attend the ceremony due to illness, but the cathedral said their awards will be presented at a later date.

The cathedral choir also thanked Laurence John for preparing the young singers so thoroughly for their examinations.

St Davids Cathedral Choir said it was delighted to see such a strong group of choristers successfully complete the programme and congratulated all those who received awards.

A 37-YEAR-OLD Ceredigion man has been jailed after repeatedly failing to comply with the terms of a suspended sentence order imposed for an assault.

Michael Smith, aged 37, of Cross Inn, Llandysul, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Mar 9).

The court heard that Smith had failed to comply with requirements attached to a suspended sentence order originally imposed by Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on June 11, 2025.

He admitted breaching the order by failing to attend unpaid work on December 21, 2025, missing a planned probation appointment on January 29, 2026, and failing to provide acceptable evidence within the specified timeframe.

Smith admitted the breach when he appeared in court.

Magistrates were told the suspended sentence had originally been imposed following Smith’s conviction for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The offence took place on October 13, 2024, at his home in Cross Inn, where he assaulted Sasha White, causing her actual bodily harm.

Because of the repeated breach of the order, magistrates decided to activate the suspended sentence.

Smith was ordered to serve the 16-week prison sentence that had previously been suspended for 18 months.

A further four weeks’ imprisonment was imposed consecutively on a related matter, bringing the total custodial sentence to 20 weeks.

In their sentencing remarks, magistrates said Smith had shown “very low and limited compliance” with the court order and had demonstrated a disregard for the requirements placed upon him.

The court also noted that he had committed a further offence shortly after the suspended sentence order had originally been imposed and that the breach represented his third failure to comply.

Smith had been on bail prior to the hearing but was taken into custody following the court’s decision.

17-year-old victim said she feared for her life after a series of threats

A MAN who threatened a teenage girl with violence during a series of phone calls has been jailed for 18 months.

Paul Gurney, aged 32, of Maes Grug, Stop and Call, Goodwick, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Monday (Mar 9) after admitting sending communications threatening death and serious harm.

The court heard the victim, a 17-year-old girl who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was alone at a property in Whitland on the evening of February 11 when she received a call from Gurney.

Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told the court that Gurney had previously been in a relationship with the teenager and appeared to be heavily intoxicated during the call.

During the conversation, he accused her of being unfaithful before making a series of threats.

“He told her he was going to come to her house and chop her ears off and that he would bring a gun and a baseball bat with him,” the court heard.

Later the same evening, Gurney contacted the girl again, telling her: “You betrayed me, so now I’m going to betray you and your family.”

The court was also told that Gurney posted a photograph of himself on Facebook holding a knife. When officers later searched his home, they found a BB gun and pellets.

Victim left frightened

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the teenager said the incident left her fearing for her safety.

“I was really scared, believing he was going to come to my address,” she said.

“I’m genuinely scared about what he might do, because I know he’s capable of violence.”

Defence cited drug dependency

Representing Gurney, solicitor Tom Lloyd said his client had been heavily dependent on drugs at the time of the offence.

“Since this incident he has addressed his drug issues and is very remorseful for what happened,” he told the court.

“He said some extremely foolish and unpalatable things, but he meant no harm.”

Mr Lloyd also disputed the prosecution’s suggestion that Gurney had been in a relationship with the victim.

Jail term imposed

After considering the case, the judge sentenced Gurney to 18 months’ imprisonment.

A restraining order was also imposed preventing him from contacting the victim.