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Crime

Defendant denies causing injuries to two-month-old baby

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Christopher Phillips explains “rattle” incident during questioning

CHRISTOPHER PHILLIPS, the 28-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting and causing serious physical harm to a two-month-old baby in January 2021, continued giving evidence before the jury this morning (Tuesday). Phillips repeatedly denied causing any injury to the infant — referred to in court as Baby C — and insisted he had never harmed him physically or sexually.

Phillips is on trial alongside the baby’s mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, who is charged with causing or allowing serious physical harm. Both defendants deny the allegations.

Relationship and childcare involvement

Phillips told the court he met the baby’s mother on Tinder when the child was about two weeks old. He said his involvement in caring for the infant increased after Christmas 2020 but was limited to occasional help with feeding, bathing and nappy changing. He said the mother was “95 per cent of the time” present when he undertook any care tasks.

He said he first saw bright red blood in the baby’s nappy around 12 January 2021, which he attributed to constipation and a possible haemorrhoid, saying he recognised the condition because he suffered from them himself.

On the night of 23–24 January, Phillips said he changed the baby’s nappy three times. At around 22:17, he took a photograph of blood in the nappy and sent it to the mother, who was in the living room, explaining he thought it might be useful if she needed to show a doctor. He told the jury the baby’s anus “did not look injured” during any of the changes.

Sex toys and pornography

The jury were shown photographs of a number of sexual items recovered from a drawer beside the bed. Phillips confirmed that several of the items — including anal beads, butt plugs, an inflatable anal device, lubricant and a bottle of amyl nitrate (“poppers”) — belonged to him.

He accepted that he and the mother had engaged in anal play using toys, though he said there had never been penile-anal intercourse. He acknowledged viewing anal pornography and said he had deleted some search history and intimate photographs from his phone out of “embarrassment”.

The “rattle” incident

Phillips also admitted an incident involving one of the baby’s rattles. He said that after “mucking around” with the mother on the sofa, he picked up the rattle from the floor, mistaking its shape for a sex toy:

“I picked it up and began to press it against my anus, but never actually inserted it.”

He described the moment as “a moment of jocularity”.

After the prosecution concluded its questioning, John Hipkin KC, began a forceful cross-examination.

Hipkin KC put it to Phillips that the significant anal injury later identified in hospital could only have been caused by one of the two adults present in the flat that night.

He highlighted that Phillips had changed the baby’s nappy three times without noticing any injury and questioned him about his detailed knowledge of anal lubrication, dilation and the use of fingers before larger objects.

Hipkin KC suggested Phillips had used Sudocrem as a lubricant to insert a finger into the baby on or around 15 January, and again on the night of 23–24 January. Phillips denied this repeatedly: “Absolutely not.”

Phillips said he left the flat shortly before 03:00am on 24 January with the baby “settled and quiet”. He also denied deleting any material involving the baby from his phone.

Observations about the mother

Asked about the co-defendant’s care of the child, Phillips described her as “a loving mother”, though he recalled two occasions he found unusual: one where she placed the baby down “hard and fast” into the cot while tired, and another where she sat staring at a wall for around 20 seconds while holding him.

Clear denials

Phillips ended his evidence by telling the jury: “I absolutely did not harm Baby C physically or sexually.”

The trial continues this afternoon (Tuesday, Nov 2) before His Honour Judge Paul Thomas KC.

 

Crime

Pembrokeshire hairdresser avoids prison after pub assault

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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.

 

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Crime

Farm worker overturns Mercedes when over drink-drive limit

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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.

 

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Crime

Pembrokeshire man charged with making hundreds of indecent images of children

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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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