A LLANDOVERY man has been handed a three-year community order after officers discovered an illegal child-abuse video playing on his mobile phone during a search of his home.

Police executed a warrant at the property of Lawrence Cooper, aged 69, of Lon Rhys Pritchard, on 19 September last year. When officers entered the bedroom, a video involving two underage girls was found playing on his device.

Two phones, two laptops, a hard drive and an SD card were seized. Cooper told officers at the scene that they would find further illegal material on the equipment.

Digital analysis confirmed more than 1,000 indecent images of children stored across his devices. These included Category A, B and C still images and videos, featuring victims aged between two and 16. The court heard that Cooper had also used search terms associated with child-sexual-abuse content and incest.

Cooper answered “no comment” in two police interviews but later admitted three counts of making indecent images of children.

At Swansea Crown Court, Hannah George, defending, said Cooper had no previous convictions and had entered early guilty pleas. She told the court he accepted gaining gratification from the material, despite denying a sexual interest in children, and said he felt “shame” about his actions.

Passing sentence, Judge Paul Hobson said Cooper had been actively seeking out illegal content and was watching such material at the moment officers arrived.

Cooper was made subject to a three-year community order requiring 180 hours of unpaid work and 25 days of rehabilitation activity.

He must also sign the sex-offenders register for five years and comply with a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.

A BARGOED man who used his car workshop as a front for large-scale drug distribution has been jailed for almost ten years — with links to supply routes reaching into West Wales, including Pembrokeshire, The Herald understands.

Thirty-seven-year-old Peter Ian Yandell, from Bargoed, was arrested at his business premises on 11 June after officers from Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit for southern Wales, executed a warrant at his Tredegar vehicle workshop. Investigators found that Yandell had been using the business as a cover for the wholesale movement of controlled drugs.

A search of the premises uncovered significant quantities of Class A and Class B drugs, specialist equipment used to manufacture illicit substances, and an imitation firearm.

His mobile phone was seized at the scene. Subsequent analysis uncovered extensive evidence of large-scale supply operations across South Wales, including communication patterns and distribution activity indicative of a wider network reaching beyond the Valleys.

The Herald understands that this network included the movement of cocaine and cannabis into West Wales — including Pembrokeshire — as part of a broader regional supply chain.

Yandell pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, being concerned in the supply of cannabis, and possession of an imitation firearm. He was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court to nine years and ten months for the offences, with a further two months added for breaching a suspended sentence.

Detective Constable Rhys Richards, of Tarian ROCU, said: “This operation dismantled a sophisticated drug production setup that was responsible for supplying harmful substances into communities across the region.

“Yandell attempted to hide his criminal enterprise behind a legitimate business, but the evidence recovered – in particular from his mobile phone – revealed the true extent of his offending.

“This investigation demonstrates Tarian’s continued commitment to exposing and disrupting organised criminality. We will work tirelessly to protect the public and ensure that those who profit from the supply of illicit commodities are brought before the courts.”

A MILFORD HAVEN man has appeared in court charged with burglary and inflicting grievous bodily harm, following an incident at a flat in the town earlier this week.

Charged after alleged attack inside Victoria Road flat

Stephen Collier, aged thirty-eight, of Vaynor Road, Milford Haven, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court today (Friday, Dec 5). Collier is accused of entering a property known as Nos Da Flat, 2 Victoria Road, on December 3 and, while inside, inflicting grievous bodily harm on a man named John Hilton.

The court was told the alleged burglary and assault was carried out jointly with another man, Denis Chmelevski.

The charge is brought under section 9(1)(b) of the Theft Act 1968, which covers burglary where violence is inflicted on a person inside the property.

No plea entered

Collier, represented by defence solicitor Chris White, did not enter a plea during the hearing. Prosecutor Simone Walsh applied for the defendant to be remanded in custody, citing the serious nature of the offence, the risk of further offending, and concerns that he could interfere with witnesses.

Magistrates Mr I Howells, Mr V Brickley and Mrs H Meade agreed, refusing bail and ordering that Collier be kept in custody before trial.

Case sent to Swansea Crown Court

The case was sent to Swansea Crown Court under Section 51 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Collier will next appear on January 5, 2026 at 9:00am for a Plea and Trial Preparation Hearing.

A custody time limit has been set for June 5, 2026.

Chmelevski is expected to face proceedings separately.