COURT HEARING IN HAVERFORDWEST

A PEMBROKE man has appeared in court charged with intentionally strangling a woman.

Matthew Sawyer, aged 34, of Laugharne Close, Pembroke, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court accused of one count of intentional strangulation.

The court heard allegations that Sawyer strangled a woman in Neyland on May 3.

Magistrates ruled that the case was too serious to be dealt with at summary level and sent it to Swansea Crown Court.

Sawyer is due to appear there to enter a plea on January 2. He was granted bail until that date.

A HATE crime recorded at west Wales railway station has brought renewed attention to rising levels of abuse and hostility on public transport, following national reporting that shows hate crime on the UK rail network has increased in recent years.

The Narberth incident, which occurred in late 2025, involved a minor and a transgender victim and was recorded by police as a hate crime. Due to safeguarding considerations, no further details were released and those involved were not identified.

The case comes amid wider concern across England and Wales after recent figures revealed a sustained rise in hate crime on trains and at stations. National reporting based on British Transport Police (BTP) data shows that racially and religiously motivated hate crimes on public transport have increased since the pandemic, with campaigners warning that victims are increasingly feeling unsafe while travelling.

Why incidents are rising

Organisations supporting victims of hate crime have linked the national rise to a combination of factors, including greater social polarisation, the impact of online abuse spilling into public spaces, and a reduction in staff presence on parts of the transport network.

Victim Support has previously said that public transport environments can leave victims feeling particularly vulnerable, as incidents often occur in confined spaces such as platforms, carriages or stations where escape or intervention is limited. Campaigners also warn that transgender people and visible minorities are disproportionately affected, even if total numbers remain smaller than other hate crime categories.

British Transport Police has acknowledged that reporting levels have increased, which it says reflects both improved confidence among victims to come forward and heightened awareness of what constitutes hate crime. However, officers and charities alike stress that under-reporting remains a significant issue, especially in rural areas.

Small stations, disproportionate figures

In west Wales, attention has also been drawn to Johnston railway station, a tiny unstaffed request stop in Pembrokeshire, which has previously appeared in national rail crime analyses despite serving very small passenger numbers.

Johnston was identified as having one of the highest crime rates per passenger in the UK after BTP data showed around ten recorded incidents in a single year, set against an estimated annual footfall of just 7,000 passengers. While the total number of incidents was small in absolute terms, the low usage meant the rate appeared disproportionately high when compared with major city stations.

Rail safety specialists have said that lightly staffed or unstaffed rural stations can face particular challenges, including limited natural surveillance, fewer witnesses and delays in reporting incidents, even though the overall risk to passengers remains low.

National trend remains upward

Nationally, however, the picture is more pronounced. Thousands of hate crimes are recorded on the rail network each year, with racial and religious abuse accounting for the majority of cases. Community groups have warned that fear of abuse is causing some people to avoid travelling altogether, particularly during evenings or at quieter stations.

Although overall hate crime figures in the Dyfed-Powys police area have fallen in recent years, police stress that railway offences fall under BTP jurisdiction, meaning they are recorded separately from local force statistics.

Campaigners argue that even isolated incidents can have a significant impact in rural communities where public transport options are limited and alternative routes are not always available.

Reporting and support

British Transport Police urges anyone who experiences or witnesses hate crime or antisocial behaviour on the railway to report it by texting 61016, speaking to officers, or reporting online. In an emergency, passengers should call 999.

Support is also available through Victim Support Wales, which offers confidential assistance to anyone affected by hate crime.

A Milford Haven man dumped drugs and cash over a fence while attempting to escape officers

A MILFORD HAVEN man tried to make a run for it through a back alley after police knocked on his door, dumping drugs and cash as he fled, a court has heard.

Dominic Jeary, aged 40, attempted to escape from his home on Precelly Place on November 26 after initially refusing officers entry, Swansea Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Caitlyn Jones said police attended the address and were met with obstruction before Jeary bolted out of the rear of the property and into an alleyway.

As he ran, officers saw him empty his pockets over a fence. Police later recovered £600 in cash, a snap bag containing white powder, and a wallet holding £4.95, 20 euros, and an identity card.

A subsequent search uncovered 9.27 grams of cocaine, valued at between £840 and £1,050, along with 4.7 grams of cannabis worth around £50. Officers also seized three canisters of nitrous oxide, three mobile phones, and three sets of weighing scales.

Jeary told police the cash came from £1,000 transferred to him by his grandmother and claimed he was not addicted to cocaine, saying he used it only at weekends. However, analysis of his mobile phone revealed evidence of cocaine dealing throughout the month leading up to his arrest.

He pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to supply, possession of cannabis, and possession of criminal property relating to the cash.

The court heard Jeary had twelve previous convictions for twenty-four offences, although his only previous drug offence was a Class B possession in September 2010. His last conviction dated back to 2011.

Defence barrister Emily Bennett said Jeary had turned to drugs and gambling after losing his job and experiencing a family bereavement, which led him into debt.

She told the court he had completed a substance misuse course while in custody and was determined to change his life, adding that he had taken responsibility by entering guilty pleas at the earliest opportunity.

Sentencing him to two-and-a-half years in prison, Judge Catherine Richards said: “You must have known that if you were caught you would face immediate custody. I’ve read the messages, and it is clear you were expecting a significant financial gain.”

A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing has been listed for April 24.