Crime

Milford Haven man tells jury he feared being run over outside pub

Published

5 months ago

January 14, 2026

Ben Jenkins, 26, denies GBH after woman suffered facial fractures during Guy Fawkes Night incident outside Nos Da in 2023

A MILFORD HAVEN man accused of inflicting grievous bodily harm on a woman outside a town centre bar has told a Crown Court jury he acted in self-defence because he feared he was about to be run over.

***The incident happened outside a pub in Milford Haven, the jury heard***

Ben Jenkins, 26, of St Lawrence Avenue, Hakin, is on trial at Swansea Crown Court charged with causing grievous bodily harm to a female motorist outside the Nos Da Bar, Victoria Road, Milford Haven, on Guy Fawkes Night, November 5, 2023.

The jury retired to consider its verdict on Wednesday (Jan 14) after hearing evidence from Jenkins and other witnesses. A verdict is expected later this week.

On the stand

Giving evidence, Jenkins told the court he had been standing in the road outside Nos Da at about 3:00am, talking to his fiancée, Bronwyn Jenkins.

He said a silver car pulled up behind his fiancée’s vehicle and someone shouted words to the effect of: “Get out of the fxxxing way or I’ll fxxxing run you over.”

“I was terrified,” Jenkins told the jury. “I thought my life was in danger.”

He said he went straight home after the incident. The court heard Jenkins provided a prepared statement to police but answered “no comment” in interview.

Under cross-examination, the jury was told Jenkins had consumed six or seven pints of cider and three or four rum and cokes. Jenkins maintained he was not intoxicated.

Prosecutors also questioned why the alleged threat to run him over was not included in his prepared statement.

CCTV footage was shown to the jury which the prosecution said appeared to show Jenkins being held back by a friend to prevent him approaching the car. Jenkins told the court his friend was not holding him back.

Further CCTV was said to show Jenkins being dragged away during the incident. Jenkins told the court this did not reflect what happened and that he was moving away in any event.

Jenkins said he did not know the driver was a woman at the time. He told the jury: “I swung four times but only one punch connected.”

“Shaken and tearful”

Bronwyn Jenkins told the court that when she picked her partner up later, he was “extremely shaken and tearful,” and said he had been in fear for his life.

She told the court she felt threatened after a car pulled up behind her and there was aggressive shouting. Bronwyn Jenkins said she drove down to a roundabout to get out of the way and did not see the incident itself.

Victim’s account

The complainant told the court she and her husband had been driving home after a night out at the Manchester Club when they had to stop abruptly behind Bronwyn Jenkins’ car, which she said was parked in the middle of the road.

She told the court she asked for the car to be moved and did not want to overtake because of the position of the vehicle. She said two men near the car made inappropriate gestures towards her, prompting her husband to tell her to pull over.

Her husband told the court he had been in the Manchester Club earlier and was already upset because his own car had been written off while it was stationary. He said he had called police but no officer attended, leaving him irate.

He told the jury he saw the men making gestures and heard shouting, and told his wife: “What’s their fxxxing problem? Pull the fxxxing car over.”

He also alleged he saw Jenkins punch his wife four times and heard him say: “You fxxxing deserved that, bxxxxh.”

Prosecution and defence

Prosecuting barrister Georgia Donahue told the court Mrs Bernard suffered two facial fractures and a perforated sinus, along with bruising and bleeding.

She said the victim was not aiming to run Jenkins over, and told the jury the Crown’s case was that the violence was “completely disproportionate” and amounted to retaliation rather than self-defence. The prosecution suggested it was Mr Bernard who was the aggressor.

The defence barrister told the jury that he accepted the vehicle moved in the direction of Jenkins, but said it was for the prosecution to prove Jenkins was not acting in self-defence.

He also referred to Jenkins’ character references, and told the jury Jenkins did not realise a woman was in the driver’s seat.

Jenkins remains on unconditional bail while the jury deliberates.

Crime

MPs to question Wales’ police commissioners over future of policing

Published

15 hours ago

June 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

WALES’ four Police and Crime Commissioners are to be questioned by MPs over the future of policing and proposed UK Government reforms.

The Welsh Affairs Committee will hold a session on 8 July to examine what planned changes in the Police Reform Bill could mean for Wales.

A White Paper published in January set out plans to abolish Police and Crime Commissioners, the elected officials responsible for overseeing police budgets and setting the overall strategy for individual forces in England and Wales.

In England, those responsibilities are expected to pass to elected regional mayors or council leaders. However, it remains unclear who would take on those functions in Wales.

The White Paper also raised the prospect of merging some of the 43 territorial police forces across England and Wales, but there is no firm detail yet on whether Wales’ four forces could be affected.

The session will allow MPs to question the PCCs from Dyfed-Powys Police, South Wales Police, North Wales Police and Gwent Police about the likely impact of the proposed reforms.

Committee members are also expected to discuss wider policing issues affecting Wales, including violence against women and girls, the use of facial recognition technology, and whether policing should be devolved to the Welsh Government.

Ruth Jones MP, Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee, said the session would be an important opportunity to examine what the reforms could mean for Welsh communities.

She said: “If PCCs are to be abolished, it is essential that any new arrangements ensure police forces in Wales remain clearly accountable to the public and that communities continue to have a strong voice in shaping policing priorities.

“We also want to explore views on the optimal number of forces for Wales and the importance of striking a balance between efficiency and preserving a strong understanding of local needs.”

Call for evidence

Ahead of the session, the committee is inviting written evidence from academic and policy experts.

It is asking how Welsh police forces should be held to account if PCCs are abolished, what lessons should be learned from the current model, and what the optimal number of police forces for Wales should be.

The committee also wants views on how other parts of the UK Government’s policing reforms could affect Wales, and the arguments for and against devolving policing to the Welsh Government.

The Welsh Affairs Committee is a House of Commons select committee. It scrutinises the work of the Wales Office and UK Government policies that affect Wales.

Crime

Paul Griffiths given suspended prison sentence for assaults

Published

17 hours ago

June 4, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

A PEMBROKE Dock man has been given a suspended prison sentence after admitting assaulting his former partner and his young son.

Paul Griffiths, aged 40, of Stranraer Road, Pennar, appeared for sentence this week after pleading guilty to offences arising from two separate incidents.

The court heard that, on April 16, 2022, Griffiths assaulted his former partner during an argument concerning their child.

During the dispute, he either pushed or threw a chair, which struck her leg and caused bruising.

A second incident took place on March 13, 2026, during an argument between Griffiths and his son.

The court heard that another adult intervened and told the pair to stop arguing. After the child may have thrown a teddy bear at him, Griffiths grabbed his son by the neck with both hands.

The adult stepped in and pushed Griffiths away from the child. The boy was left with reddening to his neck.

‘Utterly ashamed’

Sentencing Griffiths, the judge described the offences as “appalling”.

“You should be utterly ashamed of yourself,” the judge told him. “You assaulted your partner and your own son. You’ve lost your good character.”

For the assault on his former partner, which was classified as actual bodily harm, the judge found the offence to be of medium culpability and imposed a sentence of 24 weeks’ imprisonment.

A further eight weeks’ imprisonment was imposed for the assault on his son.

Griffiths was sentenced to a total of 30 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.

He was also made subject to a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Crime

Man wanted in connection with rape investigation has Pembrokeshire links

Published

1 day ago

June 3, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Police in Milford Haven and Neyland assisting Warwickshire officers in appeal to trace 23-year-old

MILFORD HAVEN and Neyland police have issued an appeal to help locate a man wanted in connection with a rape investigation.

Officers are assisting colleagues from Warwickshire Police, who are seeking information on the whereabouts of 23-year-old Rhys Trott in connection with a rape allegation in Nuneaton.

Police say Trott is believed to have links to the Milford Haven area of Pembrokeshire.

In a public appeal, Warwickshire Police said they are keen to trace Trott as part of ongoing enquiries.

Anyone who has seen him or has information about his whereabouts is urged to contact Warwickshire Police through their website or by quoting the relevant incident details.

Milford Haven and Neyland Police shared the appeal on social media on Tuesday (June 3), asking local residents to come forward with any information that may assist officers.

Photo caption:

Rhys Trott, 23, is wanted by Warwickshire Police in connection with a rape investigation and is believed to have links to Milford Haven (Pic: Warwickshire Police).