Three drug-driving offences and cannabis possession charges admitted in court

A HAKIN man has been sentenced after admitting a string of drug offences committed over a four-month period.

This week Simon Rees, 29, pleaded guilty to three charges of drug-driving and two charges of possessing cannabis – a Class C drug – when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates.

The first offence took place on October 26, 2025, when Rees was stopped by officers as he drove his Ford Escort near to his home in Observatory Avenue, Hakin. Subsequent blood tests showed he had 5.6 micrograms of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system, the legal limit being 2.

The following month he was again stopped by officers, this time as he drove along Steynton Road in Milford Haven, when he was found to have 289 micrograms of benzoylecgonine in his system and 7 grams of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.

Rees also admitted being in possession of 86 grams of cannabis when he was searched by officers in Haverfordwest on December 11, 2025, and being in possession of 12.9 grams of cannabis during a second police search on January 13.

Rees pleaded guilty to all five charges. He was legally represented in court by solicitor Alaw Harries who said the offences took place following the death of a close family member.

“It’s clear that drugs were a realistic factor to the offending, but shortly before, the defendant had lost his uncle, who was the only close family member he had left,” she said.

“This led to his increased drug use.”

Rees was disqualified from driving for a total of 36 months. He was fined £240 and was ordered to pay £170 in prosecution costs and a £96 surcharge. A forfeiture and destruction order was made for the drugs.

CCTV footage showed defendant entering garden while victim was home alone with children

A MILFORD HAVEN man has been sentenced for entering his neighbour’s garden brandishing what the court described as a highly dangerous weapon.

CCTV footage shown to Haverfordwest magistrates this week showed Leigh Barnard, 29, enter the garden of a property in Hakin in the night of November 3, 2024, and hurl abuse at the owner as he stood holding a short wooden fence post.

“I felt vulnerable and scared,” the victim told police officers following Barnard’s arrest. “I found the whole incident frightening”.

The Crown said that the complainant had resided at her property for a number of years, and had never experienced any unpleasantness until that night.

“She was home alone with her young daughters, as her husband had gone to work,” said Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan.

“She suddenly became aware of banging on the door and saw the defendant in the garden holding a piece of wood.

“He’d gone round there armed with the wood for no reason whatsoever.”

But Barnard’s solicitor, Matt Riddler, said the incident had been provoked by the defendant’s concern for his father who had arrived home earlier that evening having sustained a serious head injury.

“Tension was heightened because the defendant’s father had arrived with substantial injuries to his head, and blood pouring down his face,” said Mr Riddler. “Leigh Barnard went round to the property to defend himself and his father.”

When the police arrived at the property, Barnard immediately handed over the fence post to the officers.

“What happened that night was totally out of character,” concluded Matt Riddler.

“He has genuine remorse and will comply with anything the court thinks is appropriate.”

Barnard, of Alban Crescent, Waterston, Milford Haven pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

After considering a comprehensive pre-sentence report prepared by the probation service as well as personal and professional referees in relation to Leigh Barnard, magistrates sentenced the defendant to a 12 month community order during which he must complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 100 hours of unpaid work.

No restraining order was imposed on the defendant, neither was Barnard ordered to pay any compensation to the victim. However he must pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 costs.

A forfeiture and destruction order was imposed for the wooden fence post.

Mother-of-two faces serious charges after alleged late-night attack linked to relationship dispute

A MOTHER-OF-TWO has appeared before magistrates accused of the intentional strangulation of a woman she believed was seeing her ex.

Alisha Stokes, 31, is accused of gaining entry to a property in Pembroke Dock after hearing what the Crown described as ‘a rumour’ of a relationship between the property’s resident and Stokes’ ex partner.

“They were sitting in the bedroom watching television when they heard banging at the front door,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“When the female answered it, the defendant asked her to go outside to fight, but the complainant refused.

“When she went back in the bedroom, they could see Stokes at the window and start banging it between ten and 20 times.”

The Crown alleges that the force used by Stokes caused the window to crack, enabling Stokes to gain entry into the bedroom.

“When she got inside, she punched the female several times, pulled her hair and strangled her, which went on for approximately 20 seconds, resulting in considerable difficulty in breathing,” concluded Sian Vaughan.

Stokes, of Devon Drive, Pembroke, is accused of intentional strangulation and the burglary of a dwelling with the intention of causing grievous bodily harm to the occupier.

No pleas were submitted by the defendant when she appeared before Haverfordwest court in custody.

Despite a request by the Crown Prosecution to remand Stokes in custody pending her next court appearance at Swansea Crown Court on April 10, magistrates agreed to release her on conditional bail. The conditions are that she must reside at her home address, obey an electronically tagged daily curfew between 8pm and 8am, not enter Pembroke Dock and not contact the complainant nor any other prosecution witnesses.