Safe and contents stolen during break-in on Birch Mead estate

A 31-YEAR-OLD man has admitted breaking into a property on the Mount Estate and stealing a safe containing valuables.

Daniel Fairlie, of Observatory Avenue, appeared before Swansea Crown Court today charged in connection with a burglary at a property in Birch Mead.

The offence took place on October 30, 2023.

The court heard that a safe was taken from the address during the break-in, along with items contained inside it.

Fairlie entered a guilty plea during the hearing.

He will be sentenced at a later date.

Children kept inside as officers deal with trouble close to Priory Road centre amid growing fears over youth violence

A YOUTH club in Milford Haven was forced to lock its doors with children inside after staff called police to an incident nearby, in a disturbing episode that has left many local people deeply concerned.

The incident happened on Wednesday evening (Apr 22) near Milford Youth Centre on Priory Road, next to The Meads leisure facilities.

Dyfed-Powys Police have now confirmed that the youth club itself was not the scene of the trouble, but that staff took the decision to secure the building while officers dealt with what was happening a short distance away.

In a statement issued to The Pembrokeshire Herald, police said: “Staff at Milford Youth Centre called police due to an incident a short distance away on 22nd April and locked themselves and youth club attendees inside while police dealt with the matter. Young people attending the youth club were not involved in the incident and as soon as it was deemed safe the building was reopened.”

That statement is likely to reassure parents whose children were inside at the time, but it still leaves key questions unanswered about exactly what unfolded nearby, who was involved, and whether any arrests were made.

Before police responded, concern had already been spreading rapidly across Milford Haven through local social media posts and messages sent to The Herald.

A number of those reports claimed that a group of masked youths had been seen in the Priory Road and Trafalgar Road area at around 6:00pm. Some posts alleged that one of the group may have been carrying a knife, although that has not been confirmed by police.

Other local accounts said youths had been seen running through The Meads car park, while one witness claimed that some had earlier climbed onto the roof of the old telephone exchange building nearby. Another account alleged that a member of staff had been subjected to abuse.

Taken individually, some of those claims remain unverified. Taken together, however, they paint a picture of a chaotic and intimidating situation which was serious enough for youth workers to lock down the centre while police attended.

What is clear from the police statement is that staff acted quickly, that the young people inside the club were not involved, and that the building was only reopened once officers judged it safe to do so.

The incident has attracted intense local attention because of heightened nerves over youth disorder and knife-related violence in Pembrokeshire. Earlier this month, four youths aged 13 to 17 suffered stab wounds during serious disorder at Tenby railway station, prompting a major police response and renewed concern about violence involving young people in the county.

In that context, even an incident which ends without confirmed injuries or arrests is enough to send shockwaves through a community already on edge.

Parents, residents and youth workers will now want fuller answers about what happened near the centre, whether those responsible have been identified, and what steps are being taken to prevent further incidents of this kind.

Superintendent Chris Neve returned to frontline duties to work alongside his 19-year-old daughter, PC Abi Neve, in a shift the force said neither will forget

DYFED-POWYS POLICE have shared the story of a father-and-daughter response team who recently worked side by side on duty.

Superintendent Chris Neve stepped back onto the frontline for the shift, joining his daughter, PC Abi Neve, as part of Response Policing Week.

The force said Abi grew up listening to her father’s stories about policing and was inspired to follow the same path, often imagining how rewarding it would be to help people in need.

Speaking about the experience, Abi said: “Before work that day, he was just my dad, but as soon as our shift began, he became my boss and my colleague.

“He has always looked after me since I was born, so it was nice for me to be able to have his back, if needed, for a change.”

Dyfed-Powys Police said it was a moment Chris had long been looking forward to.

Reflecting on the shift, he said working alongside his daughter while supporting victims brought comfort in difficult situations.

He added that while there are times a parent wonders whether their child is still too young, Abi was more than capable of handling herself on response.

Chris said he was proud of the woman she had become and was looking forward to hearing more of her stories as her policing career continues.

The force described the pair as the “ultimate response father/daughter duo” and said it was a shift that would stay with both officers long after Response Policing Week came to an end.

Photo caption:

Family shift: Superintendent Chris Neve and PC Abi Neve on duty together for Dyfed-Powys Police during Response Policing Week (Pic: Dyfed-Powys Police).