News

Sister took blame for drink driver A 44-YEAR-OLD man from

Published

11 years ago

February 24, 2015

A 44-YEAR-OLD man from Carmarthenshire was tried for driving while under the influence of alcohol at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on February 11. Jason Lloyd had pleaded not guilty at an earlier hearing, and had said that it was in fact her sister, who was sober, who had been in the driving seat.

The prosecutor, Leslie Harbon, outlined the details of the offence. Jason Lloyd was said to have been driving a black Volvo between Tenby and St. Clears after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in his breath (5.5 micrograms in 100ml of breath) exceeded the prescribed limit. The police received information that Lloyd had been drink driving, so they went to a Travelodge in St. Clears, where the client was, to speak with the defendant, who smelt of alcohol. According to two officer reports, and a sergeants report, Lloyd had admitted that he had been the driver several times. On the way to the station he had said: “If I get done for drink driving I’ll lose my job” and “I put my hands up, ‘cause I have done it. I had seven pints earlier on, then coke all night.” When Lloyd was interviewed, he gave a completely no comment interview.

For the defence, solicitor Mike Kelleher, while examining the defendant, emphasised the story from Lloyd’s point of view. He had been in Tenby with a group of friends, but the night turned sour. He was told that his best friend was trying it on with his wife, so there were arguments and everyone went home apart from Lloyd, his sister, and the partner of his best friend, Nicola. The three decided to go home as well. According to Lloyd, his sister drove because she had not been drinking due to a recent gall bladder operation. Lloyd said that when they were in the car, he received a phone call from his friend stating that the police were looking for him in regards to a separate charge. They stopped at the Travelodge in St. Clears. Nicola was hysterical and walk to the foyer of the hotel and Lloyd and his sister had an argument, and according to Lloyd, she walked off and he was left with the car in the car park. When the police officer arrived, Lloyd said that he knew he was going to be arrested anyway so he said that he had driven the car in order to protect Nicola and his sister from being arrested too. When asked about the comments he had made about being the driver on several occasions, he said he could not remember as his memory was not one hundred percent. There was no CCTV at the hotel.

The prosecutor covered many of the same questions as Kelleher but focussed on the fact that Lloyd said he could not remember making comments to the police, but he was sure that he had not driven the car. Harbon asked how he could know for sure that he had not driven, and he replied: “I saw my sister sitting at the side of me.”

Kelleher closed the examination by asking if Jason remembered who drove, to which he replied yes, and then asked if it was him who had been driving, and the defendant replied no.

Lloyd’s sister came into court as a witness and was warned that anything that she said in the court, as she had sworn on oath, had to be true or she would be prosecuted for perjury. Kelleher asked her if she understood the consequences of lying, and she said she did. He asked if she was there to lie for her brother, which, according to her, she was not. Lloyd’s sister told the same story Lloyd had.

Harbon asked if the siblings had spoken about coming to court, to which Lloyd’s sister replied yes. Although, she stated that they had not spoken about it at length when asked by the prosecutor. Harbon stated that she would have had every chance to get the story straight with her brother. The sister spoke about how she could not believe or understand why Lloyd had said that he had driven when it was his sister who had. Harbon responded by saying that she knew a lot about the case for someone who had not spoken at length about it. Harbon then closed her examination by asking if she and her brother were close, to which she replied yes. Then the prosecutor asked if she would do anything for her brother; she said she would, but also stated that she was not lying now.

The Magistrate asked where the key was when she had left, and she said that she had left it with Lloyd.

After some deliberation, the Magistrates returned to court and found Lloyd guilty of his offence. The Magistrate accepted the police’s accounts over the siblings’. Lloyd was fined £1,040 and he will have to pay £80 per month. He was disqualified from driving for 15 months, but will be able to reduce that by 5% by taking part in a drink driving rehabilitation course.

Education

Pembrokeshire school named second in Sunday Times guide

Published

1 hour ago

December 5, 2025

Luke Sinclair

A Pembrokeshire secondary school has been recognised among the very best in Wales, securing a leading position in a major national education guide.

Ysgol Bro Preseli in Crymych has been ranked the second-best state secondary school in Wales in the 2026 Sunday Times Parent Power Guide, a long-established benchmark for academic performance across the UK. Only Cowbridge School placed higher.

The annual guide, regarded as one of the country’s most authoritative assessments of school standards, compiles data from more than 2,000 state and independent schools. It also offers a range of practical advice for families, including guidance on scholarships, the 11-plus, and choosing the right school.

Helen Davies, editor of the Parent Power Guide, acknowledged the pressures facing the education sector but praised the commitment shown by schools nationwide. She said: “The educational landscape is testing – budget challenges, rising student mental health issues, special educational needs and an increasingly uncertain future.

“But there is also so much to celebrate from the dedication of teachers who are finding ever more innovative and impactful ways to enrich their students and give them the very best start in life.

“As well as celebrating the academic excellence of the top schools, it is uplifting to see how they are shaping their students to be ready for the 21st century, and instilling a lifelong love of learning.”

In addition to its strong showing within Wales, Ysgol Bro Preseli secured 263rd place in the UK-wide rankings. Elsewhere in the state secondary table, Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig was placed third in Wales, with Ysgol Eirias in Colwyn Bay following closely behind.

Now in its 33rd year, the Parent Power Guide was published online on Friday, 5 December, with the print edition set to appear on Sunday, 7 December. Final positions are determined by year-on-year performance, supported by editorial judgement.

The full rankings and analysis are available via The Sunday Times digital edition, and the guide remains a trusted resource for families seeking a clear picture of school performance across the UK.

Crime

Swansea man dies weeks after release from troubled HMP Parc: Investigation launched

Published

13 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SWANSEA man has died just weeks after being released from HMP Parc, the Bridgend prison now at the centre of a national crisis over inmate deaths and post-release failures.

Darren Thomas, aged 52, died on 13 November 2025 — less than a month after leaving custody. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has confirmed an independent investigation into his death, which is currently listed as “in progress”.

Born on 9 April 1973, Mr Thomas had been under post-release supervision following a period at HMP/YOI Parc, the G4S-run prison that recorded seventeen deaths in custody in 2024 — the highest in the UK.

His last known legal appearance was at Swansea Crown Court in October 2024, where he stood trial accused of making a threatening phone call and two counts of criminal damage. During the hearing, reported by The Pembrokeshire Herald at the time, the court heard he made threats during a heated call on 5 October 2023.

Mr Thomas denied the allegations but was found guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to a custodial term, which led to his imprisonment at HMP Parc.

Parc: A prison in breakdown

HMP Parc has faced sustained criticism throughout 2024 and 2025. A damning unannounced inspection in January found:

Severe self-harm incidents up 190%
Violence against staff up 109%
Synthetic drugs “easily accessible” across wings
Overcrowding at 108% capacity

In the first three months of 2024 alone, ten men died at Parc — part of a wider cluster of twenty PPO-investigated deaths since 2022. Six occurred within three weeks, all linked to synthetic drug use.

Leaked staff messages in 2025 exposed a culture of indifference, including one officer writing: “Let’s push him to go tomorrow so we can drop him.”

Six G4S employees have been arrested since 2023 in connection with alleged assaults and misconduct.

The danger after release

Deaths shortly after release from custody are a growing national concern. Ministry of Justice data shows 620 people died while under community supervision in 2024–2025, with 62 deaths occurring within 14 days of release.

Short sentences — common at Parc — leave little time for effective rehabilitation or release planning. Homelessness, loss of drug tolerance and untreated mental-health conditions create a high-risk environment for those newly released.

The PPO investigates all such deaths to determine whether prisons or probation failed in their duties. Reports often take 6–12 months and can lead to recommendations.

A system at breaking point

The crisis at Parc reflects wider failures across UK prisons and probation. A July 2025 House of Lords report described the service as “not fit for purpose”. More than 500 people die in custody annually, with campaigners warning that private prisons such as Parc prioritise cost-cutting over care.

The PPO investigation into the death of Darren Thomas continues.

Crime

Woman stabbed partner in Haverfordwest before handing herself in

Published

13 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Court Reporter

A WOMAN who stabbed her partner during a drug-fuelled episode walked straight into Haverfordwest Police Station and told officers what she had done, Swansea Crown Court has heard.

Amy Woolston, 22, of Dartmouth Street in Milford Haven, arrived at the station at around 8:00pm on June 13 and said: “I stabbed my ex-partner earlier… he’s alright and he let me walk off,” prosecutor Tom Scapens told the court.

The pair had taken acid together earlier in the day, and Woolston claimed she believed she could feel “stab marks in her back” before the incident.

Police find victim with four wounds

Officers went to the victim’s home to check on him. He was not there at first, but returned shortly afterwards. He appeared sober and told police: “Just a couple of things,” before pointing to injuries on his back.

He had three stab or puncture wounds to his back and another to his bicep.

The victim said that when he arrived home from the shop, Woolston was acting “a bit shifty”. After asking if she was alright, she grabbed something from the windowsill — described as either a knife or a shard of glass — and stabbed him.

He told officers he had “had worse from her before”, did not support a prosecution, and refused to go to hospital.

Defendant has long history of violence

Woolston pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding. The court heard she had amassed 20 previous convictions from 10 court appearances, including assaults, battery, and offences against emergency workers.

Defending, Dyfed Thomas said Woolston had longstanding mental health problems and had been off medication prescribed for paranoid schizophrenia at the time.
“She’s had a difficult upbringing,” he added, saying she was remorseful and now compliant with treatment.

Woolston was jailed for 12 months, but the court heard she has already served the equivalent time on remand and will be released imminently on a 12-month licence.