News

Law and order in Pembrokeshire A GROUP of young people from

Published

10 years ago

March 19, 2015

Tom Sinclair

A GROUP of young people from Pembrokeshire got a unique taste of law and order last week.

‘Court Out’: Some of the law and order team.

The 15 youngsters took part in ‘Court Out’ – a hands-on project organised by the County Council’s Pembrokeshire Youth Service along with Dyfed Powys Police, Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Milford Youth Matters and local law practice, Red Kite Law.

The project, which took place over two days, aimed at giving the 13 to 17 year-olds an inside look at the legal system – from an arrest to a trial verdict.

It included the youngsters taking part in a mock court case and playing the roles of police, defence, prosecution and magistrates.

“The project proved to be a brilliant partnership between all the agencies involved with everyone going the extra mile to give the young people an unique experience,” said Nick Hudd, Community Youth Worker.

“The police, defence and prosecution teams were made up of young people from Milford Haven, while the youngsters who comprised the magistrates support team came from Saundersfoot. In this way we ensured that those hearing the case did not know the young people involved in the trial,” he said.

“It proved to be really educational and I am sure it will have a positive effect on them.”

‘Court Out’ saw the young people investigate a fictitious crime and witness the accused taken into custody and processed at Haverfordwest Police Station.

The police gave the young people an insight into their role in an investigation and advised the team playing police officers about their roles and responsibilities.

James Subbiani from Red Kite Law Practice then explained to the group the role of solicitors in proceedings and advised the defence team on how to progress their case.

The group spent time putting a case together, with the young people playing police officers interviewing witnesses and putting together witness statements, which were then used by the ‘shadow’ defence and prosecution legal teams.

On the second day they attended a real Magistrates’ court, with genuine Magistrates on hand to provide advice to those playing themselves and other court officials.

The case was run as if it were a real trial, with witnesses questioned on the stand, the accused in the dock and an active defence and prosecution team working tirelessly to ensure justice prevailed.

Afterwards the young people had an opportunity to see behind the scenes of the courts, explore the process of a defendant being held and processed and even look at the cells where they await trial.

Crime

Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property

Published

8 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.

Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.

The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.

The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.

The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.

News

Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’

Published

8 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”

The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.

Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”

NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.

“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.

“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”

The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”

This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.

Community

Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed

Published

10 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.

The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.

Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.

Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.

The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.

With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.

“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”