News
Milford Haven: Gambling addict jailed for stealing £20k from elderly mother
A GAMBLING addict from Milford Haven who stole more than £20,000 from his elderly mother and even sold her jewellery was jailed for 14 months on Friday (Mar 27).
Richard Keith Lightfoot, aged 53, of Fettle Court, Victoria Road, admitted two offences of fraud and one of theft.
Gwilym Roberts-Harry, prosecuting, told Swansea crown court that Lightfoot had been the carer for his 84 year old mother Rosina.
Despite her giving him money from time to time he began to use her bank account to write cheques to himself, and hid her statements under his bed mattress to stop her from finding out.
He got away with £13,950, and an additional £8,021 by using her debit card to gamble, order Chinese takeaways and to buy mobile telephones and clothes.
Lightfoot also used her bank details to order £2,370 worth of clothing from a catalogue firm.
Mr Roberts-Harry said Lightfoot also stole gold rings and chains belonging to his mother and sold them for cash.
He said the offending came to light after his sister, Sally Jones, became suspicious when Lightfoot insisted his mother cash in a life insurance policy to pay for some storm damage to her home, instead of using money she should have had in her bank account.
It was also discovered that Lightfoot had made entries on his Facebook page such as, “At mummy’s pension again,” and “mummy’s purse is getting another hiding.”
The judge, Mr Recorder Paul Hopkins, said he found the entries “extremely concerning” and suggested that Lightfoot was relishing in what he was doing to his mother’s finances.
Lightfoot’s barrister, David Williams, said most of the money had gone on gambling, to which he had been addicted for 30 years.
He was now so determined to end the habit he had placed photographs of himself behind the counters of Milford’s three betting shops and had instructed staff not serve him.
He had also sort help from a local charity and had been allocated a support worker.
Mr Williams said on being arrested, Lightfoot had told police, “I feel sick at betraying my mother’s trust.”
Mr Williams said his mother had declined to make a victim impact statement and had made it clear she did not want her son to be sent to prison.
But Mr Recorder Hopkins told Lightfoot, “You had been in a position of considerable trust as her carer. She was giving you money while you were conducting a sustained course of dishonesty towards her.
“It was despicable, appalling. A message needs to go out that the courts will not tolerate behaviour of this type towards other family members.
“Your mother deserved protection,” he added.
Mr Roberts-Harry said a Proceeds of Crime investigation was underway to see if Lightfoot could repay any of the stolen money, although the prospects seemed to be “unrealistic” as he now survived on Jobseeker’s allowance.
Business
Expansion for Ashmole & Co with acquisition of Jones Ward Accountants
CHARTERED, Certified Accountants, Ashmole & Co, are delighted to announce their expansion following the acquisition of JonesWard accountancy firm in Carmarthen.
Ashmole & Co Carmarthen has today taken over JonesWard who have closed their office in Lammas Street, Carmarthen. All JonesWard staff, including Ian Jones and James Ward, have transferred over to Ashmole & Co and will be based in the Old School, the Quay, Carmarthen.
JonesWard informed their clients that the administrative burden of running a practice had increased significantly over recent years due to the constant changing money laundering and tax regulations, software requirements and so on. Over the past 12 months it had become more challenging to maintain the level of service they had been used to providing.
Ian Jones said, “We feel Ashmole & Co share the same values as us and have the necessary expertise and resources to ensure we can continue to provide the personal touch and level of service clients have been accustomed to. Myself and James are not retiring but we will be supported by Ashmole & Co’s partners and staff from now on in their Carmarthen office.”
Ashmole & Co partners Sharon George, Carwyn Morgan and Vinal Patel will strive to ensure JonesWard clients will continue to receive the high quality of service they are used to.
Vinal Patel, Partner with Ashmole & Co said, “It is our priority to make the transition as smooth as possible with all employees of JonesWard having already transferred to Ashmole & Co and are now based in our office on the Quay in Carmarthen. We look forward to meeting our new clients and working closely with them to meet their needs in the future.”
Ashmole & Co Chartered and Certified Accountants have been established since 1897 and are one of the largest accountancies and auditing practices in south Wales, now operating from thirteen offices throughout south and west Wales including Swansea, Carmarthen, Haverfordwest and Ammanford.
Charity
Fundraiser to take on epic 87k steps challenge to raise funds for Withybush
SAM Faulkner is challenging himself to walk 87,000 steps in one day to raise funds for the Cardiac Care Unit at Withybush Hospital in memory of his father.
Sam will be walking along the Brecon and Monmouth Canal from Brecon to Rogerstone in Newport.
Sam said: “Since losing my Dad last year, I made a personal commitment to do something to raise money every year for the Cardiac Care Unit at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest who looked after my Dad so well in his final days.
“I will be challenging myself to complete 87,000 steps in a day on July 20th 2024 – 1,000 steps for every year of my Dad’s life. I’ll be walking around 40 miles in about 10 hours.
“Canal walks were always a firm favourite of mine and my Dad’s, with many days spent walking along the Grand Union in Northamptonshire when I was growing up.
“My family and I, and the unit at the hospital, would be beyond grateful for anything supporters could give. Thank you ever so much in advance.”
Katie Hancock, Pembrokeshire Fundraising Officer, said: “We’d like to say a huge good luck to Sam with his challenge. Thank you so much for dedicating your time to raise more funds for the Cardiac Care Unit.
“The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”
You can donate to Sam’s fundraiser here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/sam-faulkner-1712508280259?newPage=true&fbclid=IwAR2tyVVQVea0DLQelSsrp7Ie2CKjX0jXGnwndR_tBKL-Av2kv8f5nchEolw
For more details about the charity and how you can help support local NHS patients and staff, go to www.hywelddahealthcharities.org.uk
Business
Dragon LNG explores integration of LNG and CO2 liquefaction processes
DRAGON LNG, based in Waterston, Milford Haven, recently announced a significant step towards sustainable energy solutions.
The company awarded a contract to Worley, global professional services company of energy, chemicals and resources experts, to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study.
The study is focussing on exploring the potential benefits of integrating LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)
regasification and CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) liquefaction processes at Dragon LNG’s facilities. This integration holds promise for a more efficient operation, with the potential to reduce energy consumption, carbon intensity and the levelized cost of CO2 export not only at the Dragon site but also for Haven industry companies.
If feasible, the technology at Dragon would support wider collaboration with RWE Pembroke Net Zero Centre, whose CO2 would be transported to the Dragon facility for processing before being shipped via non-pipeline transport (NPT) to carbon sequestration sites.
Key aspects to be addressed in the feasibility study include:
- Technical Solutions: Worley will evaluate various technical approaches to seamlessly integrate LNG and
- CO2 liquefaction processes, ensuring optimal energy efficiency and effectiveness.
- Carbon Intensity Reduction: Dragon LNG is committed to sustainability, and the study will assess how the integration of processes can contribute to lowering the carbon intensity of operations, aligning with broader environmental goals.
- Economic Viability: Understanding the financial implications is crucial. The study will delve into the levelized cost of CO2 and other economic factors to determine the feasibility and financial benefits of the proposed integration.
Commenting on the partnership, a spokesperson for Dragon LNG stated, “We are excited to collaborate with Worley on this important initiative. As a responsible energy provider, Dragon LNG is continuously seeking innovative ways to enhance our operations while minimizing our environmental footprint. This feasibility study represents a significant step towards achieving those objectives.”
Worley’s expertise in engineering and consultancy services including in the CO2 and LNG sectors makes them an ideal partner for this endeavour. Their track record of delivering sustainability solutions aligns perfectly with the ambitious goals of Dragon LNG.
This collaboration underscores Dragon LNG’s commitment to driving sustainable practices within the energy sector. By exploring the integration of LNG regasification and CO2 liquefaction processes, the company aims to pave the way for a cleaner, more efficient energy future with their ambition of a net zero terminal by 2029.
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