News

Kilgetty: Paralysed man’s drink driving ‘defies belief’ says judge

Published

9 years ago

August 15, 2015

Suspended sentence: Lewis Laville drove a non adapted car whilst over the limit, without a full driving licence or insurance

A DRIVER paralysed from the waist down who was caught driving at 80mph while over the alcohol level broke down in tears today as a he received a suspended prison sentence.

Judge Paul Thomas said the driving by Lewis Laville, aged 21, “defies belief.”

And the fact that he reached 80 mph after drinking “was simply staggering.”

Swansea Crown Court heard how Laville drove his girlfriend’s Toyota Yaris, which had not been adapted, by using his right hand to push down on his right leg to accelerate, and using his left hand to force the leg to operate the brake.

Asked by a police officer how he would react if a child ran out in front of the car he said he didn’t know.

Laville admitted dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol is his blood and without insurance or a full licence.

He was jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years, banned from driving for two years and ordered to pass an extended test to get a licence in the future.

Laville, Powell Close, Pembroke, was also ordered to pay £900 in prosecution costs.

Huw Rees, prosecuting, said on May 27 a police officer in an unmarked car followed the Yaris along the A477 near Kilgetty and logged the speed as 80 mph. The officer stopped Laville after he turned onto the old Stepaside road.

A breath test showed a reading of 46 compared to the legal limit of 35.

Laville told the officer he had felt suicidal.

Mr Rees said Laville had been paralysed from the waist down since a motorcycle accident in September, 2011. Although he had access to a specially adapted motorbike the Yaris was a standard model.

His barrister, David Williams, said, “This was clearly dangerous and aggravated by the alcohol he had consumed.

“He is impulsive and unable to think through his actions.

“These are extremely unusual circumstances and he is truly in fear of receiving an immediate prison sentence.”

Mr Williams said Laville’s house had been adapted for his use but he would lose the accommodation altogether if he received a jail sentence of more than 13 weeks.

Mr Williams said Laville should receive credit for entering a plea of guilty. Judge Thomas said it would have been “interesting” to see what sort of defence he might have put forward.

Laville, who appeared in court in a wheelchair, broke down in tears as Judge Thomas told him he had come as close as he could possibly come to going into custody immediately.

Laville of all people, he added, should have appreciated what the consequences could have been for other road users.

He described his attitude as “appalling” both in the police station following his arrest and at court during a previous hearing.

Judge Thomas said the court would not be blackmailed by Laville’s claims that he wanted to kill himself.

That, ultimately, was a matter for “you, and you alone.”

However, he would bear in mind Laville’s physical condition, that he pleaded guilty and that his driving had not led to an accident.

Crime

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

Published

23 mins 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

29 mins 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

3 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.”