News

Broad Haven: Lifeboat crew praised after dramatic rescue

Published

10 years ago

October 30, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Brave rescuers: The lifeboat launching in heavy seas last night

VOLUNTEER lifeboat crew members at Little and Broad Haven RNLI have been praised for their skills, bravery and decision making after they launched into huge waves and darkness to rescue a man and to dogs cut off by the tide.

Dramatic video footage was captured by Doug Evens.

Andy Grey, Lifeboat Operations Manager (LOM) at the Pembrokeshire station, said the seamanship of the volunteer Helm and the skills of the crew of the inshore lifeboat as eight to 10 foot waves rolled in in pitch black darkness should be commended.

The crew was requested to launch last night (Oct 29) after a man and two dogs were cut off by the tide. The crew was paged at 6.54pm after Milford Coastguard received two phone calls from members of public who heard cries of help coming from Broad Haven.

The RNLI charity’s D-class inshore lifeboat launched into rough seas and was on scene around 7.05pm and saw a person and two dogs at the north end of Broad Haven, just off Emet Rock, cut off by the tide.

Waves were crashing up on the rocks where he was standing.

Wave sets were rolling in at around five foot, but despite the difficult conditions, the crew managed to put a member ashore to assess the casualty’s condition. He was generally okay but had a slight ankle injury and was cold.

The volunteer crew member moved him further up the rocks to safety as the tide had turned and the waves had picked up in size to a good eight foot.

Coastguard staff were also on scene and told the lifeboat crew that the rescue helicopter was on standby. After sitting off shore and judging the situation, the lifeboat Helm decided the helicopter was the safest way of evacuating the man, the dogs and the RNLI crew member from on the rocks.

The helicopter was on scene at about 8.07pm and the man, the two dogs and the landed lifeboat crew member were lifted and put on top of the cliff in Broad Haven and were met by Broad Haven Coastguards.

After that the lifeboat crew sat off Little Haven for around an hour but LOM Andy Grey decided it was too dangerous to recover the lifeboat at Little Haven with the size of the waves dumping on the slipway.

The lifeboat was brought ashore at 9.30pm in Broad Haven, where four other crew members were readied and standing by on shore, along with Broad Haven Coastguard, who were setting off parachute flares to illuminate area and help the Helm land the boat.

Andy Grey said: ‘The bravery and skill of the Helm and crew during last night’s shout was fantastic.

‘It was pitch black and the huge waves were almost impossible to see so the Helm showed a cool head and fantastic seamanship to land a crew member to the rocks where the casualty and his dogs were. They were in danger due to the rapidly building swell and full tide.

‘As the swell picked up so rapidly, it was a correct decision to call for assistance from the helicopter to evacuate the casualty and then landing the boat on Broad Haven in such huge waves required a huge amount of skill.

‘I would also like to thank the four other RNLI crew members who, in full kit, came to help recover the boat with the help of the coastguard. It was a real team effort.’

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

9 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include:

Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
Common assault
Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

10 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second count of assault
Criminal damage
An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

10 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional non-fatal strangulation
Common assault on a woman
Criminal damage in a domestic context
Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.