News

West Wales: Local residents receive New Year’s Honours

Published

10 years ago

December 31, 2015

New Years Honour: Narberth’s Pauline Griffiths

TWO Pembrokeshire people are amongst several west Wales residents to have been recognised in the New Year’s Honours list.

Richard Graham Tovey Honorary Life Member, The Independent Association of Prep Schools, Leamington Spa who lives Haverfordwest received an MBE for services to education.

Mr Tovey is a retired head teacher who moved to Pembrokeshire two of years ago.

After his teacher training in Oxfordshire, Mr Tovey took his first post at Manorbrook in Thornbury, where he worked for two years.

He then taught near Shrewsbury before becoming head teacher at Tockington Manor School in 1975 where he worked until 2013.

Pauline Griffiths, the curator at Narberth Museum received a British Empire Medal for services to heritage and the community in Pembrokeshire.

She was the driving force behind a campaign to find a new home for Narberth museum, which finally reopened at The Bonded Stores nine years after closing. With a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £586,500, Pauline along with other volunteers made the project possible.

At the time of the museum’s re-opening she paid tribute to the work of local people and an active “friends” group in helping to keep the campaign going.

She said people had thought it would take three years to open a new museum, but it eventually took nine due to the time to raise and source funding.

“It has been an endurance test and testament to the volunteers,” she told The Herald.

In Carmarthenshire, Mrs Rosalie Mary James has received an MBE or services to Agriculture in Wales. She is from Llandeilo.

In local healthcare, Ms Wendy Angharad Churchouse from Carmarthenshire who is an arrhythmia nurse at Morriston Hospital has received a British Empire Medal for services to cardiac patients in south west Wales.

Also in Carmarthenshire, Mrs Erika Walker has received the MBW for voluntary services to the community and Social Enterprises in her home town of Ammanford.

William Bruce McLernon from Swansea has received the OBE for services to Social Care and Local Government particularly in Carmarthenshire.

In Ceredigion, Mrs Maureen Spowart Davies who is the Secretary of Trustees for the HUTS Workshop bas also received an MBE for voluntary service to people with Mental Health Challenges. She is from Newcastle Emlyn.

Also in Ceredigion Miss Valerie Joy Cook has received the British Empire Medal for voluntary service to her local community in Borth.

LOCAL STAR HONOURED

Sian Phillips Receiving her CBE in 2000

One of Carmarthenshire’s most famous residents says she is overwhelmed with news of her award.

Veteran actress Sian Phillips has been recognised in the New Year’s Honours. Phillips, who stole the show in The Archers’ version of Calendar Girls this Christmas, has been made a dame, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

The 82-year-old, who says she has no plans for retirement, is one of Wales’ most successful stage and screen stars and swaps her CBE for a damehood for services to drama.

Sian Phillips, who is from Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, near Ammanford, told reporters: “It’s a very nice thing to happen. When I first heard about it I was a bit overwhelmed – it was totally unexpected.

“It’s something I’ve never thought about during my life. I got my first pay check in Wales at the age of 11 and a damehood would have been so remote to me as an ambition at that time and that’s the way it’s stayed.

“I just wanted to become an actress and then when I became one I just wanted to get better and better (at the job). I’m not a celebrity – I don’t belong to that culture at all.”

Crime

Broad Haven man remanded in custody over sexual harm prevention order breach

Published

14 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Court Reporter

Defendant admitted using Xbox without informing police as required under court order

ANTHONY COOMBES, aged 26, of Sand Banks, Broad Haven, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Mar 20) charged with breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard that between February 26 and March 19, 2026, at Haverfordwest, Coombes repeatedly breached the order by using an Xbox device without informing police within three days, as required.

The offences relate to a sexual harm prevention order imposed at Swansea Crown Court on October 20, 2021.

Coombes indicated guilty pleas to the offences at the first hearing.

Magistrates committed the case to Swansea Crown Court for sentence.

He was remanded in custody ahead of the next hearing, which is due to take place at 9:00am on Friday, April 3, at Swansea Crown Court.

The court refused bail on the grounds that he was likely to offend, citing the nature and seriousness of the offences and his previous record and character.

A pre-sentence report was ordered.

News

Man arrested after suspected drugs-related death in Haverfordwest

Published

14 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Police say death not suspicious as 46-year-old arrested over alleged Class A drug supply

A MAN has died following a medical emergency at a property in Haverfordwest, police have confirmed.

Emergency services were called at 3:18pm on Wednesday (March 18) after a report of a medical incident.

A man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Dyfed-Powys Police said the man’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers.

The death is not being treated as suspicious at this time.

However, police confirmed that a man, aged 46, was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

He has since been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

No further details about the deceased have been formally released.

Crime

Illegal dog breeders ordered to pay over £129,000 after council probe

Published

15 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

FOUR people from Mynyddygarreg, Kidwelly, have been ordered to pay more than £129,000 following a successful prosecution for illegal dog breeding.

At Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday (Mar 10), before His Honour Judge Thomas KC, Stacey May June Edwards, Peter John Edwards, Sian Eleri Thomas and David Malcolm James Thomas, all of Sea Breeze, Mynyddygarreg, pleaded guilty to offences under the Breeding of Dogs (Wales) Regulations 2014.

The court imposed confiscation orders totalling £129,873.41 under the Proceeds of Crime Act across the four defendants. They were also ordered to pay £8,000 in costs, while each defendant received a £2,000 fine.

The investigation began in April 2021 after Carmarthenshire County Council’s Animal Health team received an enquiry from Peter Edwards about obtaining a dog breeding licence. Although licensing guidance was provided and a partial application was submitted in February 2022, this was later withdrawn.

In March 2024, the council received a complaint that puppies were being advertised for sale without the required licence. Officers subsequently contacted online advertising platforms and issued data requests to assess the scale of activity.

Analysis of records from Pets4Homes, Freeads and Gumtree revealed multiple litters being advertised by members of the same household.

Correspondence under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act confirmed that up to 25 dogs were kept at the property, including between 16 and 19 breeding females.

While some defendants claimed joint ownership of the dogs, others attempted to minimise their involvement.

The Herald understands that numerous puppy advertisements were posted between July 2020 and April 2025, demonstrating a sustained pattern of unlicensed breeding.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability, Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen, said: “This case demonstrates the council’s firm stance against unlicensed and illegal dog breeding.

“These regulations are in place to protect animal welfare and ensure that breeding activities are subject to proper oversight. The scale of activity uncovered at this property was entirely unacceptable, and we welcome the court’s decision to issue significant confiscation orders under POCA.”

He added: “We urge anyone with concerns about illegal dog breeding to report it. Our Animal Health officers will continue to investigate thoroughly and take action against those who disregard the law.”

Residents are reminded that anyone breeding and selling dogs must comply with licensing regulations designed to protect both animal welfare and consumers.