News

Car drifter’s ‘moment of madness’

Published

10 years ago

May 16, 2016

‘A moment of madness’: Ben Griffiths

A VIDEO posted on the Pembrokeshire Herald website and Facebook page showing dangerous driving on a Haverfordwest roundabout last year has led to the driver of the vehicle being banned.

Over 100,000 people viewed Ben Griffiths’ antics in the film which depicted him ‘drifting’ his BMW around a roundabout.

The Milford Haven man appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday (Apr 26) where the 21-year-old pleaded guilty to the offence, which happened last November in Haverfordwest.

Prosecutor Ellie Morgan told the court: “Police got to find out about this incident because of some footage placed by a friend of Mr Griffiths on social media. This led to Officer Dwayne arresting Mr Griffiths for this incident of dangerous driving which happened on November 1 at 12.38am.

“The vehicle in question was found in a lock up managed by the defendant, which was found to match the vehicle in the film.

“The video shows the car heading eastbound on to the Cardigan roundabout at the top end of Haverfordwest. The ground was dry at the time.

“The driver of the car negotiates the roundabout, heading towards Scotchwell. The footage stops, then shows the vehicle coming back.

“The driver, Mr Griffiths, purposely makes the car slide around the roundabout, doing one and a half circuits, continuing his drift manoeuvres.

“Police, who undertook a vehicle examination of the defendant’s BMW found it to be defective, stating that it is ‘unroadworthy’ and in dangerous condition.

“Mr Griffiths presented himself as a potential hazard for road users. The car was also modified, with its 1.9 litre engine being removed and replaced with a 3 litre engine, which wasn’t disclosed in the vehicle’s insurance. Mr Griffiths has no previous convictions.”

In his statement, Ms Morgan said that Griffiths stated: “I only use the car for Pembrey Circuit drift track. When the video was circulated online, I’ll admit it is me. I shouldn’t have done it on a public road. I didn’t put anyone in danger though.”

Mark Layton, representing Griffiths, explained: “Ben Griffiths is a man of clean character. He is hard-working and is currently holding down a job.

“This incident was a moment of madness. He is passionate about drifting, but doesn’t try to minimise his actions that night – he knows it was stupid. He feels as if he has placed everything in jeopardy.

“Mr Griffiths is a valued employee. His boss gave a character reference for the court. It speaks highly of him, also mentioning: ‘

As his job is fixing cars and driving cars, he’s not going to be able to fulfil his employment responsibilities.’”

“The defendant hopes that his career hasn’t been destroyed. It has already been badly damaged by his actions.

“He was alone in the vehicle and says he was completely in control due to his off-roading experience. He says that no one else was endangered by his actions. He felt comfortable in carrying out this skill, but just did it in the wrong place.

“Not being able to drive will add four hours to his commute to and from work.”

Probation Officer Ms Norman told the court: “I have talked to Mr Griffiths. He had been working on his vehicle. He took it up the bypass for a test drive.

“He can’t explain his actions in driving the car. There could’ve been a risk of something happening. It was a stupid action on his part.

“Fixing cars is his life. He’s been working in the garage for four and a half years. He’s recently moved in with his girlfriend and any effect on his employment will affect his girlfriend too.

“This is his first offence. Hopefully he would’ve learned his lesson about driving like this on a public road.”

Mark Layton continued: “Mr Griffiths’ clean character speaks for itself. He hasn’t been to court before and he is unlikely to come to court again.

“Driving is his life – it is a great love of his. He relied on it in his work, and this driving ban will definitely have career implications.

“If the disqualification is not for too long then his employers may keep him on until he can complete the extended driving test in twelve months time.”

Magistrates told Griffiths: “We have reduced the severity of the sentence due to Layton’s mitigation and early guilty plea.”

Magistrates issued Griffiths with a 12 month driving disqualification, with the need to complete an extended retest at the end of the ban.

He was also told he would have 12 weeks custody suspended for 12 months. As part of this, he will have to complete 100 hours of unpaid work. He also had to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £80 victim surcharge.

Magistrates told Griffiths: “Consider yourself a very lucky man. Lucky that you’re walking out of this court and not down to the cells and lucky you didn’t kill or injure anyone.”

News

BBC apologises to Herald’s editor for inaccurate story

Published

15 minutes ago

December 4, 2025

Staff Writer

THE BBC has issued a formal apology and amended a six-year-old article written by BBC Wales Business Correspondent Huw Thomas after its Executive Complaints Unit ruled that the original headline and wording gave an “incorrect impression” that Herald editor Tom Sinclair was personally liable for tens of thousands of pounds in debt.

The 2019 report, originally headlined “Herald newspaper editor Tom Sinclair has £70,000 debts”, has now been changed.

The ECU found: “The wording of the article and its headline could have led readers to form the incorrect impression that the debt was Mr Sinclair’s personal responsibility… In that respect the article failed to meet the BBC’s standards of due accuracy.”

Mr Sinclair said: “I’m grateful to the ECU for the apology and for correcting the personal-liability impression that caused real harm for six years. However, the article still links the debts to ‘the group which publishes The Herald’ when in fact they related to printing companies that were dissolved two years before the Herald was founded in 2013. I have asked the BBC to add that final clarification so the record is completely accurate.”

A formal apology and correction of this kind from the BBC is extremely rare, especially for a story more than six years old.

Business

First wind turbine components arrive as LNG project moves ahead

Published

3 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE FIRST ship carrying major components for Dragon LNG’s new onshore wind turbines
docked at Pembroke Port yesterday afternoon last week, marking the start of physical
deliveries for the multi-million-pound renewable energy project.

The Maltese-registered general cargo vessel Peak Bergen berthed at Pembroke Dock on
shortly after 4pm on Wednesday 26th November, bringing tower sections and other heavy
components for the three Enercon turbines that will eventually stand on land adjacent to the
existing gas terminal at Waterston.

A second vessel, the Irish-flagged Wilson Flex IV, has arrived in Pembroke Port today is
due to arrive in the early hours of this morning (Thursday) carrying the giant rotor blades.
The deliveries follow a successful trial convoy on 25 November, when police-escorted low-
loader trailers carried dummy loads along the planned route from the port through
Pembroke, past Waterloo roundabout and up the A477 to the Dragon LNG site.

Dragon LNG’s Community and Social Performance Officer, Lynette Round, confirmed the
latest movements in emails to the Herald.

“The Peak Bergen arrived last week yesterday with the first components,” she said. “We are
expecting another delivery tomorrow (Thursday) onboard the Wilson Flex IV. This will be
blades and is currently showing an ETA of approximately 03:30.”

The £14.3 million project, approved by Welsh Ministers last year, will see three turbines with
a combined capacity of up to 13.5 MW erected on company-owned land next to the LNG
terminal. Once operational – expected in late 2026 – they will generate enough electricity to
power the entire site, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

Port of Milford Haven shipping movements showed the Peak Bergen approaching the Haven
throughout Wednesday morning before finally tying up at the cargo berth in Pembroke Dock.

Cranes began unloading operations yesterday evening.

The Weather conditions are currently were favourable for this morning’s the arrival of
the Wilson Flex IV, which was tracking south of the Smalls at midnight.

The abnormal-load convoys carrying the components from the port to Waterston are
expected to begin early next year, subject to final police and highway approvals.

A community benefit fund linked to the project will provide training opportunities and energy-
bill support for residents in nearby Waterston, Llanstadwell and Neyland.
Further updates will be issued by Dragon LNG as the Port of Milford Haven as the delivery
programme continues.

Photo: Martin Cavaney

Crime

Banned for 40 months after driving with cocaine breakdown product in blood

Published

3 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A MILFORD HAVEN woman has been handed a lengthy driving ban after admitting driving with a controlled drug in her system more than ten times over the legal limit.

SENTENCED AT HAVERFORDWEST

Sally Allen, 43, of Wentworth Close, Hubberston, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Dec 4) for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on November 25 to driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the prescribed limit.

The court heard that Allen was stopped on August 25 on the Old Hakin Road at Tiers Cross while driving an Audi A3. Blood analysis showed 509µg/l of Benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine. The legal limit is 50µg/l.

COMMUNITY ORDER AND REHABILITATION

Magistrates imposed a 40-month driving ban, backdated to her interim disqualification which began on November 25.

Allen was also handed a 12-month community order, requiring her to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities as directed by the Probation Service.

She was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge. Her financial penalties will be paid in £25 monthly instalments from January 1, 2026.

The bench—Mrs H Roberts, Mr M Shankland and Mrs J Morris—said her guilty plea had been taken into account when passing sentence.