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Romanian ATM cheat was caught at ferry port

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PH270516_Page_05_Image_0003A CHEATING Romanian who thought he could escape justice by fleeing back home spent almost three weeks in jail after being caught at Pembroke Dock as he embarked off a ferry from Ireland.

Christian Iancu, aged 28, had been part of a three man gang who travelled to Pembrokeshire to try a new method of scamming cash machines.

Iancu, and fellow countrymen Lucian Ghiurcuta, aged 29, and Mihai Patrascu, 25, devised a “glue and jell” capturing device they inserted into an ATM at the Lloyds bank in Main Street, Pembroke, in 2012.

The machine “swallowed” the debit card of the next person to use the cash point but the scam failed to work because the trio were not able to retrieve the card and the pin number.

However, they had more luck at the cash machine outside the Tesco store in Tenby.

Kay Kees failed to get her card back but Iancu and his friends then spent almost £1,000 of her money gambling at a Ladbrokes betting shop.

In 2014 Ghiurcuta and Patrascu were jailed for nine months and eight months respectively, the sentences suspended for two years.

But Iancu stayed in Romania until May 3 when police in Pembroke arrested him as he left the ferry.

Iancu admitted fraud by false representation, possessing an article for use in fraud, and theft.

Tom Scapens, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court the trio had operated a “sophisticated set up” and had deliberately targeted west Wales.

After their arrests they claimed at first to have been sight seeing.

The judge, Mr Recorder Greg Bull, said his hands were tied as the judge in the case of Ghiurcuta and Patrascu had passed suspended prison sentences.

If he had been the sentencing judge, he added, they would have gone to jail immediately.

“You escape justice for four years because you left the country. You have a bad record for dishonesty,” he told Iancu.

Iancu was jailed for six months, suspended for two years.

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  1. marc thomas

    October 9, 2025 at 5:13 am

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Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

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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.

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Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

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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.

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Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

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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.

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