Cardigan man had library of sickening child pornography images

Published

9 years ago

August 26, 2016

A CARDIGAN man with a library of child pornography had images of a child as young as five years of age being abused, a judge was told today.

Mark Churchley, aged 49, denied gaining sexual gratification from looking at the images, But a police expert found he had trawled the internet using terms such as “pre-teen hard core” and “incest.”

Churchley was told a prison sentence would not be long enough for his offending to be addressed. Instead, he was made the subject of a three year community order with a requirement to attend a sex offenders’ programme.

Churchley, now of Maes Glas, Cardigan, admitted possessing 128 indecent images of children, including films, and 182 indecent, prohibited cartoons.

Rhys Thomas, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court how police raided his then home in Greenfield Square, Cardigan, on March 18 and removed a computer from his bedroom.

An expert found 31 images that fell into the most serious Category A and depicted children being raped. He also found seven films depicting images classed as being in Categories B and C.

Mr Thomas said the youngest child to be seen in the Category A images appeared to be aged five or six.

Janet Gedrych, representing Churchley, said he now accepted he must have had “some fascination” in the images.

All the offending had taken place over a couple of months and he now felt deeply ashamed, even to the point of being wary about how he looked at children in the street.

The judge, Mr Recorder Peter Rouch, said those who downloaded child pornography prolonged the abuse necessary to create the images in the first place.

Crime

Repeat drug-driver banned for three years after Pembroke stop

Published

3 hours ago

February 18, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

Motorist was over legal limits for both cannabis and cocaine metabolite, court hears

A 35-YEAR-OLD Pembrokeshire motorist has been disqualified from driving after being caught behind the wheel while over the legal drug-drive limit.

Police received information on November 11 that David Webb had been driving a Kia Sorento along Buttermilk Lane, Pembroke, after taking drugs.

When stopped by officers, Webb admitted he had smoked cannabis the previous night. A roadside drug swipe tested positive, and subsequent blood analysis at the police station revealed 101 micrograms of benzoylecgonine — a cocaine metabolite — per litre of blood, along with 2.3 micrograms of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The legal limits are 50 and 2 micrograms respectively.

Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard this was Webb’s second drug-driving conviction, following a previous offence in October 2023.

Webb, of Strongbow Walk, Pembroke, was sentenced to a 12-month Community Order requiring him to complete 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days and 100 hours of unpaid work.

He was disqualified from driving for three years and ordered to pay a £114 surcharge and £85 costs.

Crime

Driver banned after refusing breath test despite admitting drinking

Published

3 hours ago

February 18, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

Motorist also damaged police cell blanket after arrest, court hears

A PEMBROKESHIRE motorist has been banned from the roads after repeatedly refusing to provide a breath sample despite admitting he had been drinking alcohol.

Police were called to Glenview Avenue, Pembroke Dock, on the evening of January 3 following a report from a member of the public who was concerned about a man sitting in a car who appeared to be under the influence.

Prosecutor Linda Baker told Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court that officers found the man, later identified as Sean Cook, appearing intoxicated while sitting in the vehicle.

“He appeared to be intoxicated and said he was listening to the radio,” she said.

Cook told officers he was not fit to drive because he had consumed alcohol. He was asked on three separate occasions to provide a breath test but refused each time.

The court heard he was obstructive throughout the encounter and refused to answer questions about his alcohol consumption.

Following his arrest, Cook was taken to Haverfordwest Police Station where he damaged a custody cell blanket by pulling out its stitching.

Cook, aged 58, of Glenview House, Glenview Avenue, Pembroke Dock, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis and causing criminal damage.

He was disqualified from driving for 18 months and sentenced to a 12-month Community Order, which includes 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days and a 120-day Alcohol Abstinence Monitoring Requirement.

He was also ordered to pay £100 compensation for the damaged blanket, a £114 surcharge and £85 costs.

Crime

Woman, 79, made 141 unnecessary 999 calls putting lives at risk, court hears

Published

3 hours ago

February 18, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

Judge warns misuse of emergency services could delay genuine life-threatening incidents

A 79-YEAR-OLD Pembrokeshire woman has admitted putting lives at risk after making more than 140 unnecessary calls to the emergency services over a 12-month period.

Ann Gately made a total of 141 calls to 999 between November 2024 and November 2025, including 26 calls over just two days between November 24 and 26.

Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard that each call was made from her home in Chapel Hill Lane, Templeton.

Appearing before District Judge Mark Layton, Gately pleaded guilty to persistently making use of a public communications network to cause annoyance, inconvenience and anxiety.

She was represented by defence solicitor Tom Lloyd, who told the court his client had recently undergone a memory assessment which produced a low score. The report suggested this could be linked either to the onset of dementia or significant alcohol consumption.

During the hearing, Gately was heard muttering: “I could do with a drink now, to be honest,” as mitigation was presented.

She was sentenced to a 12-month Community Order, which includes 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days. She was also ordered to pay a £114 surcharge and £85 costs.

Passing sentence, District Judge Mark Layton criticised her behaviour and warned of the wider consequences.

“You’re just making a nuisance of yourself again,” he said.

“You’re drinking, you’re getting drunk, you’re phoning the emergency services and their time is being wasted coming to you. People with genuine concerns aren’t able to get through and that might include someone in need of an ambulance or the fire service.

“Your actions are causing problems… real emergencies are being delayed, and that can cost lives.”