News

Pembroke Dock: Former nurse jailed for 18 months

Published

5 years ago

November 16, 2018

A FORMER nurse from Pembroke Dock who lied to an inquest about the death of a vulnerable patient has been jailed for 18 months.

Lorraine Stevens, aged 62, told the hearing she had prepared a risk assessment on John Shelley, a mentally ill man prone to drinking harmful substances.

But she fabricated the assessment only after he drank a bottle of Fairy Liquid and died the following day.

Stevens admitted perjury.

Swansea Crown Court heard how Mr Shelley, aged 68, had been brain damaged at birth and needed constant care.

Mr Shelley’s brother Martin was told he was about to be transferred to 10 Church Close, in Begelly near Tenby, west Wales, a four bedroom bungalow for mentally ill patients.

Mr Martin Shelley, an engineer familiar with risk assessments, visited the premises and became alarmed at the lack of internal locks.

In particular, he didn’t want his brother having unsupervised access to the kitchen where he might find something harmful to drink.

Stevens, of Kitchener Close, Pembroke Dock, should have completed a risk assessment but didn’t.

Catherine Richards, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that on July 13, 2013, a kitchen window had been left open on the hottest day of the year and Mr Shelley reached in and drank from the Fairy Liquid bottle.

Stevens, the team leader and the only qualified nurse on duty, told staff to give him plenty of water to drink and, later, to give him ginger biscuits and milk.

Stevens left work early. The staff who took over became concerned and he was taken to Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest.

But his condition deteriorated and he died the following day through multiple organ failure.

Martin Shelley told the authorities he had not seen a risk assessment and Stevens suddenly produced one, assuring him that staff would have been shown it.

The report was produced at an inquest into Mr Shelley’s death held in 2014. Stevens told the coroner the four page report, which addressed Mr Shelley’s access to the kitchen, had been prepared on April 14, 2013.

Mr Shelley became suspicious because it had been signed only by Stevens herself when all staff should have signed to confirm they had read and understood it.

Police became involved and seized a computer from 10 Church Close which showed the report had been compiled on July 18, 2013, four days after the fatality.

After her arrest, Stevens maintained the report was genuine and dated accurately.

When she was told later about the computer findings she declined to answer any more questions.

Stevens’ barrister, Jon Tarrant, said she would live forever with the guilt and remorse she felt over Mr Shelley’s death, but described it as a tragedy without intention.

It was difficult to know, he added, if a proper risk assessment would have avoided the fatality.

Mr Martin Shelley was allowed to address the court and said he believed his brother might not have died if all staff had understood how important it was to keep him away from harmful liquid substances.

The bungalow, he said, housed four mentally ill patients but had not been purposely built for someone with his brother’s difficulties.

“I was assured that a risk assessment would be carried out before he moved in, particularly in relation to the lack of internal locks.

“He was let down in his hour of need.

“His death, pain, suffering and distress could have been avoided,” he added.

The court heard that Stevens had been struck off as a nurse.

Judge Keith Thomas told Stevens she had fabricated the report and then lied about it to avoid criticism.

“You did this to cover up the fact you had not made proper provision for the challenges posed by Mr Shelley.

“I am not dealing with you for causing the death but for you did cause additional distress and anxiety to his family.

“You were deceitful and your lies were persistent,” he added.

Business

Expansion for Ashmole & Co with acquisition of Jones Ward Accountants

Published

9 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

CHARTERED, Certified Accountants, Ashmole & Co, are delighted to announce their expansion following the acquisition of JonesWard accountancy firm in Carmarthen.

Ashmole & Co Carmarthen has today taken over JonesWard who have closed their office in Lammas Street, Carmarthen. All JonesWard staff, including Ian Jones and James Ward, have transferred over to Ashmole & Co and will be based in the Old School, the Quay, Carmarthen.

JonesWard informed their clients that the administrative burden of running a practice had increased significantly over recent years due to the constant changing money laundering and tax regulations, software requirements and so on. Over the past 12 months it had become more challenging to maintain the level of service they had been used to providing.

Ian Jones said, “We feel Ashmole & Co share the same values as us and have the necessary expertise and resources to ensure we can continue to provide the personal touch and level of service clients have been accustomed to. Myself and James are not retiring but we will be supported by Ashmole & Co’s partners and staff from now on in their Carmarthen office.”

Ashmole & Co partners Sharon George, Carwyn Morgan and Vinal Patel will strive to ensure JonesWard clients will continue to receive the high quality of service they are used to.

Vinal Patel, Partner with Ashmole & Co said, “It is our priority to make the transition as smooth as possible with all employees of JonesWard having already transferred to Ashmole & Co and are now based in our office on the Quay in Carmarthen. We look forward to meeting our new clients and working closely with them to meet their needs in the future.”

Ashmole & Co Chartered and Certified Accountants have been established since 1897 and are one of the largest accountancies and auditing practices in south Wales, now operating from thirteen offices throughout south and west Wales including Swansea, Carmarthen, Haverfordwest and Ammanford.

Charity

Fundraiser to take on epic 87k steps challenge to raise funds for Withybush

Published

9 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

SAM Faulkner is challenging himself to walk 87,000 steps in one day to raise funds for the Cardiac Care Unit at Withybush Hospital in memory of his father.

Sam will be walking along the Brecon and Monmouth Canal from Brecon to Rogerstone in Newport.

Sam said: “Since losing my Dad last year, I made a personal commitment to do something to raise money every year for the Cardiac Care Unit at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest who looked after my Dad so well in his final days.

“I will be challenging myself to complete 87,000 steps in a day on July 20th 2024 – 1,000 steps for every year of my Dad’s life. I’ll be walking around 40 miles in about 10 hours.

“Canal walks were always a firm favourite of mine and my Dad’s, with many days spent walking along the Grand Union in Northamptonshire when I was growing up.

“My family and I, and the unit at the hospital, would be beyond grateful for anything supporters could give. Thank you ever so much in advance.”

Katie Hancock, Pembrokeshire Fundraising Officer, said: “We’d like to say a huge good luck to Sam with his challenge. Thank you so much for dedicating your time to raise more funds for the Cardiac Care Unit.

“The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”

You can donate to Sam’s fundraiser here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/sam-faulkner-1712508280259?newPage=true&fbclid=IwAR2tyVVQVea0DLQelSsrp7Ie2CKjX0jXGnwndR_tBKL-Av2kv8f5nchEolw

For more details about the charity and how you can help support local NHS patients and staff, go to www.hywelddahealthcharities.org.uk

Business

Dragon LNG explores integration of LNG and CO2 liquefaction processes

Published

9 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

DRAGON LNG, based in Waterston, Milford Haven, recently announced a significant step towards sustainable energy solutions.

The company awarded a contract to Worley, global professional services company of energy, chemicals and resources experts, to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study.

The study is focussing on exploring the potential benefits of integrating LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)
regasification and CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) liquefaction processes at Dragon LNG’s facilities. This integration holds promise for a more efficient operation, with the potential to reduce energy consumption, carbon intensity and the levelized cost of CO2 export not only at the Dragon site but also for Haven industry companies.

If feasible, the technology at Dragon would support wider collaboration with RWE Pembroke Net Zero Centre, whose CO2 would be transported to the Dragon facility for processing before being shipped via non-pipeline transport (NPT) to carbon sequestration sites.

Key aspects to be addressed in the feasibility study include:

Technical Solutions: Worley will evaluate various technical approaches to seamlessly integrate LNG and
CO2 liquefaction processes, ensuring optimal energy efficiency and effectiveness.
Carbon Intensity Reduction: Dragon LNG is committed to sustainability, and the study will assess how the integration of processes can contribute to lowering the carbon intensity of operations, aligning with broader environmental goals.
Economic Viability: Understanding the financial implications is crucial. The study will delve into the levelized cost of CO2 and other economic factors to determine the feasibility and financial benefits of the proposed integration.

Commenting on the partnership, a spokesperson for Dragon LNG stated, “We are excited to collaborate with Worley on this important initiative. As a responsible energy provider, Dragon LNG is continuously seeking innovative ways to enhance our operations while minimizing our environmental footprint. This feasibility study represents a significant step towards achieving those objectives.”

Worley’s expertise in engineering and consultancy services including in the CO2 and LNG sectors makes them an ideal partner for this endeavour. Their track record of delivering sustainability solutions aligns perfectly with the ambitious goals of Dragon LNG.

This collaboration underscores Dragon LNG’s commitment to driving sustainable practices within the energy sector. By exploring the integration of LNG regasification and CO2 liquefaction processes, the company aims to pave the way for a cleaner, more efficient energy future with their ambition of a net zero terminal by 2029.