News
Milford Haven: Spice addict stole £600 from St Katherine’s church collection
AN ADDICT of the highly addictive psychoactive drug ‘spice’ stole the collection money from a Milford Haven church whilst the vicar was celebrating his last meal with parishioners before moving away.
33-year-old Sam Maguire, originally from Birmingham, but now of Hawthorn Path, Mount Estate, Milford Haven, was charged with burglary following a report of a burglary at St. Katherine’s Church on Sunday (Nov 18).
Maguire appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Monday morning (Nov 19) where he admitted the theft.
Cash worth nearly £600 was reported stolen, but most of it was recovered.
The money was stolen whilst parishioners were at a ‘bring and share’ lunch at the Royal British Legion to celebrate Father Harri Williams’ last service before he leaves town.
Magistrates ordered Maguire to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and take part in a 20-day rehabilitation project.
Maguire, his defence said, stole the money after not having universal credit for six weeks.
Father Harri, who was previously a curate in Haverfordwest, moved to Milford Haven in 2013 aged just 27.
He said: ‘’The last six years have been a fantastic time, I’m amazed at what has happened here. Our congregation on a Sunday has nearly doubled, we’ve got children here every Sunday, teenagers in our youth group, lots of young families, it’s really a proper church family.
‘’To see the volume increase in attendance is remarkable. When I first came there were no children, the church was just quiet. And now there’s life here, and it’s brought so much joy to many of the older members of the congregation too, who have found a new lease of life.
‘’We’ve got toddlers walking around and people in their 90’s, that’s how it should be.’’
Within his time he has doubled the congregation figure – which now sits at 120 regular worshipers.
He strengthened his community bond in his influence in the re-opening of the Mount Community Centre early 2018.
“The Mount has been very important to me,’’ he told the Milford Mercury.
“When we think of the significant social and economic problems in our community, providing a centre that people can access, that they can gain skills and build friendships, and have a safe place even, I think is so important.
“Hopefully, we’ve changed people attitude towards the church, and shown that it’s here to serve people.’’
Father Harri Williams confirmed to The Herald that someone had taken the collection from the church and added that he did not want to give a comment on the matter as ‘the gentleman had been arrested and was being dealt with by the police’.
Earlier this year, Sam Maguire and his girlfriend Shannon Saunders were stars of a viral social media video of their complaint to the Job Centre regarding late payment of benefits.
WARNING: Contains offensive language.
Business
Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure
PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.
The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.
The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.
A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”
Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.
Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.
From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.
Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.
(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)
Community
Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend
ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.
In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”
Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.
Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.
Crime
Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm
THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.
Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.
Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.
The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.
A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.
“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.
“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.
“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”
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