News

Police letter ending grants case raises new questions

Published

7 years ago

July 16, 2019

IN A LETTER to Council Chief Executive Ian Westley, Dyfed Powys Police have confirmed that NO prosecutions will take place in relation to the Commercial Property Grants scandal affecting Pembroke Dock.

The scandal revolved around the gross misuse of European grant money to build bedsits in Pembroke Dock instead of regenerating the town’s commercial centre, which was the schemes’ supposed intention.

The scandal came to light when Councillors Mike Williams and Mike Stoddart raised a series of inquiries into the scheme’s administration and the purposes to which it was being put. Cllr Stoddart and Pembrokeshire’s Best Magazine continued to pursue to the matter, uncovering a web of company ownership involving a single person, Cathal McCosker.

The magazine dubbed Mr McCosker ‘The Baron of the Bedsits’.

Mr McCosker and his companies had cornered the market in obtaining grants from the Council under the Commercial Property Grants Scheme. Suggestions of cosy links between Mr McCosker and prominent councillors and council officers were vigorously denied.

However, after a stormy Council meeting in December 2013 and a visit to locations in Pembroke Dock which had purportedly been the subject of extensive renovations using public money, it became clear that – at best – works claimed for had not been done. Had any inspection by council officers who signed off the works actually took place, the situation would have been obvious.

In one property, the former Chemists shop at 29 Dimond Street, it was obvious that no material changes had taken place in the commercial premises – even the original shop’s racking was still in place – and that grant money had been spent developing bedsits to the property’s rear.

An examination of documents by three councillors, current Council Leader David Simpson, Cllr Jacob Williams, and Cllr Mike Stoddart led to the discovery that different Bills of Quantities had been provided to different firms. Mr McCosker’s favoured construction partner received at least one significantly cheaper schedule of works for delivery than their tendering rivals.

Cllrs Williams and Stoddart reported what they found to senior officers, who shortly thereafter, in March 2014, referred the matter to the Police.

The Herald revealed that internal records had been doctored by an officer and we have confirmed that former Chief Executive Bryn Parry Jones interfered directly in efforts to discipline staff involved in handling the scheme. One employee, intimately concerned in the supervision of Cathal McCosker’s projects, was allowed to retire on ill-health grounds. A further member of staff fiddled the minutes of grants committee meetings to show that scrutiny took place when it had not.

Now – over five years later – and with Cathal McCosker having voluntarily repaid a large sum of money to the Council, the CPS has decided not to prosecute anyone.

One of the key reasons given for not prosecuting is that the evidence of council officers is inconsistent and contradictory, key documents have gone astray, and a piece of evidence contained on an officer’s hard drive no longer exists.

You can add to that the reality that it would be difficult for a court to rely on documents when there was clear evidence that some – at least – had been doctored by officers.

An effort to shift the blame on to an unnamed councillor operating a blog – which can refer only to Cllrs Williams and Stoddart – is fatally flawed.

The Police claim they asked the unnamed blogger to stop coverage of their Keystone Cops investigation: they approached neither Cllr Stoddart nor Cllr Williams with such a request.

The key questions are: which officers’ evidence is inconsistent and contradictory and why?

Crime

Neighbourhood policing boosted across Dyfed-Powys

Published

2 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS POLICE has announced a significant expansion of its Neighbourhood Policing and Prevention Teams (NPPT), with more officers being deployed to frontline roles where demand is greatest.

From Monday (Mar 16), teams across the force area have been strengthened, with a renewed focus on tackling antisocial behaviour and preventing crime at its source.

The force says the move is aimed at reducing repeat demand by addressing the root causes of offending, rather than simply responding to incidents.

To achieve this, a number of officers have been redeployed from central departments back into frontline policing, while new posts are also being created to bolster capacity.

Temporary Chief Superintendent Steve Davies, head of uniform policing, said: “These changes are about increasing frontline visibility and ensuring we have the right resources in the right places.

“They form part of a wider programme of improvements across the force to enhance effectiveness and efficiency, while also supporting the wellbeing of our officers and staff.

“This is positive news for our communities, who will benefit from stronger neighbourhood teams focused on local priorities and proactive policing.”

The expansion has been made possible through Home Office funding under the Neighbourhood Guarantee scheme, which is designed to strengthen community safety and crime prevention.

Dyfed-Powys Police has been allocated £1.4 million for 2025/26, enabling the recruitment of police staff and freeing up officers previously in support roles to return to operational duties.

As a result, four sergeants and 29 police officers have now been reassigned to neighbourhood teams across the force.

Each NPPT area will also have a named officer, with full team details available via the ‘Your Area’ section of the Dyfed-Powys Police website.

The force has also secured early access to 2026/27 Neighbourhood Guarantee funding, which will see a further 12 officers recruited between April and the autumn—adding to overall officer numbers in the region.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said: “Neighbourhood policing is about more than numbers—it’s about relationships.

“Greater visibility helps build trust, strengthens community ties, and reassures the public that policing is present, responsive, and committed to keeping people safe.

“I remain committed to improving police visibility across our communities, and these additional officers will help turn that ambition into reality.”

Crime

Broad Haven man remanded in custody over sexual harm prevention order breach

Published

2 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Court Reporter

Defendant admitted using Xbox without informing police as required under court order

ANTHONY COOMBES, aged 26, of Sand Banks, Broad Haven, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Mar 20) charged with breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard that between February 26 and March 19, 2026, at Haverfordwest, Coombes repeatedly breached the order by using an Xbox device without informing police within three days, as required.

The offences relate to a sexual harm prevention order imposed at Swansea Crown Court on October 20, 2021.

Coombes indicated guilty pleas to the offences at the first hearing.

Magistrates committed the case to Swansea Crown Court for sentence.

He was remanded in custody ahead of the next hearing, which is due to take place at 9:00am on Friday, April 3, at Swansea Crown Court.

The court refused bail on the grounds that he was likely to offend, citing the nature and seriousness of the offences and his previous record and character.

A pre-sentence report was ordered.