Defendant accused of dishonestly selling vehicle for scrap in Haverfordwest

A PEMBROKE woman is due to appear before magistrates charged with fraud after allegedly selling a vehicle for scrap in Haverfordwest.

Natalie Morris, aged 42, of Corston Lodge, Axton Hill, is accused of fraud by false representation under the Fraud Act 2006.

The allegation relates to an incident said to have taken place in Haverfordwest on Tuesday (Aug 9), 2022, in which Morris allegedly dishonestly made a false representation by selling a silver Toyota Corolla, registration CU52 XBR, for scrap.

The court heard the alleged offence was carried out with the intention of making a financial gain of £313.

The case was listed before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Monday (May 18), where a previously issued warrant was withdrawn.

No plea was entered and the matter was adjourned.

Morris is now due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court at 10:00am on Tuesday (May 26) for a plea hearing, where she will be asked to enter a guilty or not guilty plea.

Victim says she was left “betrayed” after months of excuses and broken promises

A BUILDER who defrauded 18 victims out of more than £82,000 has been jailed for three years and four months.

Lee Brown was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court this week after admitting a series of fraud offences involving customers who paid him for building work that was either never completed or carried out to an unacceptable standard.

The court heard that Brown dishonestly obtained £82,771 over a four-year period by taking upfront payments from customers, often claiming the money was needed to buy materials.

Prosecuting counsel Mr Reynolds said many victims were left waiting for work that never began, while others were forced to pay additional money to have poor-quality work corrected.

The court was told that some of the offending continued while Brown was on both Magistrates’ Court and Crown Court bail for similar matters.

Mr Reynolds said the impact on victims had been severe and submitted that this should increase the sentence. He also highlighted Brown’s previous history, including a caution and a conviction for dishonesty.

The defence referred to ten character references and said there was a stark difference between Brown’s offending and his conduct in everyday life.

The court was told the offending had spiralled out of control during periods of bereavement and family illness. The defence also referred to Brown’s diagnosed PTSD, physical health problems, limited repayments to some victims, and his previous military service.

HHJ Crowther rejected calls for the sentence to be suspended and jailed Brown for 40 months.

Passing sentence, the judge described the harm caused to victims and said Brown had shown no shame in the number and nature of the excuses he used.

She also criticised the “hubris” shown when Brown gave victims false reasons for failing to attend their properties, when he was in fact attending court.

Victim impact statements described anxiety, trauma, family pressure and feelings of betrayal caused by Brown’s offending.

The court applied a 25% reduction for Brown’s guilty pleas, with further reductions reflecting his PTSD diagnosis and military service.

A timetable has now been set under the Proceeds of Crime Act in an attempt to recover money for victims. However, the prosecution said it was not expected that any assets or funds would be available for seizure.

Victim speaks out

ONE of Brown’s victims told The Herald she had been left feeling “betrayed” after months of excuses and broken promises.

The woman, who moved to Cross Hands three years ago, said she initially hired Brown after he had previously carried out work for her, including decking and a new garage roof.

After moving into her new property on June 26, she said she needed secure fencing installed and also wanted a summer house built.

Brown attended the property, assessed the work and agreed a price of £3,800.

She said: “He was going on holiday and came over and put up some chicken wire fencing. He assured me he would be there for the two weeks I was away.

“But when I came home there was no fencing. Then the text messages started. No van, no show. It went on for months.”

She said Brown would sometimes call late at night and that the excuses he gave were similar to those heard by other victims.

“It was always something. The same story he told everyone,” she said.

The victim later pursued a County Court Judgment and was awarded around £5,500. However, she said she has received only £75.

“He only has to pay back £25 a month,” she said. “All I’ve had is £75.”

She also claimed Brown used personal tragedies as excuses, including referring to the death of his father-in-law, despite him still being alive at the time.

She said: “After I gave him the money, I never saw him again.”

The victim said the case had been repeatedly delayed, with sentencing pushed back several times.

She added that she believes the scale of the fraud is wider than the 18 victims included in the case.

She said: “At the time there were 30 charges when he got to court, and now there’s upwards of 40 victims.

“He’s been doing this since 2021.”

THOUSANDS of homes and businesses in Milford Haven can now access Full Fibre broadband following a £2.1m investment by Openreach.

The upgrade means around 7,000 properties in the town are now able to move to faster and more reliable internet connections, with 85% of premises in the area covered by the new network.

Openreach says many residents and businesses may still be using slower connections because the upgrade is not automatic. Customers need to place an order through their chosen broadband provider to switch to Full Fibre.

Martin Williams, Partnership Director for Wales and the South West, said: “Most of Milford Haven is now covered by Full Fibre, but many residents and businesses still haven’t made the switch. It’s not automatic – you need to place an order with your chosen broadband provider.

“The difference in speed and reliability can be significant, especially for busy households or people working from home. We want to make sure everyone knows what’s available and how to get it.

“Openreach is committed to building the best Full Fibre network, and doing it sustainably. Through our Let’s Reach Zero strategy, we’re working to reduce carbon emissions, use fewer resources, cut waste, and protect nature wherever we operate.”

Full Fibre is designed to offer faster downloads, more stable connections and better performance when several devices are being used at the same time.

Openreach says the service can support modern online use including streaming, gaming, video calls, home working, online banking and running a business.

The company’s Full Fibre network now reaches 22 million homes and businesses across the UK. It plans to extend this to 25 million by the end of 2026, with the potential to reach 30 million by 2030 if investment conditions remain supportive.

Residents can check whether their property is able to upgrade by using Openreach’s Full Fibre checker.