News

Police team win award for murder case

Published

13 years ago

October 13, 2013

Tom Sinclair

Pembrokeshire officers DC Fred Hunter (left) and Detective Inspector Anthony Evans.

A POLICE operation which investigated the abduction and murder of five-year-old April Jones is the first recipient of a new award.
Dyfed Powys Police has been named the winner of the Police Federation National Detectives Forum’s (PFNDF) Policing Excellence Award for Operation Tempest.
Two of the officers involved in the investigation, DC Fred Hunter and Detective Inspector Anthony Evans, who are stationed in Haverfordwest, were part of the team who received the award.
In October 2012, April was abducted as she played near her home in the small Welsh town of Machynlleth and then murdered.
More than 100 detectives and specialist police staff and officers from around the country were drafted in to support the investigation, which resulted in a murder conviction and life prison sentence for 47-year-old Mark Bridger.
The investigation was one of the most sensitive, meticulous and high profile in recent years, with the rural area presenting a raft of other challenges caused by the extremities of the location.
Following Bridger’s conviction, the investigation was praised by both barristers, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), politicians and members of the community.
PFNDF Secretary Paul Ford said: “This investigation brought out the very best in true team working to deliver justice for April, her family and the local community.
“PDNDF wish to recognise the truly outstanding policing excellence displayed by Dyfed Powys Police, the wider police family and those who supported this investigation and helped in the delivery of justice.”
Detective Superintendent Andy John, who led the investigation, said: “We are delighted as a team to have been presented with this award. Our focus was always to secure justice for April and her family, and we could not have achieved this without the support and assistance of so many officers and staff in Dyfed Powys, but also all the other forces and agencies throughout the UK – it was a huge team effort.”
The award was presented at a ceremony at Old Trafford on Thursday, October 3.

News

Hakin motorist banned after driving 14 times over drug limit

Published

3 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A HAKIN motorist has been banned from driving for three years after being caught behind the wheel with cocaine and benzoylecgonine in his system.

Mark Briskham, 53, of Waterloo Square, Wellington Road, Hakin, was stopped by police on January 5 as he drove a Ford Kuga along Steynton Road, near Milford Haven.

Blood tests carried out at the police station showed he had 800mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system. The legal limit is 50mcg.

He also had 64mcg of cocaine in his system. The legal limit is 10mcg.

Briskham pleaded guilty to two drug-driving charges when he appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

Magistrates disqualified him from driving for three years, taking into account a previous drug-drive conviction from 2020.

He was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.cr

Crime

Begelly man remanded over alleged May Day assault

Published

3 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A PEMBROKESHIRE man has been remanded in custody following an alleged May Day assault against a woman in Begelly.

Tomas Baker, 34, of Ty Dee, New Road, Begelly, is accused of assaulting the woman, causing actual bodily harm, at an undisclosed location in Begelly on May 1.

Baker appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week by video link from Swansea Prison.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

His trial will take place at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on June 22.

Crime

Waterston man denies child rape and sexual assault charges

Published

3 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A WATERSTON man has appeared before magistrates charged with 13 sexual offences against children, including three allegations of raping a girl under the age of 13.

Chaisee Price, 25, of Biggins Hill, Waterston, Milford Haven, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

He faces three charges of raping a girl under 13, eight charges of sexually assaulting girls aged between five and eight, and two charges of intentionally inciting girls under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between 2014 and 2019.

Price denied all charges.

Because of the seriousness of the allegations, magistrates declined jurisdiction and the case will now proceed to Swansea Crown Court on July 10.

Price was released on conditional bail.

The conditions include a daily electronically monitored curfew between 6:00pm and 6:00am, no contact with the prosecution witness, no unsupervised contact with children under 18, and a requirement to surrender his passport to police.