News

Two years jail for violent attack at Withybush Industrial Estate

Published

4 years ago

June 23, 2021

A MAN who sent threatening messages and photos of knives before launching a violent attack has been jailed for over two years.

Dyfed-Powys Police arrested Nathan James Lee Clarke less than half an hour after the assault at Withybush Industrial Estate was reported on August 12, 2019.

The victim reported that he had been working at the showground when he received a message from his ex-partner asking to meet up. He drove to see her and parked next to her car, when Clarke appeared and lunged at him with a knife.

A struggle took place, during which the defendant punched and headbutted the victim, who was left with a laceration above his eye.

The victim managed to get out of the van, when Clarke took a baseball bat and began smashing the windscreen, headlight and side door before being driven away from the scene.

Officer in case PC Mathew Davies said: “This was a particularly violent incident, which left the victim with injuries to his face, hand and back, as well as causing significant damage to the van he was in.

“The priority for attending officers was to ensure his safety, while also ensuring all crucial pieces of evidence were secured swiftly.

“A number of officers attended the scene, along with the dog unit, with Police Dog Samson locating a knife with a four inch blade in nearby undergrowth.

“This matched the photo of a weapon Clarke had sent the victim in the days leading up to the assault, in which he threatened to beat up and stab him.”

A baseball bat and a plastic tub containing white powder which Clarke had discarded were also seized. The powder was established to be cocaine with a street value of £3,700.

Clarke, aged 27, of Letterston, was found nearly two miles from the scene of the attack, and was immediately arrested.

While in custody, he made a number of significant comments linking him to the assault, including “I have not done anything wrong apart from smash his van with a bat and I hit him twice”.

Based on the strength of evidence linking Clarke to the assault, and his DNA being found on the tub of cocaine, he was charged with assault causing actual bodily harm, possession of a blade, criminal damage and possession with intent to supply class A drugs

He admitted the four charges at Swansea Crown Court on June 17 and was sentenced to 29 months in prison.

“This was a lengthy and detailed investigation into both the assault and possession of cocaine, which we were able to prove to the CPS and the court was not a quantity consistent with personal use as Clarke had tried to argue,” PC Davies said.

“I would like to thank all officers involved for their determination in following all lines of enquiry to secure the charges, and for their commitment when faced with additional challenges brought by the pandemic.”

Business

First wind turbine components arrive as LNG project moves ahead

Published

3 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE FIRST ship carrying major components for Dragon LNG’s new onshore wind turbines docked at Pembroke Port yesterday afternoon, marking the start of physical deliveries for the multi-million-pound renewable energy project.

The Maltese-registered general cargo vessel Peak Bergen berthed at Pembroke Dock shortly after 4pm on Wednesday, bringing tower sections and other heavy components for the three Enercon turbines that will eventually stand on land adjacent to the existing gas terminal at Waterston.

A second vessel, the Irish-flagged Wilson Flex IV, is due to arrive in the early hours of this morning (Thursday) carrying the giant rotor blades.

The deliveries follow a successful trial convoy on 25 November, when police-escorted low-loader trailers carried dummy loads along the planned route from the port through Pembroke, past Waterloo roundabout and up the A477 to the Dragon LNG site.

Dragon LNG’s Community and Social Performance Officer, Lynette Round, confirmed the latest movements in emails to the Herald.

“The Peak Bergen arrived yesterday with the first components,” she said. “We are expecting another delivery tomorrow (Thursday) onboard the Wilson Flex IV. This will be blades and is currently showing an ETA of approximately 03:30.”

The £14.3 million project, approved by Welsh Ministers last year, will see three turbines with a combined capacity of up to 13.5 MW erected on company-owned land next to the LNG terminal. Once operational – expected in late 2026 – they will generate enough electricity to power the entire site, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

Port of Milford Haven shipping movements showed the Peak Bergen approaching the Haven throughout Wednesday morning before finally tying up at the cargo berth in Pembroke Dock. Cranes began unloading operations yesterday evening.

Weather conditions are currently favourable for this morning’s arrival of the Wilson Flex IV, which was tracking south of the Smalls at midnight.

The abnormal-load convoys carrying the components from the port to Waterston are expected to begin next week, subject to final police and highway approvals.

A community benefit fund linked to the project will provide training opportunities and energy-bill support for residents in nearby Waterston, Llanstadwell and Neyland.

Further updates will be issued by Dragon LNG as the Port of Milford Haven as the delivery programme continues.

Photo: Martin Cavaney

Crime

Banned for 40 months after driving with cocaine breakdown product in blood

Published

3 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A MILFORD HAVEN woman has been handed a lengthy driving ban after admitting driving with a controlled drug in her system more than ten times over the legal limit.

SENTENCED AT HAVERFORDWEST

Sally Allen, 43, of Wentworth Close, Hubberston, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Dec 4) for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on November 25 to driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the prescribed limit.

The court heard that Allen was stopped on August 25 on the Old Hakin Road at Tiers Cross while driving an Audi A3. Blood analysis showed 509µg/l of Benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine. The legal limit is 50µg/l.

COMMUNITY ORDER AND REHABILITATION

Magistrates imposed a 40-month driving ban, backdated to her interim disqualification which began on November 25.

Allen was also handed a 12-month community order, requiring her to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities as directed by the Probation Service.

She was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge. Her financial penalties will be paid in £25 monthly instalments from January 1, 2026.

The bench—Mrs H Roberts, Mr M Shankland and Mrs J Morris—said her guilty plea had been taken into account when passing sentence.

Local Government

Sewage leak at Pembroke Commons prompts urgent clean-up works

Published

4 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Council pollution officers say they have no enforcement powers over Welsh Water infrastructure

SEWAGE contamination on the Commons in Pembroke has prompted an urgent response from pollution officers, after a leak was reported by a member of the public on Tuesday.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Pollution Control Team confirmed they were alerted yesterday afternoon to sewage surrounding a manhole cover on the site. The Herald understands that officers immediately notified Welsh Water (DCWW) network technicians to investigate the incident “as a matter of urgency”.

County councillor Jonathan Grimes, who represents Pembroke St Mary South and Monkton, said the authority had been clear that it holds no enforcement powers over Welsh Water assets.

“Whilst we work constructively with Welsh Water, we have no authority to intervene on their apparatus or to carry out enforcement action against them for such pollution incidents,” the Pollution Control Team said in a statement shared with the councillor.

Urgent works underway

Council officers visited the site on Wednesday morning alongside contractors and Welsh Water technicians to assess clean-up options. According to the team, works will include cleaning the contaminated ground in and around the manhole cover and fencing off the affected area “until safe”.

Cllr Grimes said officers would return to the scene on Thursday to check on progress and ensure the area is properly secured.

Residents who notice any further issues have been urged to contact the Pollution Control Team directly.

Further updates are expected later this week.