News

The sick Pembrokeshire couple who treated teenage girl with degrading cruelty

Published

4 years ago

February 17, 2022

A PEMBROKESHIRE married couple have been sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison for cruelty to a child. The husband was also sentenced for child sexual offences.

Hayscastle Cross lorry driver Keith Ambrose John Thomas and his wife Sarah Thomas, both of Welsh Hook Road, were sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Friday, February 11.

It followed a long legal process which we first reported on at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court in June 2021.

During Keith Thomas’ trial in last month the jury was told how he groomed, ‘pestered’ and incited the teenage schoolgirl to engage in degrading sexual activity which included her being stripped naked, put into the stress position and pelted with eggs and water

Keith Thomas, 45, admitted that he had bought the girl sex toys, and showed her to use it by playing pornographic videos of women using them.

He pestered the girl to send him images of her using it, the court heard.

Ms Powell said the girl would pretend to use the sex toy in her photographs. But this was not enough for him, and so Keith Thomas, on one occasion, decided to demonstrate its use upon her, which caused “pain and discomfort”.

Before the trial Keith Thomas had admitted two charges of inciting his victim to engage in sexual activity, one of exposing her to indecent pornography and one joint charge of cruelty to a person under the age of 16.

Keith Thomas was found guilty of a further charge of sexual activity with a child in that he had, on one occasion, intentionally touched the girl intimately with a sex toy.

At one point, during the trial, the jury was asked by the judge to enter a formal not guilty finding to one count of inciting a girl under the age of 13, to engage in sexual activity.

Sarah Thomas, 41, was sentenced alongside her husband. She had previously admitted two counts of cruelty to a child under 16.

In a victim impact statement the victim, whose identity is protected, said she remembered everything about the abuse that Keith Thomas had subjected her to and that she had felt “shamed and filthy”.

She added: “These events have taken a massive toll on my physical and mental health. I hope that my family and I can overcome the hurt that you have both caused.

The defendants were given credit for their early guilty pleas.

James Davies, defending Sarah Thomas said that Keith Thomas had “a way of sweeping her along, rationalising what he was doing and making it appear normal”.

Mr Davies explained to Swansea Crown Court that a doctor’s report had diagnosed Sarah Thomas with dependant and avoidant personality traits. “My client is extremely remorseful”, he added.

His Honour Judge Huw Rees sentenced Keith Thomas to a total of eight years in prison and Sarah Thomas to three years in prison.

The judge said that both defendants will to serve half of this before being released on licence.

A ten-year restraining order, preventing him from contacting his victim, and ten-year sexual harm prevention order were also imposed on Keith Thomas, who will be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
Both Keith and Sarah Thomas were made subject of a barring order preventing them from working with children.

Crime

Neighbourhood policing boosted across Dyfed-Powys

Published

5 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

5 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.