A PACK of dogs which bark persistently in a Pembrokeshire residential area have resulted in a four-figure fine for their owner.

“The lady living in the property beneath has been concerned about the noise for some considerable time,” said solicitor Jill Davies, prosecuting on behalf of Pembrokeshire County Council.  “Sometimes the dogs can be heard barking at two, three and even four o’clock in the morning,” 

As a result, noise abatement notices were served on Catherine Jones, 51, of Northfield Terrace, Robseston Wathen, following numerous visits by Pembrokeshire County Council’s enforcement officers, RSPCA officers and police officers.  But despite the notices, Catherine Jones’s dogs continued to bark.

“The noise abatement notices were served as a result of at least five dogs, possibly as many as seven, barking in a domestic local authority property,” continued Jill Davies.

Last week Jones was found guilty in her absence by Haverfordwest magistrates of five charges of failing to comply with a noise abatement notice under the Environmental Protection Act and three charges of failing to comply with a community protection notice.

This Tuesday, May 7, the matter was brought back to Haverfordwest Magistrates Court for sentencing; once again Catherine Jones failed to attend.

Jones was ordered to pay a total of £1,640, comprising a £440 fine and £1,200 prosecution costs to Pembrokeshire County Council.  An application by the local authority for a criminal behaviour order to be served against Jones was declined by magistrates.

A DOCK man has narrowly avoided a prison sentence following a domestic incident that resulted in a broken vase of flowers.

Police were called to a property in Kavanagh Court, Pembroke Dock, on the night of May 5, following a 999 call from the occupant.

There they discovered Michal Rakowski, 39.

“The complainant was clearly upset and very distressed when viewed on the police body-worn footage,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“She had rung 999 to ask the police to come and arrest the defendant,  and a male voice could be heard in the background shouting, ‘F*** you’.

“The whole time that the police were there, she wasn’t looking at them and had her head down.  She was clearly distressed.”

Ms Jackson went on to say that Rakowski and the complainant have been involved in a tempestuous relationship for a considerable length of time.

“There’s a history between the two parties and the domestic situation is continuing between the two of them,” she said.

Rakowski pleaded guilty to a charge of causing criminal damage to the flowers and a vase and appeared before magistrates after being remanded in custody.  This was because the offence had been committed whilst Rakowski was the subject of a community order imposed for a similar offence.

The probation service was present in court and confirmed that the defendant’s engagement with his probation officer has been sporadic.

After considering the facts, magistrates sentenced Rakowski to an 18-month community order during which he must carry out 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work.  He was also ordered to pay fines and charges totalling £224, including £25 compensation to the complainant.

“Today you’ve come very close to being sent back to custody,” said the presiding magistrates when imposing sentence.

“I want to make it very clear that if you trip up and don’t engage with the probation service, you know what’s going to happen to you.”

A HOOK man has appeared before magistrates charged with recording another person as she carried out what the Crown has described as ‘a private act’ and sharing it on WhatsApp for his sexual gratification.

Jonathan Hughes, 32, is accused of carrying out the offence at a residential property in Pembrokeshire on November 26, 2022. 

Hughes, of Pill Road, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday where he denied the charge of voyeurism.

Despite magistrates agreeing that the charge is suitable for summary trial in the magistrates court, Hughes elected for the case to be heard at Swansea Crown Court. 

His trial proceedings will commence on June 7.

Hughes was released on conditional bail, the conditions being that he has no contact with the complainant either directly or indirectly, he makes no contact with her home address and that he refrains from putting anything on social media relating to the complainant.