News

LIVE UPDATES: Election results day in Pembrokeshire

Published

4 years ago

May 6, 2022

James Hemingray

THE people of Pembrokeshire have had their say and the count will soon get underway in Haverfordwest.

There have been a number of changes to electoral wards for this election and it will deliver a new-look council.

Despite its new look there will still be similar issues for them to deal with like the council’s budget, Covid and education.

19 seats have been uncontested but there are still 40 wards which will be decided today and we will update this article as and when results come in.

There will also be results for Town and Community Council elections announced.

The sun was out for voting day on Thursday (May 5) giving residents the perfect chance to go out and cast their vote. Some wards were won by only a couple of votes in 2017 so every vote counts.

The article will be updated and results will appear below

15:50 That leaves us with 35 Independent councillors, 11 conservatives, 10 Labour, 2 Plaid Cymryu and 2 Liberal Democrats.

15:35 All 40 council wards have now been declared

15:33 Narberth Urban

Marc Tierney (Labour) 514

Victoria McAndrew 177

15:31 Saundersfoot South

James Bishop (Conservatives) 84

Mike Wainwright (Independent) 159

Chris Williams (Independent) 432

15:26 Boncath and Clydau

Hedd Harries (Plaid) 426

Iwan Ward (Independent) 464

15:24 Camrose

Jamie Adams (IPG) 537

Julian Rutter (Labour) 158

IPG HOLD

15:22 Haverfordwest Prendergast

Philippa Thompson (Labour) 276

Andrew Edwards (Conservatives) 391

15:20 Manorbier and Penally

Steve Thomas (Plaid) 171

Phil Kidney (Independent) 540

15:17 Milford North

Bill Abbott (Conservatives) 296

Alan Dennison (independent) 333

15:15 Pembroke Dock Central

Josh Beynon (Labour) 376

Rhian Cowen (Conservatives) 148

George Manning 60

Labour HOLD

15:13 Llanrhian

Neil Prior (Independent) 670

Rob Smith 65

Independent HOLD

15:10 Haverfordwest Garth

Jonathan Twigg (Conservatives) 119

Anji Tinley (Independent) 311

15:00 Still waiting on the results from the final 10 wards

Those wards are: Camrose, Haverfordwest Prendergast, Narberth Urban, Pembroke Dock Central, Haverfordwest Garth, Milford North, Saundersfoot South, Boncath, Manorbier and Llanrhian

Aled Thomas was elected to the Johnston ward by three votes

Simon Midway Rees (right) wins the Crymych and Mynachlog-ddu seat from Cris Tomos (left)

Bethan Price (right) wins the St Davids ward

14:25 Just ten more wards to be declared including Llanrhian, Manorbier and Boncath

14:17 David Lloyd only got in by 13 votes at the last election and he has now lost his seat

14:10 St Davids

Rachel Hurdley (Labour) 181

David Lloyd (Independent) 250

Keith Missen (Green) 43

Bethan Price 283

14:05 Crymych and Mynachlog-ddu

Cris Tomos (Plaid) 484

Simon Midway Rees (Independent) 561

Independent GAIN from Plaid

14:00 Burton

Danny Young (Conservatives) 399

Robin Howells 247

13:58 Pembroke Dock Bufferland

Billy Gannon (Independent) 64

Gordon Goff 76

Michelle Wiggins 240

13:56 Johnston

Daniel Metcalf (Labour) 226

Aled Thomas (Conservatives) 229

John Gray (Independent) 149

13:54 Lamphey

Tessa Hodgson (Independent) 466

Josh Carey (Conservatives) 147

13:52 Fishguard North East

Jordan Ryan (Labour) 399

Brian Murphy (Conservatives) 278

13:50 Milford West

Rhys Sinnett (Plaid) 325

Stephen Joseph (Independent) 146

Plaid HOLD

13:45 Goodwick

Nicola Gwynn (Labour) 354

Lynn Porter (Conservatives) 59

Peter John (Independent) 339

13:40 St Florence and St Mary Out Liberty

Rhys Jordan (Conservatives) 315

Jonathan Preston (Plaid) 242

Conservatives GAIN from Plaid

13:20 Lampeter Velfrey

David Simpson (Independent) 355

Lizzie Lesnianski (Conservatives) 176

Independent HOLD

13:10 The Herald understands that Jonathan Preston has lost his seat

Alec Cormack (right) wins the Amroth and Saundersfoot North ward from Tony Baron (left)

Milford Central: Tom Sinclair (left) and newly elected councillor Terry Davies (right)

Solva: Josh Phillips (left) and Mark Carter (right)

Steve Alderman (left) is re-elected to the Hundleton ward

Mike John is re-elected to the Llangwm ward having been unopposed at the last election

Mark Carter holds on to his seat in Solva by only 9 votes

12:45 Hundleton

Steve Alderman (Independent) 348

Julie Cooper (Independent) 264

12:43 Llangwm

Mike John (IPG) 466

Dave Golding 409

12:40 Carew and Jeffreyston

Peter Everall (Independent) 111

James Harrison-Allen (Independent) 173

Vanessa Thomas (Independent) 433

12:35 Solva

Josh Phillips (Labour) 373

Mark Carter (Conservatives) 382

Conservatives HOLD

12:25 Bro Gwaun

Bob Kilmister (Liberal Democrats) 310

Delme Harries 340

12:20 Milford Hakin

Lee Bridges (Conservatives) 125

Duncan Edwards (Independent) 176

Mike Stoddart (Independent) 286

Independent HOLD

12:17 Pembroke St Mary North

Deborah Willcocks (Conservative) 159

Jon Harvey (Independent) 404

Independent HOLD

12:15 Amroth & Saundersfoot North

Tony Baron (Conservatives) 256

Alec Cormack (Liberal Democrats) 466

Leigh McShane (Green) 78

Liberal Democrats GAIN from Conservatives

12:10 Milford Central

Anthony Powell (Conservatives) 135

Terry Davies (Independent) 147

Tom Sinclair (Independent) 109

Martin Jones (Independent) 102

12:05 Pembroke St Mary South

Daphne Bush (IPG) 227

Aaron Carey (Conservative) 364

Reg Ebrey (Independent) 159

David Edwards (Labour) 265

Lee Herring (Liberal Democrats) 88

Jonathan Grimes (Conservative) 293

Marcel Laval (Labour) 201

Jonathan Nutting 219

Aaron Carey and Jonathan Grimes are elected to the new dual-ward

12:00 Kilgetty and Begelly

Peter Adams (Plaid) 122

Chris Ebrey (Independent) 28

Paul Wyatt (Independent) 85

David Pugh (IPG) 115

Alistair Cameron (Liberal Democrats) 397

Greta Marshall (Propel) 14

Liberal Democrats GAIN from IPG

11:57 The Herald understands that sitting Cabinet member Bob Kilmister has lost his seat

Aden Brinn (Left) and new councillor Mel Phillips (right)

11:30 Aden Brinn was only elected in 2017 but he loses his seat to Mel Phillips

11:27 Maenclochog

Ben Levy (Labour) 177

Hefin Wyn (Plaid) 188

Simon Wright (Independent) 505

11:25 Pembroke St Michael

Aden Brinn (Conservatives) 375

Mel Phillips 418

32 rejected votes

11:15 Reg Owens is elected with a majority of 70 having been elected unopposed in 2017

11:10 St Ishmaels

Reg Owens (IPG) 326

Janie Harwood (Green) 116

Martyn Cheshire 256

Claire George 227

IPG HOLD

11:08 Newport and Dinas

Maya Donnelly (Plaid) 243

Huw Thomas 325

Jano Williams 279

Huw Thomas is elected to the new ward of Newport and Dinas

Sarah Harvey (Left) and Maureen Bowen (right): Maureen Bowen is elected to the Pembroke Dock Bush ward – Paul Dowson wasn’t present

11:00 Peter Morgan wins The Havens with an increased majority and Sam Skyrme-Blackhall is elected to the Tenby South ward which was previously held by Michael Evans

10:53 Tenby South

Paul Rapi (Plaid) 309

Sam Skyrme-Blackhall (Independent) 427

Independent GAIN

10:50 The Havens

Nick Neumann (Conservatives) 341

Peter Morgan (IPG) 486

IPG HOLD

10:47: Pembroke Dock Bush Ward

Maureen Bowen (Labour) 173

Sarah Harvey (Indep) 154

Paul Dowson (No declaration) 84

Labour GAIN

Returning officer Steven Richards-Downes declares the result for Haverfordwest Castle (Tom Tudor right; Sue McKeemam left)

10:27 Tom Tudor wins the Castle Ward with an increased majority from the 2017 election

10:25 – First result of the day: Haverfordwest Castle

Tom Tudor (Labour) – 531

Sue McKeemam (Conservatives) – 150

Labour HOLD

9:55 – 19 people will be elected unopposed, as no other person is standing against them. They are all already councillors at the present time.

Mike James – IPG
John Davies – IPG
Pat Davies – Independent
Michelle Bateman – Independent
David Howlett – Conservative
Steve Yelland – Conservative
David Bryan – Conservative
Tim Evans – Independent
John Cole – Independent
Simon Hancock – Rejoined Labour Group
Paul Miller – Labour
Guy Woodham – Labour
Viv Stoddart – Independent
Di Clements – Conservative
Elwyn Morse – IPG – Conservative Party Member
Jacob Williams – Independent
Mike Williams – Plaid
Brian Hall – IPG
Tony Wilcox – Labour

9:45 Results will be expected shortly from Maenclochog, Pembroke St Michael, Haverfordwest Castle, Kilgetty and Begelly, Pembroke Dock Bush, Tenby South, St Ishmaels, The Havens, Newport and Dinas Cross and the dual-member ward of Pembroke Monkton and St Mary South

9:40 Counts are underway for a number of wards

Crime

Swansea man dies weeks after release from troubled HMP Parc: Investigation launched

Published

4 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SWANSEA man has died just weeks after being released from HMP Parc, the Bridgend prison now at the centre of a national crisis over inmate deaths and post-release failures.

Darren Thomas, aged 52, died on 13 November 2025 — less than a month after leaving custody. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has confirmed an independent investigation into his death, which is currently listed as “in progress”.

Born on 9 April 1973, Mr Thomas had been under post-release supervision following a period at HMP/YOI Parc, the G4S-run prison that recorded seventeen deaths in custody in 2024 — the highest in the UK.

His last known legal appearance was at Swansea Crown Court in October 2024, where he stood trial accused of making a threatening phone call and two counts of criminal damage. During the hearing, reported by The Pembrokeshire Herald at the time, the court heard he made threats during a heated call on 5 October 2023.

Mr Thomas denied the allegations but was found guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to a custodial term, which led to his imprisonment at HMP Parc.

Parc: A prison in breakdown

HMP Parc has faced sustained criticism throughout 2024 and 2025. A damning unannounced inspection in January found:

Severe self-harm incidents up 190%
Violence against staff up 109%
Synthetic drugs “easily accessible” across wings
Overcrowding at 108% capacity

In the first three months of 2024 alone, ten men died at Parc — part of a wider cluster of twenty PPO-investigated deaths since 2022. Six occurred within three weeks, all linked to synthetic drug use.

Leaked staff messages in 2025 exposed a culture of indifference, including one officer writing: “Let’s push him to go tomorrow so we can drop him.”

Six G4S employees have been arrested since 2023 in connection with alleged assaults and misconduct.

The danger after release

Deaths shortly after release from custody are a growing national concern. Ministry of Justice data shows 620 people died while under community supervision in 2024–2025, with 62 deaths occurring within 14 days of release.

Short sentences — common at Parc — leave little time for effective rehabilitation or release planning. Homelessness, loss of drug tolerance and untreated mental-health conditions create a high-risk environment for those newly released.

The PPO investigates all such deaths to determine whether prisons or probation failed in their duties. Reports often take 6–12 months and can lead to recommendations.

A system at breaking point

The crisis at Parc reflects wider failures across UK prisons and probation. A July 2025 House of Lords report described the service as “not fit for purpose”. More than 500 people die in custody annually, with campaigners warning that private prisons such as Parc prioritise cost-cutting over care.

The PPO investigation into the death of Darren Thomas continues.

Crime

Woman stabbed partner in Haverfordwest before handing herself in

Published

5 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Court Reporter

A WOMAN who stabbed her partner during a drug-fuelled episode walked straight into Haverfordwest Police Station and told officers what she had done, Swansea Crown Court has heard.

Amy Woolston, 22, of Dartmouth Street in Milford Haven, arrived at the station at around 8:00pm on June 13 and said: “I stabbed my ex-partner earlier… he’s alright and he let me walk off,” prosecutor Tom Scapens told the court.

The pair had taken acid together earlier in the day, and Woolston claimed she believed she could feel “stab marks in her back” before the incident.

Police find victim with four wounds

Officers went to the victim’s home to check on him. He was not there at first, but returned shortly afterwards. He appeared sober and told police: “Just a couple of things,” before pointing to injuries on his back.

He had three stab or puncture wounds to his back and another to his bicep.

The victim said that when he arrived home from the shop, Woolston was acting “a bit shifty”. After asking if she was alright, she grabbed something from the windowsill — described as either a knife or a shard of glass — and stabbed him.

He told officers he had “had worse from her before”, did not support a prosecution, and refused to go to hospital.

Defendant has long history of violence

Woolston pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding. The court heard she had amassed 20 previous convictions from 10 court appearances, including assaults, battery, and offences against emergency workers.

Defending, Dyfed Thomas said Woolston had longstanding mental health problems and had been off medication prescribed for paranoid schizophrenia at the time.
“She’s had a difficult upbringing,” he added, saying she was remorseful and now compliant with treatment.

Woolston was jailed for 12 months, but the court heard she has already served the equivalent time on remand and will be released imminently on a 12-month licence.

News

BBC apologises to Herald’s editor for inaccurate story

Published

6 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Staff Writer

THE BBC has issued a formal apology and amended a six-year-old article written by BBC Wales Business Correspondent Huw Thomas after its Executive Complaints Unit ruled that the original headline and wording gave an “incorrect impression” that Herald editor Tom Sinclair was personally liable for tens of thousands of pounds in debt.

The 2019 report, originally headlined “Herald newspaper editor Tom Sinclair has £70,000 debts”, has now been changed.

The ECU found: “The wording of the article and its headline could have led readers to form the incorrect impression that the debt was Mr Sinclair’s personal responsibility… In that respect the article failed to meet the BBC’s standards of due accuracy.”

Mr Sinclair said: “I’m grateful to the ECU for the apology and for correcting the personal-liability impression that caused real harm for six years. However, the article still links the debts to ‘the group which publishes The Herald’ when in fact they related to printing companies that were dissolved two years before the Herald was founded in 2013. I have asked the BBC to add that final clarification so the record is completely accurate.”

A formal apology and correction of this kind from the BBC is extremely rare, especially for a story more than six years old.