News

Pembroke Dock sex predator ‘Dick Crow’ handed 15 year jail sentence

Published

3 years ago

November 7, 2022

A PEMBROKE DOCK man who was found unanimously guilty on eight sexual offences involving a child as young as eight has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

David Daniel Roberts, known locally as Dick Crow faced the jury at Swansea Crown Court, after denying all charges at previous court appearances.

The jury heard how 59-year-old Roberts of Park Street, Pembroke Dock, subjected the victim to an array of sexual offences between 2005 and 2012 when she was between the ages of 8 and 14.

Across the two day trial, the victim gave evidence via a video link.

The court heard how the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was touched sexually, was made to participate in sexual activity and was shown pornographic images.

The victim told the court how on one occassion, Roberts knelt down in front of her and performed oral sex and she “felt his stubble against her legs” and the incident left her feeling “disgusted”.

She said: “It was just dirty. But I was too young to understand.”

On another occasion, despite others being in the room, Roberts placed his hands inside her leggings whilst he was sitting next to her at the table.

The victim told the court how whilst reaching puberty, the defendant would grope her breasts and bottom and hold her waist and he would watch her whilst she was in the shower.

Speaking on the pornographic images, the victim told the court how Roberts showed her pornographic images of obese women and would make reference as to how thats what he wanted her to look like when she was older.

The court heard how Roberts would play dares with the victim, daring her to pull down her trousers, where the defendant would then take pictures, before daring himself to run around naked.

Although the offences dated back to almost a decade ago, the charges were only brought after the victim confided in a close relative in 2020, where the police were subsequently contacted.

Peter Rouch, for the Crown Prosecution Service, told the jury how often, in cases such as this, it can take a long time for the victim to report the crimes.

He said: “Victims sometimes report things immediately while others wait months, years or even decades.

“And this could be for a variety of reasons.

“It could possibly be a feeling of guilt that they let it happen, or a desire to put it out of their minds, hoping that it was untrue. And also it could be because of the fear of not being believed.

“But maybe they were so young, they just didn’t realise the nature of what had happened.”

Whilst giving evidence, Roberts told the court how the allegations “came out of the blue”.

Defence barrister Nicola Powell, claimed there were inconsistencies within the victims evidence, before stating that “People do tell lies”.

She added: “People do make up allegations for whatever reason.

“But once a lie has been told, it’s very difficult to go back.”

She told the jury that sometimes the more a lie is told, the more the victim convinces themselves that the lie is the truth.

However, Judge Thomas, explained to the jury that whilst some of the victims statements may seem out of order, they must consider the fact that the allegations relate to a period when the victim was very young.

Before adding: “A lot has gone on since then and it’s difficult for her to put into order.”

During his arrest, Roberts was found to be in possession of an extreme image of animal pornography.

During the defendants first court appearance at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Roberts faced 10 sexual offence charges and one further charge of possessing an extreme image of animal pornography.

Roberts pleaded guilty to possessing the image and the defence argued that the matter should be dealt with separately to the sexual offence charges.

However, Sian Vaughan, for the Crown Prosecution Service, asked the magistrates to send all charges to crown court as the victim makes reference to being shown animal pornography by Roberts in her victim statements.

On Thursday, October 13, a jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict for 59-year-old Roberts on eight sexual offence charges.

These included five charges of digital penetration of the child, two charges of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

The jury returned a not guilty verdict to two additional counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child.

Following the verdict, Judge Thomas, expressed his regret to the jury for having to endure the details of the case and the stress that this may have caused them.

He said: “No one, least of all me, can underestimate the degree of pressure and stress that this has put upon you.”

Before adding that these cases are becoming, tragically, more common at Crown Court.

Roberts was sentenced to 14 years in prison, one year on licence.

The Judge also made Roberts the subject of Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Along with the sentence, Roberts will be placed on the sex offenders register for life.

News

Parties make final push as Wales prepares to vote in historic Senedd election

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Campaign leaders criss-cross country in last-minute battle for crucial votes

WALES heads to the polls tomorrow (Thursday, May 7) after a frenetic final day of campaigning that saw party leaders, candidates and activists make one last push to win over undecided voters in what is being described as the most unpredictable Senedd election in modern Welsh history.

With polling stations due to open at 7:00am, parties spent Wednesday targeting key battleground constituencies across the country, including the new Ceredigion Penfro seat, amid growing expectations of a fragmented Senedd and a dramatic shake-up in Welsh politics.

The election is the first to be held under Wales’ new expanded Senedd system, with 96 Members of the Senedd being elected across 16 large constituencies using a proportional closed-list voting system.

Reform UK appeared to finish the campaign with significant momentum following a major rally on Tuesday attended by party leader Nigel Farage. The event drew large crowds and considerable online attention as Reform attempted to convert strong polling figures into seats in Cardiff Bay for the first time.

Farage used the rally to attack both Labour and Plaid Cymru, while positioning Reform as the party of “change” for disillusioned voters. Reform campaigners have focused heavily on immigration, cost of living pressures and opposition to what they describe as “wasteful government spending.”

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth spent the final day presenting his party as the main alternative to both Labour and Reform UK, insisting Plaid could “build a fairer Wales” while warning against what he described as “divisive politics.”

Labour figures, including First Minister Eluned Morgan and deputy leader Huw Irranca-Davies, urged voters not to “take risks” with public services, arguing only Welsh Labour could protect the NHS and local councils during a period of economic uncertainty.

Labour activists were heavily focused on turnout operations in traditional strongholds, amid polling suggesting the party could lose ground after decades as the dominant force in Welsh politics.

The Conservatives attempted to rally core voters with warnings about both Labour and Reform, while also focusing on farming, the rural economy and healthcare waiting lists.

In west Wales, Conservative candidates Paul Davies and Sam Kurtz spent the day meeting voters and carrying out final campaign visits across Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, arguing their experience and local knowledge would be important under the new electoral system.

The Liberal Democrats and Green Party also maintained visible campaigns in several areas, hoping tactical voting and the proportional voting system could help them secure representation.

Across Wales, campaign teams handed out leaflets outside transport hubs, supermarkets and town centres, while social media campaigning intensified throughout the day.

Political analysts believe turnout could prove decisive, particularly because the new voting system means relatively small shifts in support could determine the allocation of the fifth and sixth seats in many constituencies.

The campaign has been dominated by debates over the NHS, farming, the economy, transport, tourism and the rising cost of living, alongside concerns about the future direction of Welsh devolution.

Polling stations open across Wales from 7:00am until 10:00pm on Thursday, with counting due to begin on Friday morning.

The Herald will provide live election coverage online throughout polling day and count day, including updates from count centres, candidate interviews and reaction as results emerge from across west Wales and the rest of the country.

News

Plaid Cymru projected to lead Senedd as Labour faces historic collapse

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Final poll suggests Welsh politics could be on the brink of a major realignment

PLAID CYMRU is on course to become the largest party in the Senedd, according to the final YouGov MRP projection for ITV Cymru Wales before polling day.

The model suggests Labour’s century-long dominance of Welsh elections could be coming to an end, with Plaid projected to win 43 seats in the newly expanded 96-member Senedd.

Reform UK is forecast to finish second on 34 seats, while Labour is projected to fall to just 12.

The poll, based on responses from more than 4,600 adults between April 25 and May 4, puts Plaid Cymru on 33% of the vote, ahead of Reform UK on 29%. Labour is on 12%, the Conservatives on 9%, the Greens on 8% and the Liberal Democrats on 6%.

Labour facing major losses

The projection points to a dramatic collapse in Labour support across Wales.

YouGov’s central estimate would represent a notional loss of 32 seats for Labour compared with the 2021 result under the new electoral system.

It would also be Labour’s worst result at any major Welsh election since 1906.

The model suggests Labour may fail to top the poll in any of the 16 new Senedd constituencies, and could return no members at all in four of them.

In west Wales, Labour’s support is projected to have fallen into single figures in some areas.

First Minister Eluned Morgan, who leads Labour’s list in Ceredigion Penfro, could also be at risk if the projection proves accurate.

Reform surge

Reform UK is projected to make major gains, rising from just 1% of the vote in 2021 to 29% in the final pre-election model.

The party’s support appears to be spread widely across Wales, though it is weaker in Cardiff and strongest in parts of the south Wales valleys.

One of the most striking projections is in Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr, which includes the Merthyr Tydfil area where Keir Hardie was elected as Wales’s first Labour MP in 1900.

There, YouGov’s central estimate puts Reform UK narrowly ahead on 34%, Plaid Cymru on 33%, and Labour on 14%.

Smaller parties

The Conservatives are projected to win just four seats, which would be their weakest devolved election result.

That would leave them one short of the five members needed to form an official political group in the Senedd.

The Greens are forecast to enter the Senedd for the first time, winning two seats in Cardiff.

The Liberal Democrats are projected to win one seat in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, keeping Jane Dodds in the Senedd.

No majority expected

No party is projected to win the 49 seats needed for an outright majority.

YouGov’s modelling suggests Plaid Cymru would be best placed to lead the next Welsh Government, but would probably need support from another party.

Plaid and Labour together reach a majority in most of the model’s simulations, while a Plaid-Green arrangement does so far less often.

A Reform-Conservative majority appears unlikely in the projection.

Under the new D’Hondt voting system, small movements in vote share could still make a significant difference, particularly for the final seats in each constituency.

Polling stations open tomorrow, Thursday, May 7.