News

Racist recording of Cllr Andrew Edwards could have been a ‘deep fake’

Published

3 years ago

April 14, 2023

THE COUNCILLOR accused of making racist comments in a private conversation – which was recorded and posted online may be the victim of a ‘deep fake’, The Herald can reveal.

Cllr Andrew Edwards says he does not recall ever saying those words – and analysis of the recording has shown inconsistencies which are in line with an audio file which has been digitally manipulated.

Deep fake voices are synthesized or manipulated using machine learning algorithms, making them sound convincingly like real human voices.

To detect a deep fake voice in an audio file, there are a few things you can do:

Listen for inconsistencies: Deep fake voices may have slight variations in pitch, tone, or cadence that sound unusual or inconsistent with a real human voice. Pay close attention to these variations to determine if they sound unnatural.
Look for lip-syncing issues: In some cases, deep fake voices may be paired with video footage that doesn’t match up with the audio, causing lip-syncing issues. If you’re unsure if a voice is genuine, try watching the video and paying attention to the speaker’s lips.
Compare with known samples: If you have access to a known sample of the person’s voice, compare it to the audio file you’re analysing. This can help you identify any inconsistencies or variations that may be indicative of a deep fake voice.
Use specialized software: There are several software programs available that can help you detect deep fake voices in audio files. These programs analyse the audio for inconsistencies and use machine learning algorithms to determine the likelihood of the voice being real or synthetic.
It’s important to note that detecting deep fake voices can be challenging, and it may require a combination of techniques to determine if an audio file is genuine or not – but why not have a listen to the recording and see if you can notice any of the inconsistencies described in points 1 to 4 above.

A former councillor, Cllr Paul Dowson, says he was the victim of fake social media content in 2020.

At the time he denied he shared images on social media that were racist, hateful to women and people of different religions.
Paul Dowson said the images, alleged by the union Unison to have come from his Facebook account, were “manufactured” by political opponents.

Speaking at the time he told reporters: “Give me 24 hours and I could come up with the same screenshots in your name.”

Mr Dowson “categorically” denied sharing the allegedly offensive posts.

He also denied he was racist.

Dowson was elected with a majority of four votes to represent the Pembroke Dock Central ward in 2017.

Mr Dowson said it was clear to him the posts had been “created by someone as part of their vendetta against me”.

Dowson said that it was more than credible that the audio file which is causing heat for Cllr Andrew Edwards has been manufactured by political opponents.

Dowson said: “Having heard the recording several times I would like to suggest that there is clearly gated compression in the clip which is a clear sign of manipulation.”

“The intonation of his speech and pitch of his words are not naturally flowing, and it sounds like the voice has been altered.”

“There are lots of apps and programs out there that can do this. Some of the software I am familiar with as a musician are more than capable of doing this.”

“If he is innocent I do feel for him as it seems therefore that there are people out there who are wanting to wreck his future – as they did mine.”

Crime

Scaffolder banned after cannabis smell reported from van

Published

13 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A SCAFFOLDER has been banned from driving for 14 months after an off-duty police officer smelt cannabis coming from his Volkswagen Transporter as it travelled through Slebech.

The report was made to police at around 10.30am on February 15. When officers located the vehicle, they discovered it was being driven by 46-year-old Christopher Bennett.

Further blood tests showed Bennett had 16.8 mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system. The legal limit is 2.

This week Bennett, of Queensdown Gardens, Brislington, Bristol, pleaded guilty to drug-driving when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates. He was represented in court by Alaw Harries.

“The defendant is remorseful for his actions and recognises the seriousness of the offence,” Ms Harries told the Bench.

“He suffers significant pain following operations to his shoulders and has been prescribed codeine. But this causes drowsiness, so he began self-medicating using cannabis.

“On the day of the offence, he was in worse pain than usual, so he used cannabis earlier than he normally does.”

Ms Harries said the conviction would have serious financial consequences for Bennett, who works as a self-employed scaffolder.

“His driving licence is fundamental to his livelihood,” she said.

“The financial consequences are going to be significant to him, as well as to those who are dependent on him.”

Magistrates fined Bennett £600 and ordered him to pay a £240 surcharge and £85 costs.

He was disqualified from driving for 14 months.

Crime

Estate agent banned after drug-drive crash in Milford Haven

Published

13 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Alison Walker had nearly five times the legal benzoylecgonine limit in her system

A PEMBROKESHIRE estate agent has been banned from the road after admitting driving through Milford Haven with nearly five times the legal limit of a cocaine metabolite in her system.

Alison Walker, 59, was arrested on February 2 after her white MG was involved in a two-car collision on Great North Road, Milford Haven.

“Fortunately there were no injuries, just damage to the vehicles,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

After providing a positive roadside drug swipe, Walker was arrested and asked to provide blood samples. These showed she had 240mcg of benzoylecgonine in her system. The legal limit is 50mcg.

Walker, of Woodland Crescent, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to drug-driving and was represented in court by solicitor Tom Lloyd.

He told the bench that prior to the offence, Walker had been employed as an estate agent.

“She has a good relationship with her boss, and as soon as this conviction is dealt with and her sentence has been served, he will be happy for her to return to her employment,” he said.

After considering a comprehensive probation report, magistrates disqualified Walker from driving for 20 months.

She was fined £80 and ordered to pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 costs. Walker must also carry out a 12-month community order, during which she must complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Crime

Pembroke Dock motorist banned after driving with cocaine in system

Published

14 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKE DOCK motorist has been banned from the roads after being caught driving with more than seven times the legal cocaine limit in her system.

Naomi Grant, 47, was stopped by police on the night of February 6 as she drove her Vauxhall Astra along the A477 near Pembroke Dock.

After providing a positive roadside drug swipe, Grant, of Cheriton Road, Pennar, Pembroke Dock, was taken for further tests.

Blood analysis showed she had 74mcg of cocaine in her system. The legal limit is 10mcg. She also had 1,200mcg of benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine, where the legal limit is 50mcg.

This week Grant, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to two charges of drug-driving when she appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates.

She was represented by solicitor Tom Lloyd, who told the court that his client is currently prescribed a considerable amount of medication for a number of medical issues.

“She also has her own personal assistant as a result of her medical needs,” he said.

“She has done everything that has been asked of her in relation to this offence and has engaged with the Dyfed Drug and Alcohol Service to help her move forward.”

Magistrates disqualified Grant from driving for 12 months and fined her £120.

She must also pay £85 court costs and a £48 surcharge.