News
Crime gang supplying Pembrokeshire drug dealers jailed for 20 years
FOUR members of an organised crime group (OCG) involved in a large-scale drug operation in west Wales have been jailed for a total of 20 years.
The group, led by the Leyson family, supplied cocaine (Class A) and cannabis (Class B) drugs in multi-kilo quantities, supplying to sub dealers in Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and parts of Swansea.
Stephen Leyson, aged 55, of Pibwr Farm, Capel Dewi, Carmarthen, was convicted of possession of a firearm, conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and conspiracy to supply Class B drugs following a two-week trial at Swansea Crown Court.
Also convicted following trial were his wife Lynne, aged 51, and their son Samson, aged 22, also of Pibwr Farm, for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and conspiracy to supply Class B drugs, and family associate 50-year-old Andrew Jenkins, of North Hill Road, Mount Pleasant, Swansea, for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs.
They were arrested following a warrant at their Pibwr Farm base in October 2021, when officers found 592g of cocaine with a street value of between £47,760 and £60,200, 1.4kg of cannabis with a street value of approximately £15,615, £17,190 in cash and a semi-automatic pistol.
The gun was derived from an Italian model “Kimar 85 Auto” which is a 9mm self-loading semi-automatic pistol. It is also understood to be the first semi-automatic handgun located and seized in the Dyfed-Powys Police area.
The subsequent investigation led officers to two further people, Ritchie Coleman, aged 33, and Emma Calver-Roberts, aged 32, both of Vetch Close, Pembroke, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs.
At Swansea Crown Court this afternoon Stephen Leyson was sentenced to 11 years, Samson Leyson six years, Ritchie Coleman two years and four months and Andrew Jenkins nine months.
Lynne Leyson did not attend court and will be sentenced next month.
At today’s hearing the judge ordered a pre-sentence report for Emma Calver-Roberts, who will now be sentenced next month.
Senior investigating officer DCI Rhys Jones said: “We welcome today’s sentencing which is the result of a lengthy and intensive investigation, and I would like to thank all the officers and support staff involved for their perseverance and commitment to the case.
“The Leyson family are an organised crime group who tried to make a quick buck by selling large quantities of cocaine and cannabis to sub dealers across south west Wales.
“We hope this case sends a clear message that we are continuously working to disrupt the supply of illegal substances in our force area and will prosecute anyone who tries to spread their misery through our communities for financial gain.
“We would like to reassure the public that we will continue to act on any information received about the supply of drugs.”
The £17,190 seized following the warrant will now be subject to Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) hearing along with high-value personal items seized during the warrant.
Crime
Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property
A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.
Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.
The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.
The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.
The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.
News
Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’
THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”
The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.
Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”
NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.
“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.
“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”
The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”
This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.
Community
Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed
RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.
The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.
Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.
Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.
The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.
With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.
“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”
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