Crime

Neyland motorist caught driving Mercedes four times over the limit

Published

2 months ago

March 12, 2024

A NEYLAND man has escaped a custodial sentence after driving his Mercedes through the town when he was almost four times over the legal drink-limit.

Police officers followed Wayne Morris as he drove his Mercedes CLA from the Crossways Service Station in Honeyborough to his home in Water Street, Neyland on the afternoon of February 24.

“His vehicle was swerving erratically, it was braking erratically, it hit a kerb and on a number of occasions it came very close to causing an accident,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told Haverfordwest magistrates when Morris appeared before them on Tuesday.

Subsequent intoximeter tests showed that Morris, 51, had no less than 134 mcg of alcohol in his system. The legal limit is 35.

Probation officer Julie Norman told the court that the offence was committed after Morris learned that a close family member had received a cancer diagnosis.was told.

“He consumed a considerable amount of alcohol after receiving the bad news, and drank into the early hours,” she said.

“At around 4.30pm the following day, he thought he was ok to drive, so he drove from his home in Neyland to the service station. But when he got there,he had second thoughts and decided to drive home.”

But police officers who had been present at the service station, decided to follow Morris as he drove his vehicle home.

“He knows he faces a serious situation today, as this high reading could attract a custodial sentence,” added Julie Norman.

Morris pleaded guilty to a charge of drink-driving and was legally represented by barrister Mr David Griffiths.

“When my client received the bad news about a relative who had been diagnosed with cancer, he went on a binge all night and through into the early hours, even though he’d been off the drink for some time prior,” said Mr Griffiths.

“When he woke up the following afternoon and decided to drive, he made a ridiculous mistake.”
Mr Griffiths went on to inform magistrates that Morris was involved in a serious road accident in 2019 which resulted in the amputation of his hand. As a result, he is in constant pain and has severe anxiety issues, which often leads to his dependence on alcohol.

“He recognises he has an issue with alcohol and has now taken steps to have counselling in that regard,” he said.

“My client needs help as a result of the accident and the PTSD which this has caused him, and I ask this court to give him that support that he so greatly needs.”

After considering the mitigation, magistrates sentenced Morris to eight weeks in custody suspended for 18 months. He was disqualified from driving for 32 months.

He must also carry out 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £154 surcharge.

Crime

Four-figure fine because of four-legged friends

Published

1 day ago

May 8, 2024

Court Reporter

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.

Crime

Dock man avoids jail sentence after breaking vase

Published

1 day ago

May 8, 2024

Court Reporter

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.”

Crime

Voyeurism offence denied before Pembrokeshire magistrates

Published

1 day ago

May 8, 2024

Court Reporter

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.