Crime

Dock duo sentenced for Aldi meat theft

Published

2 years ago

April 10, 2024

A PEMBROKE DOCK duo has appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates after being caught stealing meat totalling almost £150 from the town’s Aldi supermarket.

Joseph Valmont and Andrew O’Brien were arrested on April 6 after staff at Aldi observed them acting suspiciously.

“Staff noticed the two defendants pushing two trolleys around the store, and holding bags,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told the court.

“They were then seen leaving the store without paying for their groceries.”

The store manager followed Valmont and O’Brien, who both live in Pembroke Dock, into the store car park.

“He asked them to empty their bags, but Valmont started touching his pockets and began giving them verbal abuse, and swearing,” continued Ms Jackson.

“The manager didn’t feel he was getting anywhere, so he told them to go away and someone would be in touch with them.”

However CCTV footage, later retrieved by the manager, showed both defendants placing meat into their trolleys before placing it into their bags. Aldi staff confirmed that the value of the meat amounted to a total of £144.97.

Ms Jackson informed magistrates that the offence was committed shortly after Valmont was given a 12-month conditional discharge by Llanelli magistrates for a similar offence of theft.

“My client knows he’s been silly and until this incident, he’s been doing really, really well,” said Valmon’ts solicitor, Tom Lloyd.

Meanwhile Michael Kelleher, representing O’Brien, stressed that the offence had been committed as a spur of the moment decision,

“There was very little planning involved and it was done on the spur of the moment,” he said.

“He accepts equal responsibility for what happened, and has described it to me as sheer stupidity.”

Valmont was ordered to pay a total of £445.48 comprising £220 in fines, a £48 surcharge, £85 costs and £72.48 compensation to Aldi.

O’Brien was fined £120 in addition to a £48 surcharge, £85 costs and £72.48 compensation.

Crime

Milford Haven man admits assault and harassment charges

Published

3 days ago

May 21, 2026

Court Reporter

A MILFORD HAVEN has admitted assaulting a family member and harassing another relative following incidents in the town last year.

Wayne Whatling, 39, of Howarth Close, Milford Haven, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (May 21).

Whatling changed his pleas to guilty to one charge of assault by beating and one charge of harassment without violence.

The assault charge relates to an incident in Milford Haven on September 13, 2025, when Whatling assaulted Ben Whatling by beating him.

He also admitted pursuing a course of conduct amounting to harassment against Carol Whatling between September 1 and September 13, 2025.

The court heard the harassment allegation involved repeatedly asking Carol Whatling for money, with the complainant said to have feared repercussions if she did not provide it.

Magistrates adjourned the case for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Whatling was remanded on conditional bail and ordered not to contact Carol or Ben Whatling directly or indirectly.

He is due to be sentenced at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (June 9).

Crime

Milford Haven man admits affray after alleged pub incident

Published

3 days ago

May 21, 2026

Court Reporter

A MILFORD HAVEN man has admitted affray following an incident at a town centre pub.

Stephen Collier, 38, of Vaynor Road, Milford Haven, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (May 21).

Collier has pleaded guilty to affray, relating to an incident at Nos Da, Victoria Road, Milford Haven, on December 3, 2025.

The charge states that he used unlawful violence towards John Dean Hilton and that his conduct was such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for their personal safety.

Collier also faces a separate charge of burglary dwelling with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm. It is alleged that, on the same date, he entered a flat at Nos Da as a trespasser and inflicted grievous bodily harm on Mr Hilton. He denies that charge.

The court also dealt with a breach of bail allegation after Collier was arrested on May 20 for allegedly breaching a curfew condition. He admitted the breach.

Magistrates re-admitted him to conditional bail.

His bail conditions include a daily electronically monitored curfew between 9:00pm and 6:00am, residence at his Vaynor Road address, and exclusions from Mount Estate, Milford Haven town centre, and Nos Da.

He must also not contact prosecution witnesses, including Molly Martin, Jack Martin, Lily Rose Martin and John Hilton.

Collier is due to appear at Swansea Crown Court on Friday, June 5, for sentence.

A spokesperson for Nos Da said the incident was connected with rooms upstairs at the Victoria Road premises, and did not take place in the bar itself, in the licensed area.