Crime

Milford man jailed for ‘sustained and merciless drunken assault’

Published

6 months ago

June 12, 2024

A MILFORD HAVEN man has been sentenced to two years and two months in prison following a brutal assault on a man who had an affair with his ex-partner. The attack occurred after David Davies, 31, of George Street, had spent the day drinking heavily in a local pub.

On the evening of April 6, Davies and the victim were both present at The Lord Kitchener pub in Milford Haven, though they were not drinking together. According to Prosecutor Georgia Donohue, the two men encountered each other on the street after leaving the pub in the early hours of the morning. An exchange of words quickly escalated when Davies punched the victim in the face, knocking him to the ground.

Davies then straddled the victim and continued to punch him repeatedly before delivering three additional kicks once he got off. A witness reported seeing Davies filming the two-minute assault on his mobile phone. The attack left the victim with two black eyes, a split lip, a swollen nose, and blood in his mouth, which he later coughed up.

Following the incident, Davies attended Haverfordwest Police Station, where he was arrested on suspicion of assault. Blood marks were found on the shoes Davies confirmed he had worn during the attack. After being shown CCTV footage of the incident, Davies made full admissions, confessing he had been drinking since 11am and had consumed 20 pints of cider along with some spiced rum.

Davies, who has three previous convictions for eight offences, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. His defence counsel, Jon Tarrant, noted that Davies had not committed any offences since 2013 and had no history of violent crimes. Tarrant explained that Davies had been provoked by a combination of factors, including an argument with his ex-partner on the morning of the attack, which led to him being asked to leave after his youngest child witnessed the argument.

Judge Paul Thomas KC condemned Davies’ actions, describing the assault as “cowardly and vicious” and motivated by jealousy and revenge. “It was a sustained and merciless beating,” the judge stated. “You acted out of both jealousy and revenge, served cold in this instance.”

In addition to the assault charge, Davies had also faced accusations of strangling a woman on April 5, which he denied. The prosecution offered no evidence on this charge, and Judge Thomas entered a not guilty verdict.

David Davies is now serving a prison sentence, reflecting the severity of his actions on that fateful night.

Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

Published

6 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”

Crime

Sex offender jailed for breaching court order

Published

22 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Court Reporter

A SEX offender from Wolfscastle has been jailed after using fake names on WhatsApp and attempting to access a social media app, breaching his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Luke Rogers, 38, was sentenced to 10 months in prison at Swansea Crown Court after pleading guilty to two breaches of the order, which was imposed following his 2020 conviction for sexual activity with a child.

Under the SHPO, Rogers was prohibited from using unregistered internet-enabled devices or creating online profiles under false names. Prosecutor Ryan Bowen told the court that police monitoring software installed on Rogers’ phone detected activity in group chats under three aliases last November.

Further investigation revealed Rogers had also searched for the MeetMe app on four occasions and admitted using it. Rogers, described by Mr. Bowen as “apologetic,” was arrested, and his phone was seized.

The court heard Rogers has a history of 17 convictions for 35 offences, including breaching court orders and failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements.

Defence barrister Olivia Rose said Rogers had cooperated fully with police and expressed a desire to change. She argued that his breaches stemmed from a misunderstanding about permitted names and emphasized his efforts to seek support.

Despite these mitigating factors, Judge Catherine Richards noted Rogers’ pattern of reoffending and stated: “The reality is I can only pass an immediate custodial sentence.”

She expressed hope that Rogers would take advantage of post-sentence supervision to break the cycle of offending.

Crime

Police renew appeal to find Darren Markes from Pembroke Dock

Published

23 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Tom Sinclair

POLICE in Pembrokeshire are renewing their appeal for information to locate Darren Markes, 46, from Pembroke Dock. He is wanted in connection with a domestic assault.

Markes is believed to have links to the Portsmouth and Sussex areas.

If you have seen Darren Markes or have any information about his whereabouts, please contact the police through one of the following methods: