Crime

‘Toxic’ relationship hits meltdown on Valentine’s Day

Published

2 months ago

July 17, 2024

A TEN-year relationship, described by a solicitor as ‘toxic’, reached meltdown on Valentine’s Day when an argument between a Tenby woman and her partner escalated out of control.

Emily Webster, 31, and her partner Christopher Hatchelt were at a property in Knowling Mead, Tenby, when an argument broke out between them on February 14.

“Emily Webster threw a bag at the victim that hit his hip,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“Inside the bag was a glass mug and clothing. She then tried to stop him from leaving the property but when he got outside, matters continued to escalate.”

Webster, of Knowling Mead, Tenby, was then seen to throw a plant pot at Mr Hatchelt’s Audi A4 car, which was parked outside the property.

“It hit the front bonnet and [Emily Webster] then ran back, grabbed another plant pot and threw it at the victim,” continued Ms Jackson.

“He placed his arms out to try and stop her, but she then started to kick him. She tried to grab his wing mirror off by grabbing it with both hands and when Mr Hatchelt tried to open the driver’s door to get in, she kicked it shut, to prevent him from doing so.”

Webster then grabbed Mr Hatchelt’s glasses, snapped them in half and threw them to the ground.

Webster, a mother of three, pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Hatchelt by beating and causing criminal damage to his car.

She was represented in court by Mr Michael Kelleher who informed magistrates that there was ‘a huge back story’ to the offences committed by Webster on Valentines’ Day.

“This was a very toxic relationship and finally Miss Webster lost it,” he said. “She accepts that.

“Witnesses saw what happened that day, and as they drove past slowly, they could see Emily covered in mud. She looked as if she’d been crying and had been thrown to the floor.”

After considering a comprehensive probation report, magistrates sentenced Webster to a 12 month community order during which she must carry out ten rehabilitation activity requirement days. She was fined £40 and ordered to pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 costs.

Crime

Disgraced former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards faces sentencing over indecent images

Published

19 hours ago

September 15, 2024

Tom Sinclair

Huw Edwards, the disgraced former BBC newsreader, is set to appear in court on Monday (Sept 16), to learn his fate after admitting to possessing sexual images of children. This marks his first return to court since his admission earlier this year.

Edwards, 63 and from Carmarthenshire, was a prominent figure at the BBC, earning a salary of over £470,000. He was a regular presenter of News at Ten and the face of major national events, including the announcement of Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September 2022. His fall from grace began in April when he resigned from his BBC role, and three months later, he pleaded guilty to having indecent images of children on his phone, sent to him by another man via WhatsApp.

On July 31, Edwards appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, where he was surrounded by a crowd of journalists and photographers. During the hearing, he admitted to possessing 41 indecent images of children. Among these were seven category A images, the most serious type, showing abuse, including penetrative sexual activity. Disturbingly, two of these images depicted a child aged between seven and nine.

The scandal involving Edwards emerged in the summer of 2023 when he was identified as the well-known BBC presenter at the centre of allegations involving payments of over £35,000 to a teenager in return for images. However, the police clarified that the indecent images for which Edwards was charged were not connected to this teenager. The investigation into Edwards began after officers seized a phone during an unrelated probe, which revealed his participation in a WhatsApp conversation where he received the illegal images.

Edwards admitted to three counts of making indecent images of children. The court heard that he received these images from Alex Williams, who was convicted earlier this year of possessing prohibited images of children. The exchanges took place on WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021, during which Edwards received a total of 377 sexual images, including the 41 indecent images of children.

In a conversation on 2nd February 2021, Williams asked Edwards whether the images he was sending featured individuals who were too young. Edwards responded by instructing him not to send any underage images. Nonetheless, he continued to receive illegal content, including seven category A images, 12 category B, and 22 category C.

The BBC faced criticism for continuing to pay Edwards a large salary while the criminal investigation was ongoing. The corporation defended its actions, stating that Edwards had not been charged while he was still employed but off air. A BBC spokesperson said, “If at any point during the period Mr Edwards was employed by the BBC he had been charged, the BBC had determined it would act immediately to dismiss him. In the end, at the point of charge, he was no longer an employee of the BBC.”

Edwards is now awaiting sentencing as he returns to Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Crime

Shoplifter stole beer and assaulted woman, court hears

Published

2 days ago

September 14, 2024

Court Reporter

JOHN ASHBY, 37, of Laws Street in Pembroke Dock, has admitted to stealing crates of Stella Artois and assaulting a woman, Llanelli Magistrates’ Court heard.

Ashby faced four charges, including stealing five crates of Stella Artois worth £60 from Tesco Express in Tenby and two more boxes worth £25 from Iceland in Haverfordwest on August 19.

After being released on bail on August 19, he failed to surrender to bail on September 3. He was also charged with assault by beating, accused of attacking a woman in Pembroke Dock on September 4.

Ashby pleaded guilty to all charges on September 6. The case has been adjourned for a pre-sentence report, and he has been granted bail until his sentencing at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on September 24.