South Wales Evening Post
HEADBUTTED, CHOKED AND PULLED KNIFE ON PARTNER
A MAN headbutted and throttled his partner before pulling a knife on her in a “sudden explosion of anger”, a court has heard. Dean Berg left his victim with a collapsed lung and displaced fracture of her shoulder in a brutal attack in her own...
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HELPLESS FAMILY SEE HOME RAIDED ON DOORBELL CAMERA
A SCRAP dealer driving the streets looking for metal saw a family packing their car to go on holiday and returned to burgle their home, a court has heard. James Connors donned a mask and gloves and drove a circuitous route to his target to try to...
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FIRM FINED £500K AS KEBABS HAD LITTLE LAMB
A COMPANY producing kebabs for takeaways and restaurants has been slapped with a half-a-million pound fine over the fraudulent way it labelled its products. Swansea Crown Court heard that kebabs produced by the firm and labelled as “lamb” were found...
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DVLA INSIDER HELPED DEALERS TO WIPE RECORDS
A TRUSTED DVLA employee abused his position with the agency to alter or delete vehicle records to boost their value and to issue new identities for stolen or crashed cars, a court has heard. Matthew Holloway accessed computer and paper-based systems...
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‘SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE’ FEAR AFTER BLAZE
A LARGE fire at the Tata Steel site in Port Talbot is said to have caused “substantial damage to a vital production line”. Large plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the plant near people’s homes after the blaze erupted on Wednesday. People who...
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PLAYER’S CLUBHOUSE ASSAULT ON VETERAN COMMITTEE MEMBER
A RUGBY player punched a veteran committee member unconscious in a clubhouse attack, a court has heard. Nathan Davies hit his victim in the face, causing the man to crash to the floor, lose consciousness and fracture an ankle in the fall. Swansea...
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THE £1.2M TIN THIEVES
THREE Tata Steel employees conspired with an outside man to steal tin ingots worth nearly £1.2m from the Trostre steelworks in Llanelli. Thomas Ashford, 35, Richard Jones, 39, and Stewart Jones, 56, all worked at the Tata steelworks and allowed access...
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‘MODERN-DAY MIRACLE’ FOR GRANDAD ON HIS DEATHBED
A man who was so critically ill that his family gathered to say their farewells has returned to the hospital that saved his life on two separate occasions within two years to express his gratitude to staff. Leighton Davies, from Cwmavon, is currently...
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ILLEGAL VID SHARED WITH COLLEAGUES BY LECTURER AT COLLEGE
ALUN Williams is celebrating 25 years at the helm of Swansea Building Society with a charitable fund to support good causes across Wales this year. The £25,000 funding will be distributed to charities and community organisations and is in addition to...
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‘PETRIFIED’ BOY SAVED BY HEROIC DADS
A GROUP of dads enjoying a drink in the sunshine at a rugby club saved a “petrified and screaming” boy who was trapped in a burning storage container. The club secretary of Trimsaran RFC has described what happened in the distressing incident which...
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13-YEAR-OLD ARRESTED AFTER BOY TRAPPED IN BURNING CONTAINER
A 13-YEAR-OLD boy has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a fire at a rugby club. An 11-year-old boy is in hospital after suffering serious injuries in the blaze at Trimsaran RFC, near Kidwelly in Carmarthenshire, over the...
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FORMER TATA WORKER TURNED TO CRIME
A FORMER Tata Steel worker was running a cocaine and cannabis edibles supply operation, a court has heard. Darren Phillips was intercepted by police en route to a customer with thousand of pounds worth of cocaine in his car – though he claimed he was...
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DRIVER HAS CAR WINDOW SMASHED ‘BY COUNCIL’
A DRIVER is fuming after her car window was smashed by a council worker strimming pavements because she said officials denied responsibility even though it was caught on video. Kerry Shaddick-atherley, 52, found the window shattered with glass strewn...
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STALKER TOLD TO LEAVE EX ‘WELL ALONE’
A MAN harassed and stalked his former partner and her new boyfriend, a court has heard. Steve Price’s barrister said the defendant “recognises his failings in dealing with the breakdown of the relationship”. A judge at Swansea Crown Court told the...
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LIDO A NO-GO AFTER THEFT
THIEVES have forced Swansea Council to postpone the eagerly anticipated opening of the beloved Blackpill Lido this weekend for the summer season. Distinctive sprinklers that help cool visitors during warm weather have been stolen from the site. While...
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ROBBER IN CHILLING THREAT TO ‘SLICE THROATS’ OF JURORS
A MAN threatened to slice the throats of jurors who had just convicted him of robbery in a terrifying outburst from the dock. Ceri Gibson accompanied his verbal threats with a hand gesture which saw him drawing his hand across the front of his...
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THE MAN WITH 42 NAMES
A “THOROUGHLY dishonest man” with dozens of different names and dates of birth has gone into the witness box of a crown court to confirm his true identity. Anthony Maughan was due to be sentenced earlier in April for a spree of commercial burglaries...
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SHE MOWED DOWN HER FRIEND ‘AND LEFT HIM FOR DEAD’
A WOMAN deliberately knocked down a friend in an “uncontrollable surge of savage anger”, a court has heard. Louise Blackwell ploughed into her victim then left him for dead at the side of the road before setting about trying to cover her tracks by...
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WOMAN RAPED TWICE IN CAR BY FAKE UBER DRIVER
A SEXUAL predator pretended to be a taxi driver in order to entice a vulnerable young woman into his car before driving her to a secluded street and raping her, a court has heard. Abdul Shahid was cruising the streets in the dead of night looking for...
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£13K WATCH ‘SMUGGLED INTO JAIL’ FOR DRUG GANG BOSS
A DESIGNER watch worth around £13,000 was smuggled into prison for the head of an organised crime group who had been arrested and remanded into custody, a court has heard. Ryan Morgan was the boss of a gang which trafficked huge quantities of cocaine...
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Our baby was born with holes in her tiny heart
EMILY Bowen and her partner Mathew Mariani were overjoyed when their daughter Esme was born. Everything had gone to plan with the pregnancy and birth, but less than two weeks after welcoming their daughter to the world the couple from Hendy realised...
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WAITING GAME
THE Scarlets have issued a statement welcoming the opportunity to enter the PRA25 agreement and confirming that they aim to sign it “shortly”, following Wednesday’s announcement that the proposed takeover of Cardiff by Y11 Sports & Media has fallen...
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‘MAJOR WIN IN FIGHT TO SAVE OUR CLUB’
SWANSEA Council leader Rob Stewart has claimed the Ospreys’ future is secure beyond the end of the current decade – despite the Welsh Rugby Union once again reiterating their intention to cut the number of professional teams to three by 2028. Cllr...
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‘A SERIOUS RISK TO YOUNG GIRLS’
A MAN who raped vulnerable young girls has been sentenced to 23 years in prison. A judge at Swansea Crown Court praised the courage of Michael Allen’s victims in coming forward and giving evidence at trial, describing them as “impressive young...
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‘HIS GREATEST JOY WAS PLAYING RUGBY’
WALES captain Jac Morgan has announced the tragic death of his “cousin and best friend” Harri. Harri Morgan, who was also vicecaptain of Brynamman RFC’S first team, died suddenly last week, with the British & Irish Lions star saying he “meant the...
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PAIR SOLD DRUGS TO BUYERS ASKING FOR ‘CHINESE’
CUSTOMERS ordering cocaine from their dealers were using “Chinese” as a codeword for their takeaways, a court has heard. Jac Cadman and Jamie Cook were caught by police as they sat in a car on a Swansea street waiting to pick up a fresh delivery of...
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OSPREYS OWNER’S DEAL ‘ON VERGE OF COLLAPSE’
THE Ospreys owner’s deal to take over Cardiff is on the verge of falling through. Y11 Sports & Media seems unlikely to take over the capital city club in the latest sensational twist to the ongoing saga over the future of the professional game in...
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‘MORE TIME’ PLEA TO COMPLETE PIER WORK
THE owners of Mumbles Pier need more time to build two new pavilions and refurbish the former lifeboat house to create a pop-up restaurant. Swansea Council gave family-owned pier company Amusement Equipment Company Ltd planning permission for the...
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‘JAMIE WAS KIND, BRIGHT AND GENTLE’
A UNIVERSITY student from Swansea who was allegedly murdered by his housemate had his whole life ahead of him, his family said. Jamie Collins, 21, was found dead in the garden of a property in Filton, near Bristol, in the early hours of April 9. On...
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‘I’VE HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR PLAN TO CUT CLUB’
ABI Tierney says she is confident of strong support from community clubs to press ahead with the proposed three-team plan, but she was unable to offer any fresh detail on how it would be delivered. The Welsh Rugby Union CEO believes a large proportion...
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‘PARASITE’ BROTHERS DROVE OAP TO BANK TO WITHDRAW THOUSANDS
A PAIR of “parasite” brothers conned a vulnerable woman into withdrawing thousands of pounds from her savings account, a court has heard. Danny and Jamie Price persuaded the pensioner that she owed them money for roofing work, before driving her to...
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HUNDREDS SET TO GRADUATE HIT BY NHS JOB CRISIS
STUDENT nurses across Wales, who have put in thousands of hours of unpaid work and taken out vast student debts, have spoken of their fury and devastation at being told there now aren’t enough jobs for them. A jobs crisis for student nurses about to...
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‘YOU WERE PURE SUNSHINE’
A SIX-YEAR-OLD girl who bravely battled an aggressive childhood cancer has sadly died. Olivia Finch passed away having been diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma aged just two. We featured Olivia’s story last year, telling how she had inspired a...
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LIVELIHOODS CAN BE HIT BY ‘NUISANCE’ YOUTHS
TRADERS located at the heart of Swansea city centre have weighed in on the issue of recurring anti-social behaviour in the vicinity of their shops. South Wales Police has imposed a 48-hour police crackdown on crime in the city centre, which had been...
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SEVEN-HOUR WILDFIRE BATTLE
SEVEN fire crews battled a massive 120-hectare grass fire in Gower on Tuesday. The huge blaze at Cefn Bryn took nearly seven hours to bring under control as crews dealt with the “physically demanding” incident. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue...
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WARNING OVER ZIPLINE PROTEST
A PROTEST aimed at blocking access for machinery being used in the construction of a new leisure attraction in Swansea took place yesterday. A small number of people from a group called Climate Camp Cymru and some local people held placards at the...
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TRIBUTES PAID TO HOSPICE’S ‘DRIVING FORCE’
TRIBUTES have been paid to the man who was “the main driving force” behind a beloved Welsh hospice. Dr Peter Griffiths, who was Ty Olwen Hospice Trust’s first medical director when it first opened in 1981, has sadly died. Ty Olwen Hospice is a...
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‘MIRACLE MADDIE’ HAD TO FIGHT FOR LIFE
FOR Zoe Davies her trip to hospital to give birth to her third daughter was to complete her family. Having given birth twice before, the Ammanford mum knew what to expect and the arrival of her newborn Madeline at Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen on...
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INVESTMENT BOOST AIMS TO QUASH FEARS FOR REGION
THE Scarlets have responded to growing speculation about their future by revealing they have landed significant new investment, firmly rejecting claims about the club’s potential demise. Rumours circulated at the start of the week alleging the...
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‘BREAKING POINT’ FOR OUR GP SURGERIES
A SENEDD committee inquiry has found GP services across Wales are in decline with doctor’s surgeries short-staffed and those still in the profession “beleaguered”. The Senedd health and social care committee has found surgeries have been chronically...
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‘POLICE HAVE NOTHING ON ME’
A MAN who had been told many times to stop contacting his ex has flouted a restraining order again and became abusive with police officers when he was arrested. Police had gone to 65-year-old Michael Evans’ house over allegations that he had breached...
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‘SHAMEFUL’ RATE OF FOOD POVERTY SLAMMED
MORE than a third of people in Wales’ poorest areas struggle to get hold of healthy food, according to a new report. Describing the figure as “shameful”, the Senedd’s Equality and Social Justice Committee says urgent action is needed to help the 37%...
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PREDATOR IS JAILED FOR BOY’S RAPE
A SERIAL sex offender brutally raped and sexually assaulted a young boy shortly after sexually abusing a young girl, a court has heard. The impact of what Mark Hawkes did to the boy almost two decades ago has been described as “mental torture” which...
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TALKS HELD TO TRY AND KEEP RETAIL GIANT IN CITY CENTRE
THE leader of Swansea Council said it was doing all it can to help ensure Marks & Spencer opened a new store in the county, and discussions about the existing one moving to the vacant Debenhams site had taken place. Cllr Rob Stewart was asked at a...
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WRU CHAIR WILL STEP DOWN IN SUMMER
WELSH Rugby Union chairman Richard Collier-keywood is to step down in July. Collier-keywood, who was facing an EGM vote to oust him next month, will depart at the end of his term this summer. The news is a surprise development in Welsh rugby’s...
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‘YOU’LL BE IN OUR HEARTS FOREVER’
THE family of a 23-year-old woman who died following a road traffic collision on the A470 have paid tribute to her, describing her as a “bright and shining light” who brought joy to those around her. Ellé Claire Evans, from Ammanford, was involved in...
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OSPREYS COMING HOME
SWANSEA Council is pressing ahead with revised plans to redevelop the city’s St Helen’s sports ground in tandem with regional rugby side the Ospreys. It is hoped the Ospreys will be able to use the seafront ground not long after the start of the...
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NEW PLAN TO REDEVELOP ST HELEN’S
SWANSEA Council and the Ospreys are set to go ahead with new plans to redevelop St Helen’s in time for next season in a dramatic Welsh rugby twist. The move comes despite a lack of certainty surrounding the region’s future and months of angry...
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‘MY LITTLE MIRACLES WHO HAVE OVERCOME SO MUCH’
ROMIAH and Roziah Lewis are always smiling. Just over six months old, these twin boys are filling their home with energy and joy. But their bright, happy faces hide a remarkable story – one of premature birth, weeks in the NICU and a journey that would...
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£12M TO HELP FIX CITY’S ROADS
MORE than £12 million will be spent on roads, pavements, bridges and drains in Swansea in 2026-27 and every penny, if not more, is needed, according to some residents. The council’s cabinet approved expenditure of £12.3 million at a meeting on March...
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DATE SET FOR KEY VOTE ON FUTURE OF RUGBY
THE crunch meeting which could change the face of Welsh rugby will take place next month. The Welsh Rugby Union yesterday announced a seismic extraordinary general meeting will be held at the Principality Stadium on Monday, April 13, at 6pm. It comes...
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REDDIN MAY GO IF PLAN TO AXE A REGION IS SCRAPPED
DAVE Reddin says the Welsh Rugby Union could compromise on its push for central control and has not ruled out walking away if plans to restructure the professional game are scrapped. The WRU plans to reduce the number of professional clubs from four...
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WRU BOSS STEPS DOWN
MARIANNE Økland will take over from the departing Malcolm Wall as independent chair of Welsh rugby’s Professional Rugby Board (PRB) on an interim basis. Malcolm Wall’s three-year term at the helm, which was extended by one year at the request of PRB...
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