Saturday, October 31, 2015

Llanelli,South Wales - Crashed driver told police he was "normal drunk, not very drunk"

Marcin Mikolajczyk crashed his Hyundai on the A484 near Bynea earlier this month

A POLISH driver told police he was "normal drunk, not very drunk" after crashing his car in Llanelli.

Marcin Mikolajczyk, aged 26, refused to give a breath sample after his Hyundai crashed on the A484 near Bynea at 1.30am on October 14.

Officers smelled alcohol on the defendant and noted his eyes were red.

He was taken to Llanelli police station but still failed to provide a specimen despite the presence of a translator.

Prosecutor Ellie Morgan said he later admitted to officers that he'd been drinking but was "normal drunk, not very drunk".

In court Mikolajczyk pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis and driving without a licence or insurance.

His solicitor, Richard Morgan, said Mikolajczyk, of Dilwyn Street, Llanelli had recently moved to the area from Poland and had assumed the insurance would be sorted when he brought the car from a house mate.

"He does not deny he had alcohol and clearly an accident occurred," said Mr Morgan.

"It was his first time in a police station and he was worried and frightened."

Magistrates banned him from driving for 18 months and fined him £200 for the drink-driving and £200 for no insurance.

He must pay £150 criminal court costs, £85 prosecution costs and a £20 surcharge.

Swansea,South Wales - Police arrest 10 men in crack-down on cannabis street dealing

Men from Mount Pleasant, Dyfatty, Sandfields and Briton Ferry have been arrested

POLICE have arrested 10 men and and seized vehicles and £10,000 in cash and cannabis in an operation targeting street dealers in Swansea city centre.

The men - aged between 21 and 42 - were picked-up on Thursday afternoon in a series of swoops by officers.

The arrests were followed by raids at five houses in Mount Pleasant, Dyfatty, Sandfields and Briton Ferry.

Five of those arrested are being questioned on suspicion of possession with intent to supply cannabis; the other five arrested for possession.

South Wales Police detective inspector Stuart Johnson, who led the operation, said a number of vehicles and around £10,000 worth of cannabis and cash were seized by his officers.

He said: "This operation was planned as a direct result of concern expressed by the local community about drug dealing.

"The public provided us with the information which we have responded to and yesterday's enforcement phase of the operation has resulted in a significant number of arrests and seizures of cash and cannabis."

Police are urging anyone with concerns or suspicions about drug dealing in their community to come forward.

Can you help? Call South Wales Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111

Jason Evans / jason.evans@swwmedia.co.uk / @EvansTheCrime

Milford Haven,South Wales - Banned driver filmed himself behind the wheel and shared video with friends on SnapChat

James Adams pleaded guilty to breaking his driving ban at Swansea Crown Court

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A DISQUALIFIED driver who filmed himself breaking the ban was caught when someone showed the footage to police.

James Adams filmed himself at the wheel of a works van then shared the mobile phone video with friends via the instant messaging service Snapchat.

The 24-year-old had been banned since December 2014 after pleading guilty to dangerous driving.

Adams, of Thornton Road, Steynton, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, driving without due care and attention and driving with a licence in September this year when he appeared at Swansea Crown Court. He also pleaded guilty to possessing a small quantity of cannabis, which police had found in his sock.

Georgina Buckley, prosecuting, said the illegal driving came to light "in a rather unusual way".

The barrister said Adams filmed himself driving the van of the gardening contractors he was working for, and then shared it on Snapchat - the video ended up with Dyfed-Powys Police, though "it is not entirely clear how the footage came to be in the possession of the police".

She said the clip – some 11 seconds long – showed the defendant driving along a residential road while he can be heard saying that he didn't care that he still had months left on his ban.

In his subsequent police interview, Adams said he was only moving the van for a short distance at the request of a work colleague.

The court heard Adams had originally been banned for 12 months – and given a suspended jail sentence - in December last year after pleading guilty to dangerous driving for his part in a "car cruise" event which ended in a horror crash on the A40 at Arnold's Hill.

John Tarrant, in mitigation described his client's decision to move the van and film it as a "moment of recklessness" which showed a pattern of "entrenched stupidity rather than entrenched criminality".

The advocate said Adams was scared at the possibility of going to jail, and asked His Honour Judge Huw Davies to step back from activating the previously imposed suspended prison sentence.

The judge told Adams it was the second time he had appeared at the court for motorising matters in the space of just a year, and that at 24-years-of-age he would soon have to stop making excuses for his behaviour.

But His Honour said that he would not be sending the defendant straight to jail – adding that he had avoided custody "by a minimal amount".

For driving while disqualified Adams was sentenced to three months in jail suspended for 12 months, and was disqualified from driving for 12 months. At the end of the ban he will have to take an extended test before he can get his licence back. No separate penalty was imposed for the other matters.

The judge told him: "The next time it comes into your head to do something as foolish as this, spare a thought for your parents who have done everything they can in this context."

Jason Evans / jason.evans@swwmedia.co.uk / @EvansTheCrime

Swansea,South Wales - Five quad bikes stolen in five days in a spate of thefts across Gower, Swansea and Swansea Valley

Police say five quad bikes have been stolen in five days

POLICE are calling on people living in rural communities to be on their guard after five quad bikes were stolen in just five days.

The thefts happened from farms and isolated commercial buildings, and police are calling on people to beef-up their security.

The first theft happened on Sunday, October 25, when a quad bike was taken from a farm near Birchgrove.

There was a further theft from a farm - this time in Trebanos in the Swansea Valley - on Tuesday, and then one from a farm in Kittle, Gower, the following day.

Two further thefts were reported on Thursday of this week from a garage in Llanrhidian, Gower, and a from farm in Rhydyfro near Pontardawe.

A spokesman for South Wales Police said: "The thefts have occurred across a wide area of Swansea and the Swansea Valley and they remain under investigation.

"Owners of quad bikes are being reminded to ensure their property is securely locked and there is adequate security in place.

"Police are appealing to anyone with information to come forward."

Can you help? Call South Wales Police in Swansea 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111

Jason Evans / jason.evans@swwmedia.co.uk / @EvansTheCrime

Pontyates,South Wales - Burglars took "substantial amount of alcohol and cigarettes" from Pontyates petrol garage

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Wrexham,Caia Park,North Wales - Police car ablaze on Wrexham estate

It really is a war Zone in Wrexham!

Published date: 30 October 2015 |

Published by: Staff reporter
Read more articles by Staff reporterEmail reporter

Credit: Jason Samuels

A POLICE car is on fire in Wrexham.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service was called to the fire in Queensway, Caia Park shortly before 9.30am today.

The cause of the blaze is yet to be established.

For more news from across the region visit newsnorthwales.co.uk

Bridgend,South Wales - Dog walker's warning as she finds mystery booby traps in popular woods

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Mystery booby traps have been found in woods popular with children and dog walkers.

Dangerous lengths of barbed trip wires were strung between trees and across a path at ankle height.

The wires were removed by dog walker Pat Jones - but she was shocked to see some had been replaced the following day.

The traps were found near where a drugs den was found by police in the woods at Brackla near Bridgend, South Wales.

by Shelter

Police have removed all the wires - and have set up patrols in the woods.

Pat, 52, who was exercising her cocker spaniel Baxter said: "They were well hidden but luckily my dog spotted them before me.

"They were at a height where they would have cut the top of his chest or legs.

"Children have always played in these woods and it's just not safe for them any more."

Local councillor Hailey Townsend said: "Such an irresponsible act could have serious consequences and people should be alert when using the woods."

Abergavenny, South Wales - South Wales mother punched in brutal robbery for her three pug puppies

Liz Swain following the attack and. right, the pug puppies

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A mother was punched in the face in a brutal robbery in her own home - for her three pug puppies.

Liz Swain, 55, was ambushed at her home by two raiders for her pedigree pups worth £1,500 each.

Dog-lover Liz allowed a man posing as a buyer into her home after advertising to sell her tiny eight-week-old pug pups.

She refused to let him to take the pups outside to show a bogus "daughter" waiting in a car outside.

So he returned with an accomplice to punch her in the face - and the pair tried to dog-nap the three pugs before fleeing into the night.

Two of the tiny puppies managed to escape and were later found by family members hiding behind a sofa.

And the third pug was returned to Liz yesterday after being traced by Gwent Police. A man, 22, was arrested.

Liz, of Abergavenny, South Wales, said: "It was terrible. I've never known anything like it. I was terrified."

But she was yesterday delighted that the missing pug was returned to her home at Abergavenny.

Det Cons Hannah Lawton and Wayne Lewis returned the pug personally to Liz.

Liz described her pups as her "babies" - and friends dubbed the thugs as "scumbags" and "cowards" for attacking a defenceless woman.

She was yesterday getting medical attention after being attacked in her neat rural home in the Welsh countryside.

Her son Justin, 35, said: "They punched her several times and stole three of her babies.

"Mum tried to put up a fight but lost to two grown men, the cowards left her in a right mess."

A Gwent Police spokesman said: "We are pleased to report that the pug is now safely back with its family.

A 22 year old man from the Nottingham area has been arrested in connection with the robbery and has been bailed pending further enquiries.

Swansea,South Wales - Man threw partner to floor and 'gouged' the inside of her cheek with his nails

Paul Anthony Edwards

A MAN threw his partner to the floor and thrust his hand into her mouth and "gouged" the flesh on the inside of her cheek with his nails leaving her "physically and emotionally devastated", a court has heard.

Swansea Crown Court heard that Paul Anthony Edwards was on bail for dangerous driving following a high-speed car chase when he set-upon his victim in the early hours of the morning while drunk or "on something".

Edwards, from Penlan, has a previous conviction for assaulting a former partner.

Lisa McCormick, prosecuting, told the court that on the evening of May 30 traffic officer PC Lee Christer was in his patrol car on Cockett Road in Cockett when he saw a Fiat Punto being driven in the opposite direction at excessive speed.

The officer turned his car around and caught-up with the Punto at Fforestfach Cross — when the traffic lights turned green the Punto sped away, wheel-spinning as it left the junction.

There then followed a chase along Pentregethin Road at speeds touching 70mph, with Edwards going through a red light at the Ravenhill Road junction, and at one point driving into oncoming traffic as he overtook a bus.

The weather conditions on the evening were described as very rainy and with poor visibility.

Edwards eventually abandoned the car and fled on foot — police traced him via his partner, who was the registered owner of the vehicle.

But the 28-year-old, from Nolton Court, failed to turn up at court to face the driving charges and an arrest warrant was issued - he was on bail and wanted when, in the early hours of September 26, he assaulted his partner at the house they shared in Manselton.

The court heard that Edwards got home around 5.30am after a night out, and seemed to his partner to be "either intoxicated or on something". A row later broke-out about money he owed her, and he grabbed his partner by the neck and threw her to the floor - he then sat astride her, thrust a hand into her mouth and "gouged" the inside of her cheek with his nails.

His victim needed seven stitches in the wound, and in a statement read to court said the attack had left her "physically and emotionally devastated".

Edwards had previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop for a police officer, driving with no insurance and wounding when he appeared via videolink for sentencing.

Judge Keith Thomas jailed Edwards for eight months for the dangerous driving and eight months for the wounding, both sentences to run consecutively. No separate penalty was imposed for the other offences.

He also disqualified the defendant from driving for 12 months.

The judge also made Edwards the subject of a five year restraining order banning him from contacting his now former partner.

Jason Evans / jason.evans@swwmedia.co.uk / @EvansTheCrime

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Saturday, October 31, 2015

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Swansea,South Wales - Man threw partner to floor and 'gouged' the inside of her cheek with his nails