News

Court action follows tanker’s second accident

Published

11 years ago

May 28, 2015

AN OIL TANKER which ran aground in Milford Haven in 1996 spilling an estimated 73,000 tonnes of crude oil is at the centre of a new controversy, The Herald can reveal.

Following the disaster, the repaired vessel went through the hands of a series of owners only to be scrapped in 2012 – but whilst attempting to dock for scrapping in Bangladesh she was ruptured again, this time by a sunken vessel.

The matter has ended up at Bangladesh’s highest court, and the case is listed for a mention on Tuesday (May 12).

On the evening of 15 February 1996 the Sea Empress was entering the mouth of the Cleddau on her way into Milford Haven to deposit its oil cargo at Texaco refinery. Sailing against the outgoing tide, at 20:07HRS the ship was pushed off its course by the current, and hit rocks in the middle of the channel, which punctured her starboard hull causing oil to pour out into the bay. The total cost of the cleanup operation was approximately £60 million.

The Sea Empress, which was salvaged and repaired, was re-christened MV Sea Spirit. The ship, however, was renamed a further four times. She was later renamed MV Front Spirit, and then renamed again, being sold under the name MV Ocean Opal, to Chinese buyers. They used her as a floating storage and offloading unit from 2004.

In 2010, she was converted in Shanghai into a bulk carrier, and re-flagged as the Panamanian registered MV Welwind. In 2012, she was renamed for a fifth time; MV Wind 3.

On June 3, 2012 the 274-metre long vessel was brought to Chittagong in Bangladesh for dismantling at the Shitakunda ship breaking yard. On the way to the yard, she developed a crack in one side of its engine room following a collision with a sunken ship, Hang Ro Bong, when she was attempting to anchor at the B (Bravo) anchorage of the por t.

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) removed the vessel from the outer anchorage of Chittagong port.

Rice-laden Hang Ro Bong capsized in the Bay in a collision with another ship on April 6, 2011

Following allegation of oil spillage from the former Sea Empress vessel, a team led by the CPA Deputy Conservator Captain Najmul Alam on CPA salvage vessel Kandari-10, visited the spot.

At the time Najmul told a local newspaper in Bangladesh, The Daily Star, that they did not found any presence of oil floating on the Bay at the outer anchorage.

The private salvage company, Prantik, took responsibility to salvage the sunken ship. But now Prantik Bengal Salvage is taking legal action against the owner’s of the ship and other parties, and the case continues this week.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

9 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include:

Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
Common assault
Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

10 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second count of assault
Criminal damage
An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

10 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional non-fatal strangulation
Common assault on a woman
Criminal damage in a domestic context
Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.