Noisy Pembroke Dock neighbour hit with Criminal Behaviour Order after court clash

Paul McNally of Laws Street appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on November 19 where he admitted breaching a Community Protection Notice served by Pembrokeshire County Council.

Magistrates heard how McNally repeatedly thumped his ceiling and hurled expletives at the tenant above, causing “significant alarm and distress.” He falsely claimed he was retaliating to noise from the flat upstairs — but council evidence showed the neighbour was simply carrying out everyday tasks like running taps or flushing the toilet.

Evidence caught on noise app

Complaints were logged with the council and backed up by recordings from The NoiseApp and sound monitoring equipment.

Despite being served with a Community Protection Warning and later a formal Community Protection Notice under the Anti‑Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, McNally’s behaviour continued.

The council prosecuted, and magistrates fined him £162, ordered him to pay a £65 victim surcharge, and hit him with £1,000 in costs.

What is a Criminal Behaviour Order?

Definition:
A Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) is a court order designed to stop persistent offenders from causing harassment, alarm or distress.

When it can be imposed:
Only after someone has been convicted of a criminal offence. The court must be satisfied the offender’s behaviour has caused, or is likely to cause, nuisance or distress.

What it does:
A CBO can prohibitrequire

Duration:
Orders can last for a fixed period or indefinitely, depending on the seriousness of the behaviour.

Breaches:
Breaking a CBO is a criminal offence. It can lead to fines or a custodial sentence.

Background:
CBOs replaced Anti‑Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) in England and Wales in 2014 as the main tool to tackle repeat nuisance behaviour.

Criminal Behaviour Order imposed

Magistrates imposed a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) designed to stop further noise and abuse. Any breach will be referred back to court and could result in a custodial sentence.

Cllr Jacob Williams said:

“A Community Protection Notice is a formal legal notice that can be issued by councils to curb this sort of nuisance behaviour, which can have an awful impact on people’s quality of life.

Unfortunately the CPN in this case was not complied with, so the authority was left with no option but to take the matter to court. The result is a conviction, coming at a significant cost to the defendant, which wouldn’t have happened had the CPN been followed.”

What it means for residents

The case highlights how councils can use legal powers to tackle persistent anti‑social behaviour in communities. For neighbours, it means protection from harassment and noise — and for offenders, the risk of fines or even prison if they refuse to comply.

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Pembrokeshire News

Catch up on the latest court reports, council updates, and community stories from across Pembrokeshire.

View all Pembrokeshire stories

#antiSocialBehaviour #antisocialBehaviour #communityProtectionNotice #criminalBehaviourOrders #lawsStreet #noisyNeighbours #pembrokeDock #pembrokeshireCouncil #pembrokeshireCountyCouncil

Two Pembrokeshire takeaways with 1 star hygiene ratings prosecuted for displaying much higher scores

Court told of misleading displays

Seven Spice in Pembroke Dock and USA Fried Chicken in Milford Haven were both found to be misleading customers by showing hygiene ratings of 3, 4 or 5, despite their most recent inspections giving them the lowest possible score above zero.

At Seven Spice, inspectors first visited in November 2024 and found the menu failed to include the required bilingual statement directing customers to the official hygiene rating. A fixed penalty notice was issued but not paid.

When officers returned in January 2025, the business was displaying stickers showing ratings of 4 and 5, even though its official rating was 1. Further penalty notices and letters went unanswered.

At USA Fried Chicken, an inspection in November 2024 found a sticker showing a rating of 3, when the correct rating was 1. Again, a fixed penalty notice was issued but not paid, and letters from the council were ignored.

Fines imposed by magistrates

Both cases were heard at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on 16 October.

• Arkan Ullah, of Seven Spice, pleaded guilty. He was fined £660, ordered to pay £800 costs and a £264 victim surcharge.
• Kamuran Babahan, of USA Fried Chicken, failed to appear. The case was proved in his absence and he was fined £1,000, with £400 costs and a £400 victim surcharge.

Both were convicted of displaying invalid food hygiene stickers, contrary to the Food Hygiene (Rating) Wales Act 2013.

Council: ‘We will take action’

Cllr Jacob Williams, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, said:

“The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme is designed to help consumers make informed decisions about where to eat or buy food. An essential part of that is displaying the rating where it is visible so potential customers can see clear information on the hygiene standards of the business.

“Where a business fails to display the correct rating they are committing an offence and we will take action.”

What it means for customers

The council said the prosecutions underline the importance of businesses displaying their official hygiene ratings accurately. Customers are encouraged to check the Food Standards Agency’s online ratings database if they are unsure about a venue’s score.

Related food hygiene stories

Cockroach infestation shuts Singleton Hospital kitchen for a month
A major hospital kitchen in Swansea was forced to close for four weeks after inspectors discovered a cockroach infestation.

Port Talbot restaurant shut down over cockroach infestation and filthy conditions
Environmental health officers closed a Port Talbot restaurant immediately after uncovering cockroaches and poor hygiene standards.

Rodent‑infested Clydach food business shut down on the spot by hygiene inspectors
A Clydach takeaway was closed immediately when inspectors found evidence of a rodent infestation.

Council issues food safety advice for Swansea businesses after fines handed out
Swansea Council reminded businesses of their legal duties after a series of prosecutions for food hygiene offences.

#1StarHygieneRating #CllrJacobWilliams #foodHygiene #foodHygieneRating #MilfordHaven #PembrokeDock #PembrokeshireCouncil #SevenSpiceRestaurant #USAFriedChicken

HRH The Princess Royal visits Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre

#PembrokeDock #StarWars #FanthaTracks #HRHThePrincessRoyal #MillenniumFalconExperience #PembrokeDock

The Princess returned to the Falcon last week at the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre.

Read the whole story at the below link:

https://www.fanthatracks.com/news/conventions-events/hrh-the-princess-royal-visits-pembroke-dock-heritage-centre/?fsp_sid=41289

Rail disruption hits Pembrokeshire as urgent safety repairs close line to Pembroke Dock

Train services between Pembroke and Pembroke Dock have been suspended for ten days following the discovery of a track defect, with Network Rail now working to carry out urgent repairs. The closure, which will last until midnight on Wednesday, July 31, affects the final stretch of the Carmarthen to Pembroke Dock line.

While Transport for Wales (TfW) operates the trains along the line, it is Network Rail that maintains the infrastructure—and they are responsible for addressing the fault. TfW has arranged replacement buses via Francis Mini Travel to bridge the gap, but passengers should expect altered schedules and potential delays.

A statement from TfW noted: “We have been made aware of a track defect between Pembroke and Pembroke Dock. For safety reasons, train services are unable to run through the area.”

Trains departing Pembroke for Carmarthen will hold for incoming passengers, and road transport calling points are posted at stations and available online.

Political reaction: Concerns over tourism, freight, and future maintenance

The Welsh Conservatives have voiced concern that the disruption could hit tourism and local business hard during peak season.

Sam Rowlands MS, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport & Infrastructure, said: “It will come as a disappointment to the commuters and passengers who use this service regularly and TfW must do all they can to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.” “The people of Pembrokeshire rely on this line, not just for commuting, but for tourism and local business and this incident has the potential to severely impact the area.” “While the bus replacement is welcome, it is the bare minimum. Transport for Wales must investigate how this situation has arisen and what they will do to ensure vital connections are properly maintained in future.”

South Pembrokeshire MS Samuel Kurtz added: “While safety is paramount, there will be frustration felt locally and disruption must be kept to a minimum.” “This is a key line into the port town of Pembroke Dock and the onward sailings to Rosslare, so the replacement bus service is welcome.” “Having worked alongside the South Pembrokeshire Rail Action Group to lobby for improvements to services in South Pembrokeshire, this urgent safety work must act as a catalyst to ensure the return of an hourly service as a minimum.”

Engineering works reshape South Wales infrastructure

Separately, Network Rail has launched a major upgrade programme across South Wales rail corridors, scheduled between Saturday 2 August and Monday 11 August. This includes several critical sections of the Swansea District Line, a route that typically carries freight traffic alongside a small number of daytime passenger services.

The line forms part of the proposed Swansea Metro, a regional transport vision aimed at enhancing connectivity, accessibility, and modal integration across southwest Wales. Upgrades here support the groundwork for future service expansion and strategic mobility.

Planned works include:

• Between Dynevor Junction and Morlais Junction: Track renewals and maintenance to improve freight movement and safeguard occasional services like the Fishguard boat train.
• Jersey Marine to Hendy: Drainage enhancements and railbed stabilisation designed to reduce weather-related vulnerability and service delays.
• Penllergaer Tunnel to Grovesend, and the Llangyfelach Tunnel area: Full-scale rail and drainage works will strengthen infrastructure and mitigate long-term service interruptions.

Though the Swansea District Line currently sees just two to three scheduled passenger services daily (Monday–Saturday), improvements signal growing recognition of its value—not only in freight but as a strategic corridor in Wales’ future rail ambitions.

#BoatTrainCardiffToFishguard #CarmarthenToPembrokeDockLine #FreightRouteUpgradesSwansea #LlangyfelachAndPenllergaerTunnelRepairs #MetroStrategySwanseaBay #NetworkRail #NetworkRailUrgentRepairs #Pembroke #PembrokeDock #PembrokeDockRailClosure #PembrokeshireTrainServices #RailwayDelaysWestWalesJuly2025 #RailwayReplacementBusesWales #RegionalTransportImprovementsWales #SouthPembrokeshireRailActionGroup #SouthWalesMetro #SouthWalesRailUpgrades #SwanseaDistrictLine #SwanseaDistrictLineEngineering #SwanseaMetro #SwanseaMetroTransportPlan #TrackDefectPembrokeTrainLine #TrainServiceDisruptionsPembrokeshire #TransportForWalesDisruption #WalesRailResilienceWorks #WelshRailwayInfrastructure

Yeah maybe a Sunderland Flying Boat wasn’t the best tool for the job here, bechgyn? #StarWars #PembrokeDock #Aircraft.

(Shenanagins at Pembroke Dock Falcon Fun day!)

Falcon Fun Day: Monday 26th May 2025

#MillenniumFalcon #PembrokeDock #StarWars #FanthaTracks #pembrokedock #millenniumfalcon 

Head to Pembroke in Wales for the fourth Falcon Fun Day.

Read the whole story at the below link:

https://fantha.news/7ns0g

Budget supermarket reveals not so Lidl expansion plans

Lidl GB has announced plans to invest half a billion pounds in its expansion, as the discounter moves forward with plans to open more than 40 new stores across the country this financial year.

In addition to the store openings, Lidl has also published a list of locations it wants to open new stores – including high streets, retail parks, and mixed-use town centre sites. This includes more than a dozen stores in South West Wales.

There are also places where the budget supermarket wants to relocate several existing stores to provide a larger building.

Lidl currently has 980 stores across the UK and employs over 34,000 people.

Richard Taylor, Chief Real Estate Officer at Lidl GB, said: “This level of investment is a clear sign of our ambition. As we enter our fourth decade in Great Britain and hurtle towards a thousand stores, there are still so many parts of the country crying out for convenient access to a Lidl store. That’s why we welcome the measures proposed in the Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill – they recognise the urgent need to remove barriers to development and support the kind of growth we at Lidl are working towards.”

“Our latest site requirements brochure reinforces the scale of our ambition for the future. New Lidl stores mean new jobs, new opportunities for British suppliers, and continued investment into local economies. We’re proud to be one of the fastest-growing supermarkets in the country, and with this investment, we’re taking another big step in our journey.”

All the places in South West Wales Lidl wants to open new stores

Swansea

Lidl has announced 3 locations in Swansea where it wants to open new stores in Morfa, Killay or Sketty and Mumbles. It has also said it wants to relocate its existing Penlan store.

Neath Port Talbot

The budget supermarket has said that it wants to open a new store in Port Talbot – East or Margam.

Carmarthenshire

Lidl wants to open new stores in two locations in Carmarthenshire. One in Burry Port and another to the North of Llanelli.

Pembrokeshire

The supermarket has revealed ambitions to open a one new store in Pembrokeshire, somewhere in Tenby. It also wants to relocate its existing Pembroke Dock store.

Bridgend County

There are four locations Lidl has aspirations to open new stores in Bridgend County, in Bridgend Town, Bridgend – East or Pencoed, Maesteg and Pyle.

South Powys

Lidl has said they’d like to open a new store in Ystradgynlais.

#Bridgend #BurryPort #Business #Killay #Lidl #Llanelli #Maesteg #Margam #MorfaRetailPark #Mumbles #PembrokeDock #Pencoed #Penlan #Pyle #retail #Sketty #supermarket #Swansea #Tenby #Ystradgynlais