Author: Rhys Gregory

A man from Swansea has been jailed after pleading guilty to multiple counts of historic sexual offences involving a child. 37-year-old James Thomas, from Morriston, committed the offences when the victim was between the ages of 14-15. The offences took place over a period of six months. Thomas pleaded guilty to the offences of two counts of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15, one count of causing/inciting the victim to engage in sexual activity, and three counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15. He has been sentenced to four years and…

A 40-year-old man who spat in a police officer’s eye has been jailed. Stephen Lewis Vickery, of Helens Crescent, Pentraeth, appeared at Llandudno Magistrates Court last week, Friday 11th July, where he admitted to two counts of assault by beating an emergency worker. On 23rd May, Vickery was placed under arrest due to being wanted on a recall to prison. As he was handcuffed, he began to act violently towards officers, aggressively kicking and punching at them. Vickery continued to resist being arrested before spitting directly into the eye of a police officer. He was jailed for one year. District…

Cardiff is set to take a bold step in the fight against bike theft with the upcoming launch of secure cycle storage lockers across the city, offering a safer and more sustainable option for cyclists. Ahead of the official rollout on 1 August 2025, Cardiff Council has unveiled details of the scheme, giving residents and commuters a first look at what to expect. The new storage solution introduces secure, high-quality bike lockers that will be installed in key city centre locations. In total, 30 lockers will be in place as part of the initial phase, with plans to expand to 100…

Fourteen community sports clubs including football, basketball, disability athletics, cycling and rugby teams have benefitted from Cardiff Council grants to improve their facilities. In total, £200,000 has been awarded through the scheme, which was delivered in partnership with Cardiff Met Sport. Projects funded include improvements to pitch and changing facilities, a new all-weather mountain bike track, a new minibus, and the installation of floodlights to enable winter training. The scheme prioritised grant applications which would: increase participation in disadvantaged areas. promote safe and inclusive environments. improve accessibility to facilities. increase sport participation and promote active lifestyles; and benefit the local…

More than 20 Men’s Sheds across Swansea have successfully applied for funding from the council to support their work in providing friendly places where men and women can socialise, take part in activities and learn new skills if they wish. They include two new sheds at Jersey Park Pavilion and Sketty Bowls Club where members say the grants will make a big difference to what they provide. During recent years Swansea Council has invested more than £100k in supporting new and existing groups and the network of Men’s Sheds has grown from single figures to more than 25. In May…

Council Leader Cllr Steve Hunt has welcomed the official start of work on site to build a new state-of-the-art Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) at Tata Steel’s site in Port Talbot. The project, which received full planning approval earlier this year from Neath Port Talbot Council, will develop the UK’s largest low-carbon steelmaking facility. Cllr Hunt said: “This is start of a new era for a town which has been shaped by steelmaking and now looks to take its place at the forefront of a greener steel industry.” “I would like to commend the role our planning department has played in…

Milford Marina was transformed into a vibrant space for learning, connection, and community collaboration during the Summer Safety Fest 2025 on Thursday July 3rd. Running in the afternoon under the bridge – a location previously identified as a hotspot for anti-social behaviour (ASB) – the event brought together young people, families, and a wide network of partners to promote safety, wellbeing, and positive choices ahead of the summer holidays for young people. Organised as part of Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week (30th June–6th July) by ASB Youth Worker Taylor Trueman, the event responded directly to local concerns about behaviours such as…

Work has started on a local flood alleviation scheme at the Dan Y Cribyn housing estate, to deliver a significant investment for the community. The Welsh Government scheme is being delivered in two phases of work, covering the whole area of the housing estate, which will be completed during August 2025. The scheme will carry out re-lining work across the culverted length of the ordinary watercourse network. It follows a review of the asset surveys undertaken within the area, and the work intends to reduce flood risk to several ordinary watercourses and their associated culvert network. The Council has appointed…

Nominations are now open for the 2025 Sport Caerphilly Sport Awards and we want to hear from you. Celebrate the incredible contributions of local clubs, coaches, and volunteers by submitting your nominations by 10pm on 22nd August. Awards up for nomination include Young Volunteer of the Year (Under 18), Volunteer of the Year, Inclusive Coach of the Year, Community Coach of the Year, Club of the Year, Lifetime Achievement to Sport, Community Club of the Year and Coach of the Year, recognising excellence at every level of sport and physical activity across Caerphilly County Borough. The awards evening will be…

The build of a multi-million-pound High Value Engineering Campus (HiVE) in Blaenau Gwent is complete, ready to welcome STEM learners from across the country in September. Blaenau Gwent Council, who led the project, today officially handed the facility over to Coleg Gwent, who will spend the summer kitting out the space with state-of-the-art robotics, advanced manufacturing technologies, and immersive digital tools. The 21,808-square-foot campus will offer high-tech training and education for young people and businesses in robotics, and advanced manufacturing in fields such as automotive, aerospace, and information technology. The Council secured £10.8million funding from UK Government (£9.3m Levelling Up…