Latest news with #CardiffMagistrates'Court
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Minister harassed by Palestine activists
A government minister was "terrified" after being confronted by two pro-Palestine activists while campaigning, a court has heard. Alex Davies-Jones said she felt "scared and intimidated" after being approached by Ayeshah Behit, 31, and Hiba Ahmed, 26, both from Treforest, Rhondda Cynnon Taf. Cardiff Magistrates' Court heard Ms Behit and Ms Ahmed had leaflets describing the MP for Pontypridd as a "full-blown supporter of this genocide" in Gaza. Ms Davies-Jones, a justice minister, was approached while leafletting in the defendants' hometown on 26 June last year ahead of the general election - Ms Ahmed and Ms Ahmed deny their actions amounted to harassment. Ms Davies-Jones said she was asked questions "around the conflict in Israel and Palestine and my conduct as an MP, if I had taken part in votes, membership of organisations such as Labour Friends of Israel". "They asked me about the ceasefire and why I had abstained. I clarified I hadn't abstained, I wasn't in the country, I was paired in that vote," she added. "It was escalating in terms of passion and intensity. We walked off in the opposite direction. We felt scared and intimidated and we wanted to leave the situation. "They began to follow us. They were shouting and bellowing down the street at us - 'why do you support genocide, why are you murdering babies, Alex Davies-Jones, do you support genocide?"' Women in court accused of harassing MP over Gaza How controversial US-Israeli backed Gaza aid plan turned to chaos Hamas makes hostage pledge but demands changes to US Gaza ceasefire plan Ms Davies-Jones said the two defendants also handed out leaflets and put posters on the Labour office in Pontypridd that referred to politicians "enabling genocide". She told the court their actions left her feeling "terrified" and a video of the confrontation was uploaded on to social media with the caption, describing Ms Davies-Jones as racist, was "manipulated in a way that made it seem I had lied". Ms Davies-Jones said, as a result of the incident, she reduced campaigning sessions and had to be accompanied by close protection officers. Ms Ahmed said she and Ms Behit wanted to raise awareness of Ms Davies-Jones's actions on Palestine ahead of the election and had planned to hand out and post leaflets that afternoon when they saw their MP coming towards them. Ms Ahmed said she filmed the video "because I thought nobody would believe me" adding that "it felt like a really normal conversation between people who don't agree on something". Ms Behit told the court "it was never about Alex as a person... part of her job as an MP is having people look at her policies, her opinions and how she voted," she said. Their trial continues.
Wales Online
a day ago
- Politics
- Wales Online
Welsh Labour MP tells court of 'terrifying' harassment
Welsh Labour MP tells court of 'terrifying' harassment Ayeshah Behit, 31, and Hiba Ahmed, 26, are on trial at Cardiff Magistrates' Court accused of harassing Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones in the lead-up to the general election Pontypridd Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones has spoken in court during the trial of two people accused of harassing her (Image: Daily Mirror ) A Welsh MP has recounted in court how she was left "terrified" after a confrontation with two pro-Palestinian campaigners while on an election trail. Alex Davies-Jones, Labour MP for Pontypridd, relayed the incident at Cardiff Magistrates' Court during the trial of Ayeshah Behit, 31, and Hiba Ahmed, 26, who are contesting harassment charges. The trial, part heard at the magistrates' court on Monday, disclosed that while Ms Davies-Jones, a justice minister, was visiting Treforest village, Rhondda Cynon Taf, on June 26, she encountered Behit and Ahmed distributing controversial leaflets that labelled her a "full-blown supporter of this genocide", alluding to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Giving her testimony, Ms Davies-Jones said: "I was asked a number of questions around the conflict in Israel and Palestine, and my conduct as an MP, if I had taken part in votes, membership of organisations such as Labour Friends of Israel." She further explained: "They asked me about the ceasefire and why I had abstained. I clarified I hadn't abstained, I wasn't in the country, I was paired in that vote." Describing the intensity of the incident, she told court: "It was escalating in terms of passion and intensity. We walked off in the opposite direction. We felt scared and intimidated and we wanted to leave the situation." Concerned for her team's safety, she added: "I had a number of young members with me. They already felt uncomfortable, I didn't want them to feel more at risk. Article continues below "They began to follow us. They were shouting and bellowing down the street at us: 'Why do you support genocide, why are you murdering babies, Alex Davies-Jones, do you support genocide?'." Ms Davies-Jones recounted how her team had entered the University of South Wales campus and resumed their canvassing, only to encounter Behit and Ahmed again roughly 20 minutes later. She detailed the unsettling experience of Labour volunteers engaging with residents, while being shadowed by the two defendants distributing leaflets and accusing her of "supporting genocide and murdering babies". The decision was made to wrap up early after they found one of their vehicles had been "covered with stickers and leaflets". The same day Behit and Ahmed escalated their campaign against the Labour office in Pontypridd, which served as the hub for Ms Davies-Jones' general election efforts, plastering it with posters alleging complicity in "enabling genocide". In a further act of provocation, they fixed stickers to the office in bold black letters stating: "Alex Davies-Jones how many murdered children is too many?". They also positioned a poster on a nearby bus stop declaring "Alex Davies-Jones supports genocide". Ms Davies-Jones told the court: "I was terrified. I was scared about what things they were going to do and what they were doing." A video of the confrontation was then uploaded onto social media, with the caption describing Ms Davies-Jones as racist. She added: "The abuse was endless. It was awful. It was relentless. I felt under attack. The video was clipped and manipulated in a way that made it seem I had lied." Following the daunting experience the MP for Pontypridd since 2019 has significantly cut back on public engagements, now having to be escorted by security personnel. Ms Davies-Jones spoke of the heartbreak surrounding the killings of Jo Cox and Sir David Amess, stating: "They have an impact on all of us. They have changed our lives fundamentally in how we live and work." When testifying in court, Ahmed disclosed her and Behit's intentions to spread information about Ms Davies-Jones' stance on Palestine before the elections. Ahmed, residing in Treforest with Behit, shared their spontaneous encounter with the MP saying: "I was genuinely really surprised when I saw her. I've lived in Treforest for a couple of years, I've never seen her." She likened spotting the MP to a rare sighting: "It was like seeing a celebrity almost, like a unicorn in the wild. I took the video because I thought nobody would believe me. It was a surprise when she approached us and said hi and she was willing to have a conversation." According to Ahmed, the exchange seemed civil despite differing viewpoints: "It felt like a really normal conversation between people who don't agree on something. Have you ever seen MPs talk to each other in the House of Commons? They can be quite brutal to each other." Ahmed commented that it was her inaugural experience distributing leaflets, following previous engagement with Ms Davies-Jones through email and peaceful demonstrations. "This wasn't really about her, it was about Palestine," she clarified. Behit informed the court: "She was running for MP and where I lived there were posters everywhere. It was constant, everywhere you looked was pro-Alex. "My intention was to show a different perspective, to get people to do their own research. It was never about Alex as a person. Part of her job as an MP is having people look at her policies, her opinions and how she voted." Article continues below Both accused reject the notion that their conduct constituted harassment. Their trial continues. Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Justice minister ‘terrified' by actions of pro-Palestinian activists, court told
A Government minister has told a court she was 'terrified' after being confronted by two pro-Palestinian activists while campaigning in the lead-up to the general election. Alex Davies-Jones, the Labour MP for Pontypridd, gave evidence at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on Monday in the trial of Ayeshah Behit, 31, and Hiba Ahmed, 26, who deny harassment. The court heard how Ms Davies-Jones, a justice minister, had arrived in the village of Treforest, Rhondda Cynon Taf, on the afternoon of June 26 last year. As she made her way to the campaign meeting place, she saw Behit and Ahmed with leaflets describing her as a 'full-blown supporter of this genocide' – referring to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Ms Davies-Jones told the court: 'I was asked a number of questions around the conflict in Israel and Palestine, and my conduct as an MP, if I had taken part in votes, membership of organisations such as Labour Friends of Israel. 'They asked me about the ceasefire and why I had abstained. I clarified I hadn't abstained, I wasn't in the country, I was paired in that vote. 'It was escalating in terms of passion and intensity. We walked off in the opposite direction. We felt scared and intimidated, and we wanted to leave the situation. 'I had a number of young members with me. They already felt uncomfortable, I didn't want them to feel more at risk. 'They began to follow us. They were shouting and bellowing down the street at us – 'why do you support genocide, why are you murdering babies, Alex Davies-Jones, do you support genocide?'' Ms Davies-Jones said her group walked into the University of South Wales campus, then continued their campaigning but saw Behit and Ahmed about 20 minutes later. She described how Labour volunteers were knocking on doors and talking to constituents, followed by the two defendants handing out leaflets and claiming she 'supported genocide and murdering babies'. The team decided to finish early but discovered one of their vehicles had been 'covered with stickers and leaflets', Ms Davies-Jones said. Later that day, Behit and Ahmed put posters on the Labour office – the base of Ms Davies-Jones' campaign for the general election – in Pontypridd that referred to politicians 'enabling genocide'. They also placed stickers in black capital letters reading 'Alex Davies-Jones how many murdered children is too many?' on the office, and a poster reading 'Alex Davies-Jones supports genocide' on a bus stop. When asked about how their actions made her feel, Ms Davies-Jones told the court: 'I was terrified. 'I was worried because of the risk to my team and supporters, and my reputation given it was the general election and what that would mean. 'I was scared about what things they were going to do and what they were doing.' A video of the confrontation was then uploaded onto social media, with the caption describing Ms Davies-Jones as racist. She added: 'The abuse was endless. It was awful. It was relentless. I felt under attack. The video was clipped and manipulated in a way that made it seem I had lied.' Ms Davies-Jones said that as a result of the incident, she reduced campaigning sessions and had to be accompanied by close protection officers. The politician, who was first elected as MP for Pontypridd in 2019, described the murders of fellow MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess as 'devastating'. 'They have an impact on all of us,' Ms Davies-Jones said. 'They have changed our lives fundamentally in how we live and work.' Giving evidence, Ahmed said she and Behit lived in Treforest and had wanted to raise awareness of Ms Davies-Jones' actions on Palestine ahead of the election. She said the defendants, both of Treforest, had planned to hand out and post leaflets that afternoon when they saw their MP coming towards them. Ahmed said: 'I was genuinely really surprised when I saw her. I've lived in Treforest for a couple of years, I've never seen her. 'It was like seeing a celebrity almost, like a unicorn in the wild. 'I took the video because I thought nobody would believe me. It was a surprise when she approached us and said hi and she was willing to have a conversation. 'It felt like a really normal conversation between people who don't agree on something. 'Have you ever seen MPs talk to each other in the House of Commons? They can be quite brutal to each other.' Ahmed said it was her first time leafleting, having previously emailed Ms Davies-Jones and taken part in peaceful protest. 'This wasn't really about her, it was about Palestine,' she said. Behit told the court: 'She was running for MP and where I lived there were posters everywhere. It was constant, everywhere you looked was pro-Alex. 'My intention was to show a different perspective, to get people to do their own research. It was never about Alex as a person. 'Part of her job as an MP is having people look at her policies, her opinions and how she voted.' Both defendants deny that their actions amounted to harassment.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Justice minister ‘terrified' by actions of pro-Palestinian activists, court told
A Government minister has told a court she was 'terrified' after being confronted by two pro-Palestinian activists while campaigning in the lead-up to the general election. Alex Davies-Jones, the Labour MP for Pontypridd, gave evidence at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on Monday in the trial of Ayeshah Behit, 31, and Hiba Ahmed, 26, who deny harassment. The court heard how Ms Davies-Jones, a justice minister, had arrived in the village of Treforest, Rhondda Cynon Taf, on the afternoon of June 26 last year. As she made her way to the campaign meeting place, she saw Behit and Ahmed with leaflets describing her as a 'full-blown supporter of this genocide' – referring to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Ms Davies-Jones told the court: 'I was asked a number of questions around the conflict in Israel and Palestine, and my conduct as an MP, if I had taken part in votes, membership of organisations such as Labour Friends of Israel. 'They asked me about the ceasefire and why I had abstained. I clarified I hadn't abstained, I wasn't in the country, I was paired in that vote. 'It was escalating in terms of passion and intensity. We walked off in the opposite direction. We felt scared and intimidated, and we wanted to leave the situation. 'I had a number of young members with me. They already felt uncomfortable, I didn't want them to feel more at risk. 'They began to follow us. They were shouting and bellowing down the street at us – 'why do you support genocide, why are you murdering babies, Alex Davies-Jones, do you support genocide?'' Ms Davies-Jones said her group walked into the University of South Wales campus, then continued their campaigning but saw Behit and Ahmed about 20 minutes later. She described how Labour volunteers were knocking on doors and talking to constituents, followed by the two defendants handing out leaflets and claiming she 'supported genocide and murdering babies'. The team decided to finish early but discovered one of their vehicles had been 'covered with stickers and leaflets', Ms Davies-Jones said. Later that day, Behit and Ahmed put posters on the Labour office – the base of Ms Davies-Jones' campaign for the general election – in Pontypridd that referred to politicians 'enabling genocide'. They also placed stickers in black capital letters reading 'Alex Davies-Jones how many murdered children is too many?' on the office, and a poster reading 'Alex Davies-Jones supports genocide' on a bus stop. When asked about how their actions made her feel, Ms Davies-Jones told the court: 'I was terrified. 'I was worried because of the risk to my team and supporters, and my reputation given it was the general election and what that would mean. 'I was scared about what things they were going to do and what they were doing.' A video of the confrontation was then uploaded onto social media, with the caption describing Ms Davies-Jones as racist. She added: 'The abuse was endless. It was awful. It was relentless. I felt under attack. The video was clipped and manipulated in a way that made it seem I had lied.' Ms Davies-Jones said that as a result of the incident, she reduced campaigning sessions and had to be accompanied by close protection officers. The politician, who was first elected as MP for Pontypridd in 2019, described the murders of fellow MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess as 'devastating'. 'They have an impact on all of us,' Ms Davies-Jones said. 'They have changed our lives fundamentally in how we live and work.' Giving evidence, Ahmed said she and Behit lived in Treforest and had wanted to raise awareness of Ms Davies-Jones' actions on Palestine ahead of the election. She said the defendants, both of Treforest, had planned to hand out and post leaflets that afternoon when they saw their MP coming towards them. Ahmed said: 'I was genuinely really surprised when I saw her. I've lived in Treforest for a couple of years, I've never seen her. 'It was like seeing a celebrity almost, like a unicorn in the wild. 'I took the video because I thought nobody would believe me. It was a surprise when she approached us and said hi and she was willing to have a conversation. 'It felt like a really normal conversation between people who don't agree on something. 'Have you ever seen MPs talk to each other in the House of Commons? They can be quite brutal to each other.' Ahmed said it was her first time leafleting, having previously emailed Ms Davies-Jones and taken part in peaceful protest. 'This wasn't really about her, it was about Palestine,' she said. Behit told the court: 'She was running for MP and where I lived there were posters everywhere. It was constant, everywhere you looked was pro-Alex. 'My intention was to show a different perspective, to get people to do their own research. It was never about Alex as a person. 'Part of her job as an MP is having people look at her policies, her opinions and how she voted.' Both defendants deny that their actions amounted to harassment. Their trial continues.
Western Telegraph
24-05-2025
- Western Telegraph
Pembrokeshire defendants in courts across Wales and England
The five defendants were accused of drug possession, drug-driving, and failing to identify drivers who were alleged to have committed driving offences. Their cases were heard in courts in Cardiff, Cwmbran, Aldershot, London, and Carlisle. For the latest crime and court news for west Wales, you can join our Facebook group here. Here's a round-up of the cases. HANNAH WINTERTON, 24, of Chapel Row in Llangwm, was driving on the M4 at Cardiff whilst under the influence of cannabis. Winterton was driving a Vauxhall Corsa on the westbound M4 between junctions 32 and 33 on October 26. When tested, she recorded having 5.9 micrograms of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol per litre (µg/L) of blood. The legal limit – to exclude accidental exposure – is 2µg/L. She pleaded guilty to drug-driving at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on May 2, and was banned from driving for 14 months. Winterton must also pay a £120 fine, £85 in costs, and a £48 surcharge. MILFORD HAVEN PORT AUTHORITY, of Gorsewood Drive in Hakin, has been ordered to pay more than £1,000 for not identifying a driver who was accused of a driving offence in Hampshire. The Port Authority was alleged to have failed to give information to Hampshire Police relating to identity of the driver of a Nissan Juke, who was suspected of having committed a driving offence. It pleaded guilty at Aldershot Magistrates' Court on April 28, and was ordered to pay a £660 fine, £110 in costs, and a £260 surcharge. JOHN ASHBY, now 38, of Laws Street in Pembroke Dock, was caught in London with LSD and cannabis. Ashby was alleged to have been in possession of the drugs at Victoria Station at August 31. He pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates' Court on April 30, and was fined £100. A forfeiture and destruction order was made for the drugs. ANDREW BARTON, 58, of Rickeston, outside Milford Haven, failed to identify a driver accused of a motoring offence. Barton was accused of failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver of a Seat who was alleged to have committed a driving offence in Cumbria. He pleaded not guilty, but was found guilty at Carlisle Magistrates' Court on May 2. Barton was fined £300 and was ordered to pay £325 in costs and a £120 surcharge. He also had six points added to his licence. JAMIE WHITE, 34, of Freystrop, has been ordered to pay almost £500 after not identifying a driver. White was accused of failing to give Gwent Police information relating to the identification of the driver of a Volkswagen Caddy who was alleged to have committed a motoring offence. He pleaded guilty using the single justice procedure, and was hit with a £278 fine at Cwmbran Magistrates' Court on May 8. White must also pay £90 in costs and a £111 surcharge, and had six points added to his licence. He avoided a driving ban for accumulating too many points due to the mitigation given to the court.
