Police officers remain posted outside a property that was the centre of a major disturbance in Monkton last night (Tuesday) following postings on social media.

Western Telegraph:

A posting on Facebook made an allegation that a sex offender was living in the area, prompting a large crowd - thought to number into the hundreds - to gather at the property.

There were reports of items being thrown at property and windows smashed.

Western Telegraph:

Police arrived in numbers to calm the crowd with reinforcements brought in from across the Dyfed-Powys Force area.

Video taken at the scene and posted online shows large numbers of people shouting at the property for an occupant to be brought out. 

There were angry scenes as police with dogs held the crowd back and chants as the occupants of the property were removed.

Photgrapher Martin Cavaney told the Western Telegraph: "It all kicked off about 10pm with a post on Facebook that the woman was living at Gwilliam Court.

"There was a large crowd when I got there on both sides of the property. Police car tyres let down, screams of 'paedo' and 'nonce'. 

"There was a large police presence about 40-50 - they tried to calm the situation and clear the crowd but failed.

"An Inspector told the crowd to disperse, then about 3am large group of police, some armed some with riot shields and a dog moved on the house and removed the occupants.

"The crowd were screaming and it started to get out of hand - very angry scenes."

He said it was the largest disturbance he had ever seen in Pembrokeshire during a long career of covering news incidents in the county.

 Western Telegraph:

A Dyfed-Powys police statement made at 5.30am, said: 

"The disturbance at Gwilliam Court, Monkton, was brought to a conclusion at approximately 3am with support from South Wales Police and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Team.

Western Telegraph:

(Martin Cavaney Picture)

"Two occupants from within a property were safely removed.

"Members of the public that had gathered were issued with a Section 35 Dispersal Order, which assists in the movement of people within a designated area for a period of 48 hours.

"The incident concluded at around 3.40am with the crowd having dispersed and with no arrests made."

Western Telegraph:

Martin Cavaney Picture. 

A Pembrokeshire County Council spokesman said: "We are aware of an incident on a council estate in Monkton last night.

"Housing officers from Pembrokeshire County Council attended the scene at the request of police.

"Dyfed-Powys Police have been dealing with the matter."

This morning (Wednesday) - the scene was a lot calmer but two police officers remained outside the property which now has some windows boarded up.

It is understood the woman was not the tenant of the property at Gwilliam Court.

One who witnessed the scenes of protest was nearby resident Stuart Ferrier.

“I got here about 8.30-nine; I got told about it [the alleged sex offender living at the address] a week ago.

“The first police car showed up about 8.30-nine, before I knew it there were about 40 there.

“It was jam-packed; everyone was just really angry that people like that were getting put on the estate; the council must’ve known what she had done, and the police.

“You don’t know anything about anybody until it all comes out; I was just disgusted about the things she had done; she’s been advertising looking for babysitter work.”

He said the protests showed Monkton’s community spirit.

“That’s the good thing about Monkton: Monkton will band together; it started off with two officers, and another car came, they were just getting frustrated with the crowd, thinking the crowd wanted to be violent.

“I think the police response was fair, but they should’ve got her out of the estate before things got out of hand; it took until 3.40am-ish to get her out of the estate.

“I wouldn’t say the crowd was being hostile, it was just out of pure anger at a person being put there; not at the police. It wasn’t a violent protest, it was just ‘get her out of Monkton and we’d all go back to bed’.”

He said part of the frustration and was down to fears Monkton could be being used as a ‘dumping ground’.

“That’s what the crowd was angry about; because Monkton has had that bad name for years; it’s not like that anymore.”

PICTURES: 100-strong angry mob involved in late-night Monkton disturbance

VIDEO: 'Sex offender' fears spark angry protest from parents in Pembroke Dock

PICTURES: Monkton protests enter third day as families meet with police

Another resident, Mark Briskham, said: “She’s been on Facebook advertising to look after children; the authorities should’ve got involved; it’s bang out of order how they left her here.

“Now you just don’t know whether they are safe or not.”

He said the protests had been peaceful.

“The boys quietly sat around the fire [on common ground next to Gwillam Court], they were very happy, as long as the officers got her out.”

Later on, he said, the situation changed, as if a pre-planned police approach to the situation had been devised.

Anecdotal reports suggest riot shield equipped police may have also been armed with tasers.

“The police used dogs, they didn’t need to do that; the police were very heavy-handed, pushing little girls off the wall.

“There were 40 coppers down the alleyway and cops on every corner; it was a waste of police time.

 “They spoke nice to you, and next minute, as soon as they’ve done the little plan, it’s ‘get back,’ throwing you off walls and choking people by the throat.

 “It was peaceful until the police started using brute force, everything was calm; there were one or two loudmouths, but considering there were 200-odd people there you’re going to get it; my three-week-old baby slept through it.”

A resident, who was very vocal during the protest, but wished to remain anonymous, said: “I will say I'm glad she's gone. My three young girls walked past her flat every day for eight months not knowing what or who she was.

“The council and police admitted last night they know she was here living, which is so wrong knowing there are hundreds of young children living around her. She befriended a lot of my female friends, who are mothers. They all got took in by her. She even asked to look after their children, and one actually let her take her small child for the day out in the pram. It turns my stomach to think someone like that who is known to the authorities is put in our community.”