A pair of friends threatened to smash police station and garage windows after a van containing a child’s birthday presents was seized.

Anthony Thomas Douglas Jones, of Vetch Close, Pembroke, and Charlie Samuel Price, of Castle Quarry, Long Mains, Monkton, appeared together in the dock at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, February 11.

The men, both aged 28, pleaded guilty to threatening to smash windows at Pembroke Dock police station and Millforge garage.

Prosecuting, Vaughan Pritchard-Jones said police seized Price’s vehicle, which they believed had been abandoned untaxed at the roadside, and took it to a local garage.

Price and Jones went to the garage after finding the van missing on January 10, and were ‘not happy’ when told they would be required to pay a fee and arrange for the vehicle to be taxed and insured before it would be released to them.

The pair then visited Pembroke Dock police station and became irate as they stated there was no reason for the vehicle to be seized, as they incorrectly believed it was on private land.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said: “The two men became abusive and threatening, saying if they did not get the vehicle back they would smash the windows of the police station.”

Both men returned to the garage and threatened to smash windows there if the vehicle was not returned, and were arrested .

Price claimed he became angry when derogatory comments were made.

Jonathan Webb, defending, said the morning had been ‘somewhat emotive’, as Price had left his daughter’s birthday presents in the seized van and wanted them back.

“He accepts that he lost his temper.”

Mr Webb added: “Mr Jones felt that the level of animosity towards them was really not fair.”

“They would never have carried out the threats, they were sounding off. They are sorry for doing it.”

Magistrates sentenced both men to 12-month community orders with 120 hours of unpaid work.

They were ordered to pay £175 in costs and a surcharge.

The chairman of the bench said: “While your defence solicitor says that the threats would never be carried out, at the time these people did not know that.”