Live: Wales breaking news plus weather and traffic updates (Monday, June 3)

Pro-Palestine protest brings traffic in Cardiff to standstill

A pro-Palestine protest has brought rush-hour traffic in Cardiff to a standstill. Footage posted on social media on Monday evening showed demonstrators sitting on Park Place, Boulevard de Nantes and Stuttgarter Strasse in opposition to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza which has killed more than 36,000 Palestinian civilians. South Wales Police advised motorists to avoid the area.

You can follow live updates from Cardiff city centre here.

Road in Gwent shut due to crash

Emergency services are dealing with a crash on the A462 near Tredomen, with diversions put in place.

Road closed

Emergency services are dealing with a road traffic collision on the A462 near Tredomen. br>
The road is currently closed, and diversions are in place which may cause congestion.

Please avoid the area and find alternative routes for your journey.

Thank you.” pic.twitter.com/ojqVQdOG7s

— Gwent Police (@gwentpolice) June 3, 2024

Van driver killed triathlete after hitting back of her bicycle, court hears

A triathlete was killed after being hit from behind by a van driver while taking part in a time trial event, a court has heard. When asked why he had hit the cyclist, the driver responded: “I don’t know what happened, I really don’t.”

Rebecca Comins, 52, was struck by a Vauxhall Movano van driven by Vasile Barbu on the A40 near Raglan, in Monmouthshire, on June 2, 2022. She was thrown from her bike and died after suffering blunt chest injuries.

A trial at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday heard Barbu, 49, of Abergavenny, denies causing death by dangerous driving, but has admitted causing death due to careless driving.

Read more here.

Love Island’s two Welsh contestants favourites to win

With the brand new series of Love Island kicking off on ITV2, the bookmakers have been rolling out the odds on who will end up being the winners of the 11th series. Starting at 9pm on Monday, June 3, a new batch of sexy singles are arriving in paradise to play the ultimate game of love.

Among them are Aberdare’s Nicole Samuel and Pencoed’s Ciaran Davies. Just a few hours before the show, fronted by Maya Jama, kicks off, Nicole was named joint favourite to be the top female contestant this year, according to William Hill.

Read more here.

Vaughan Gething walked off after being asked questions by a journalist

A company that bankrolled Vaughan Gething’s successful bid to become Wales’ First Minister was linked to a criminal investigation at the time, it has emerged. As part of his leadership bid to become Welsh Labour leader he accepted £200,000 from a firm controlled by millionaire businessman David Neal.

BBC Wales Investigates has found a criminal investigation into suspected environmental offences by one of Mr Neal’s firms, Resources Management Limited (RML), is being carried out by Natural Resources Wales (NRW). RML runs the Withyhedge landfill site near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, which people have complained since October 2023 is a “stink bomb on steroids”.

Read more here.

Man brutally attacked homeless woman before filming himself raping her

A rapist brutally attacked a homeless woman in Cardiff city centre before forcing her to strip naked and filmed himself raping her. Liam Stimpson physically beat her, and after raping her tripped her up, punched her and kicked her to the head.

Stimpson, 24, encountered his victim after he had gone out to celebrate his birthday. He was said to have utterly degraded and humiliated her, and stole “her last ounce of dignity”.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday heard the defendant had been out drinking vodka before meeting the victim.

Read more here.

Man went on crime spree night after night

A man went out night after night looking for things to steal from parked cars, a court has heard. Over the space of a fortnight Daniel Franks stole a haul of items from cash, wallets and bank cards to packets of crisps, power tools, cash, and even an urn of ashes.

The defendant has 35 previous thefts on his record – the vast majority of which involve stealing from vehicles – and at the time of his most recent spree was out of prison on licence after being jailed for burglary and thefts from cars. He was identified as the person responsible for the new offending thanks to the police’s facial recognition technology.

Read more here.

Crime spree man found hiding in cupboard

A man went out night after night looking for things to steal from parked cars, a court has heard.

Over the space of a fortnight Daniel Franks stole a haul of items from cash, wallets and bank cards to packets of crisps, power tools, cash, and even an urn of ashes.

A470 delays warning

There is a warning of delays on the A470 as a van has broken down.

It has stopped on the Abercynon roundabout heading northbound.

Traffic officers en route, congestion in the area.

Warmest on spring on record

The UK had its warmest May and meteorological spring on record according to provisional Met Office figures in what was also a wet and dull season for many.

May 2024’s average mean temperature of 13.1°C for the UK beat 2008’s previous record figure of 12.1°C in a series which dates back to 1884.

The month’s mean temperature has been influenced particularly by above average temperatures in the northern half of the UK, with Scotland’s May mean temperature of 12.3°C beating 2018’s previous record by 1.6°C. England and Northern Ireland also set a mean temperature record for the month of May, while Wales equalled its figure from 2008.

Wales rugby squad announcement

Warren Gatland has named four uncapped players in his Wales squad for the summer Tests against South Africa and Australia.

Cardiff’s Ellis Bevan and Jacob Beetham, Ospreys’ Keelan Giles and Gloucester Rugby’s Josh Hathaway have been included in Gatland’s 36-man squad. Read the full round up here.

Prison officer admits smuggling drugs into jail

A prison officer at HMP Parc smuggled drugs into the prison with the intention of dealing the substances. She also received a sum of money to convey the drugs behind bars.

Jodie Beer, 30, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday where she pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office. Read more here.

Cooler conditions on the way

BBC Weather says cooler conditions are on the way for most this week.

The forecast says: “It’ll be most noticable of course on the cloudier days The chart below shows how temperatures over the coming days compare to normal. The average for early June is 13-19C.”

Man burgled pensioner’s flat as she lay in the garden

A man took advantage of a pensioner who was lying in the garden in pain with a suspected broken hip to burgle her flat, a court has heard.

Patrick Doyle went into the woman’s home while she was waiting for paramedics and rifled through cupboards and drawers looking for things to steal – and then burgled a neighbouring flat too.

Mum says son was slashed in prison violence

A mother has told how her son was slashed with a knife to the face four times on Friday at the troubled Parc prison.

Rhian Thomas spoke to WalesOnline about her fears for her son Callum Thomas after the 26-year-old was reportedly left needing around 1,000 stitches for wounds to his face and arm.

Road where 100 drivers fined

The locations where motorists have been nabbed for speeding in 20mph zones across part of Wales have been unveiled, with one particular stretch seeing over 100 offences.

The enforcement of the new default limit has sparked controversy. Read more here.

Gatland to announce summer team

Warren Gatland will announce his squad for the summer matches against South Africa and Australia today.

The coach is expected to stick with his policy of blooding young players, although there could be returns for the likes of senior men Liam Williams and Cory Hill. You can follow live here.

Tributes paid to rugby legend

The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to “legend of Rugby League” Rob Burrow, after his death aged 41 following a lengthy battle with motor neurone disease.

The MND Association said Burrow was a “passionate advocate” for people with the “brutal” disease, and William said that the former England international had a “huge heart”. Here are the tributes laid outside his old rugby club.

Thousands reportedly not paid child benefit

HMRC has now said there IS an issue with child benefit payments, after initially denying there were any problems. Over the weekend, thousands of parents complained that they had not received the payment.

The agency confirmed they had heard the reports, but issued a statement on Monday morning to say there wasn’t any issue and asked people to check their bank accounts. An hour later, they issued an update admitting they were “aware some customers’ child benefit payments have not arrived”. Read more here.

Weather changes ahead

BBC Breakfast weather presenter Matt Taylor has said there is some weather changes ahead as the jet stream heads south tomorrow.

He says this will mean:

• Low pressure starts to dominate
• All areas gradually turn cooler
• Breeze picks up
• Showers become frequent in north and west
• Some in south and east may stay largely dry though

Gatland makes announcement amid crisis

Warren Gatland will name his Wales squad for the summer matches against South Africa and Australia later today as he faces a second row crisis for the match against the Springboks later this month.

Wales will face the reigning world champions at Twickenham on June 22 before travelling Down Under for two tests against the Wallabies and a clash with Queensland Reds in July. Read the rugby morning headlines here.

Kevin Sinfield writes the most beautiful tribute

The former rubgby league player has expressed his profound sorrow at the loss of “a great man” following the death of his friend and former teammate Rob Burrow.

Leeds Rhinos announced on Sunday that Burrow had died at the age of 41 after a courageous battle with motor neurone disease (MND). Sinfield, who alongside Burrow raised millions for MND charities, shared a heartfelt tribute, saying: “Today was the day th at I hoped would never come.” Read what he said here.

Met Office forecast for Monday

Dry with bright or sunny spells today. Here is the full forecast for Wales today:

A cloudy and damp start in places, with some patchy drizzle, mainly on hills. Otherwise, largely dry with the cloud breaking up to give some bright or sunny spells during the afternoon. Feeling warm in the sunshine, with light winds. Maximum temperature 22 °C.

Dry with variable cloud and clear spells overnight. Becoming increasingly cloudy, with some patchy drizzle on hills by dawn. A mild night, locally cooler under the clearest spells. Light winds. Minimum temperature 6 °C.

Good morning

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