Ceredigion singer admits fraud charges

A singer from Ceredigion has pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud lined to the illegal breeding of dogs.

Sara Pritchard Davies, 29, from Prengwyn, Llandysul, had originally pleaded not guilty to two charges, but has changed her plea before a trial was due to begin on Monday, 9 November.

At Swansea Crown Court on Thursday, teacher, Pritchard Davies pleaded guilty to being involved in a fraudulent business relating to illegal dog breeding and another of acquiring £33,629 from criminal conduct.

In December last year, Thomas John Jones pleaded guilty to participating in a fraudulent dog breeding business between March 2015 and November 2023.

The court was told that Pritchard Davies and Jones has been a couple but were no longer together.

Owen Edwards KC told the court at a previous hearing that the business was worth about £1m, with profits approaching the same amount.

Pritchard Jones will be sentenced on 14 December and was told that neither she nor Jones would receive an immediate custodial sentence.

Last week, three people including a Ceredigion county councillor, were found not guilty of illegal dog breeding and fraud after the prosecution offered no evidence against them.

Euros Davies, 61, from Llys y Wawr, Penffordd, Cwmsychbant, who is the independent councillor for the Llanwenog ward on Ceredigion County Council, had previously pleaded not guilty to a charge of participating in a fraudulent business of dog breeding between 1 March 2015 and 17 February 2022, is the member for Llanwenog on Ceredigion County Council.

29-year-old Rhydian Davies, of Gwarcefel Farm, Prengwyn, Llandysul, also previously pleaded not guilty to participating in a fraudulent business of dog breeding between 1 March 2015 and 17 February 2022.

Delyth Mathias, 30, of 32 Carmarthen Street, Cardiff pleaded not guilty to two charges.

In December, Thomas John Jones, 28, pleaded guilty to participating in a fraudulent dog breeding business between March 2015 and November 2023.

Prosecutor Owen Edwards KC told Swansea Crown Court that the case against Euros Davies, Rhydian Davies and Delyth Mathias had been "carefully considered" and it had been decided to offer no evidence.

The three were formally found not guilty by Judge Huw Rees.

The case was brought by Ceredigion County Council and led by its trading standards team.

The authority said it had considered legal advice and reviewed the case before deciding against presenting evidence against the three.

Nerys Wyn Davies, 56, previously pleaded guilty to charges relating to illegal dog breeding. The court heard she had supplied 72 dogs.

Rebecca Ellen Bailey, 31, from Llangrannog, pleaded guilty to "making an article in the commission of fraud" and providing false information in relation to nine dachshund puppies at Castle House Veterinary Practice.

Bailey and Davies will also be sentenced on 14 December.

Peter Jones, Cara Barrett and David Bethell accepted cautions in relation to the case.

Teacher, Pritchard Davies, won the coveted Cân i Gymru prize in 2024 following a live public vote with a song named Ti.