It is not normally the remit of Cambrian News to comment on matters that are before the courts. In one recent case, it would be remiss of this newspaper not to do so.

The court file in question involves three men involved in a late-night incident on Aberystwyth promenade on 5 October 2019.

Swansea Crown Court heard last week how an argument about a cigarette lighter very quickly escalated into a dangerous act where a car was driven at high speed at pedestrians on the prom.

Video footage of the incident shows the car repeatedly being driven in a loop along the promenade.

A man was treated for non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the incident where the car was wilfully driven at pedestrians.

The three men involved in this shocking incident received suspended jail sentences and have been ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Richard Allen, 21 of Sheldon in Birmingham was handed a 22-month sentence, suspended for 12 months, after admitting affray, causing criminal damage to a police cell, and breaching bail.

Darren George Dragoonis, 25, from Milstead Road in Birmingham, was sentenced to 16 months, suspended for 12 months, for admitting affray. Another man from Marson Green, Solihull — Jack Paul Smith, 21 — was also sentenced to 16 months, suspended for 12, after pleading guilty to affray and being in possession of cannabis.

Judge Huw Rees told the trio that they had “been welcomed in Aberystwyth, a well-known tourist town and you had thrown the welcome back in their faces.”

He said the three men “richly deserve to go to prison” but noted there had been an “increased maturity” in the three men since the incident.

Quite frankly, the trio should consider themselves very lucky indeed — so much so that we wonder whether the suspended sentences in this case does indeed fit the crime.

In other cities, the driving of cars or other vehicles is an act of terror. That’s not the case in Aberystwyth. There is a very fine line indeed between the recklessness shown by these, and others who have tried to kill by driving.

Maybe it’s time suspended sentencing guidelines were reviewed. Either way, these three should find no welcome mat in Wales.