The High Sheriff of Clwyd is delighted to announce that four boys who gave evidence in a murder trial, and were praised by a judge for their courage, have each been awarded a High Sheriff’s Court award of £100. In the trial at Caernarfon Crown Court earlier this year, an Abergele man was found guilty of murder and his partner convicted of the manslaughter of 54-year-old Paul Blackledge who had been felled with a single punch outside a pub. His Honour Judge Merfyn Hughes QC said “There were four young witnesses who were present at the time and saw what had happened. Despite the pressure put on them by both defendants they had the courage to stand up to them by informing the police and making statements as to what had happened on that particular night. “Thereafter they gave evidence and despite being challenged the jury accepted their evidence as truthful and accurate. That experience of these four young boys must have been very unnerving, and they are to be commended for their courage and resilience.” The Awards were made during Mrs. Celia Jenkins’ year in office and featured at the High Sheriff’s Annual Community Service Awards held in Wrexham recently. Over 100 winners and guests at the event heard Assistant Chief Constable Simon Shaw’s powerful speech about the boys experience and the outstanding good-citizenship that each one of them displayed. Former High Sheriff of Clwyd Celia Jenkins said: “Court Awards are not made lightly and it is testament to the courage of these young men that His Honour Judge Merfyn Hughes felt compelled to recognise them. I am delighted to have been able to present the boys with their Awards.”Mae’n bleser gan Uchel Siryf Clwyd gyhoeddi ei bod wedi dyfarnu £100 yr un i bedwar bachgen a gafodd eu canmol gan farnwr am eu dewrder ar ôl iddynt roi tystiolaeth yn y llys mewn achos o lofruddiaeth.
Yn y treial yn Llys y Goron Caernarfon yn gynharach eleni, cafwyd dyn o Abergele yn euog o lofruddiaeth a’i bartner yn euog o ddynladdiad Paul Blackledge, 54 oed, a gafodd ei daro i’r llawr a’i ladd y tu allan i dafarn.
Meddai Ei Anrhydedd y Barnwr Merfyn Hughes QC: “Roedd pedwar bachgen yn dyst i’r hyn ddigwyddodd ac er y pwysau a roddodd y ddau ddiffynnydd arnynt, roedd y pedwar yn ddigon dewr i roi gwybod i’r heddlu a gwneud datganiadau ynglŷn â beth ddigwyddodd y noson honno.
“Wedi hynny fe wnaethant roi tystiolaeth yn y llys ac er iddynt gael eu herio, cafodd eu tystiolaeth ei derbyn gan y rheithgor fel cyfrif gwir a chywir o’r hyn ddigwyddodd. Nid oes dwywaith y byddai’r profiad hwn wedi bod yn un eithaf brawychus i’r pedwar dyn ifanc a rhaid eu cymeradwyo am eu dewrder a’u gwytnwch.”
Dyfarnwyd y gwobrau yn ystod blwyddyn Mrs Ceilia Jenkins yn ei swydd fel Uchel Siryf Clwyd a chawsant eu cyflwyno yn seremoni Gwobrau Gwasanaeth Cymunedol yr Uchel Siryf a gynhaliwyd yn Wrecsam yn ddiweddar. Clywodd dros 100 o enillwyr a gwesteion araith rymus Prif Gwnstabl Cynorthwyol Gogledd Cymru, Simon Shaw, ynghylch profiad y bechgyn a’r ddinasyddiaeth ragorol y gwnaeth y pedwar ei arddangos.
Meddai Celia Jenkins: “Nid yw Gwobrau’r Llys yn cael eu dyfarnu ar chwarae bach ac mae’n brawf o ddewrder y dynion ifanc yma bod Ei Anrhydedd y Barnwr Merfyn Huws wedi teimlo bod yn rhaid iddo eu cydnabod. Braint i mi oedd cael cyflwyno’r gwobrau i’r bechgyn.”