St Asaph break-in: Burglars sentenced over Oriel House incident 2026

Key Points

• Kelly Evans, 47, and Jonathan Fish, 41, carried out a break-in at the former Oriel House Hotel and wedding venue on Upper Denbigh Road, St Asaph, on Sunday, August 23.
• Both have been charged with burglary with intent to steal and found guilty at Mold Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, September 9.
• Each has been given a 12-month community order for 140 hours unpaid work.
• Both have been made to pay £85 prosecution costs by the Crown Prosecution Service and a statutory surcharge of £114; Fish to pay within 28 days and Evans in £40 per week from Monday, October 12.
• Oriel House ceased operations in January 2025 after the company owning it went into liquidation; the property is currently up for sale at £1.8 million freehold price.

St Asaph (Wales Times) October 03, 2026 – A man and a woman have been fined and given community orders after breaking into the former Oriel House hotel and wedding venue in uk/local/st-asaph/">St Asaph, according to court proceedings reported by the Rhyl Journal.

Kelly Evans, 47, of Haulfryn, Ruthin, and Jonathan Fish, 41, of Maes Y Dre, Denbigh, targeted the property on Upper Denbigh Road on Sunday, August 23, as reported by Kelly Evans of the Rhyl Journal. Both were subsequently charged with burglary with intent to steal and pleaded guilty on Wednesday, September 9, the Rhyl Journal reported.

Sentencing details and court orders

At Mold Magistrates’ Court, both defendants received 12‑month community orders that include a requirement to complete 140 hours of unpaid work within the next year, as outlined in the Rhyl Journal’s court report. In addition to the community orders, they were each ordered to pay costs to the Crown Prosecution Service of £85 and a statutory surcharge of £114, according to the same report.

The court set different payment terms for the two defendants. Jonathan Fish must pay his costs and surcharge in a full lump sum within 28 days, while Kelly Evans will pay in weekly instalments of £40 starting from Monday, October 12, the Rhyl Journal stated.

Property background and recent history

Oriel House closed in January 2025 after the firm which owned it went into liquidation, the Rhyl Journal reported. The building has operated as a hotel since the 1960s, but its origins date back further: it was originally built as a private residence in the 19th century before later becoming a boys’ school, according to the same outlet.

Following its closure, the property was placed on the market with a freehold price of £1.8 million, as reported by the Rhyl Journal. The report also noted that rumours suggesting the site might be used to house asylum seekers have been quashed, though no further details on those claims were provided in the article.

What do we know about the defendants?

Kelly Evans, 47, lives in Haulfryn, Ruthin, the Rhyl Journal reported. Jonathan Fish, 41, is from Maes Y Dre, Denbigh, according to the same source. Both pleaded guilty to burglary with intent to steal in connection with the August 23 incident at the former hotel and wedding venue, the outlet stated.

How was the case reported and by whom?

The incident and subsequent court outcome were covered by the Rhyl Journal, which identified the defendants, their addresses, the date of the offence, the charges, and the sentencing terms. As reported by Kelly Evans of the Rhyl Journal, the pair targeted the old Oriel House hotel on Upper Denbigh Road on Sunday, August 23. The same journalist reported that both defendants pleaded guilty on Wednesday, September 9, and received community orders with unpaid work requirements.

What are the financial penalties and payment schedules?

Beyond the community orders, both defendants must pay £85 in Crown Prosecution Service costs and a £114 statutory surcharge, the Rhyl Journal stated. Jonathan Fish is required to pay this amount in a single lump sum within 28 days, while Kelly Evans will pay in weekly instalments of £40 beginning Monday, October 12, according to the report.

What is the current status of the Oriel House site?

Oriel House has been closed since January 2025, following the liquidation of the company that owned it, the Rhyl Journal reported. The site has been marketed for sale at a freehold price of £1.8 million, the outlet stated. The building’s history as a 19th‑century private residence, later a boys’ school and then a hotel from the 1960s, was also set out in the Rhyl Journal’s account.

Background to the development at Oriel House

The break‑in occurred at a prominent local landmark that had functioned as a hotel and wedding venue for decades before its 2025 closure. Oriel House’s transition from a 19th‑century private home to a boys’ school and then to a hotel since the 1960s underlines its long‑standing role in the local hospitality and events sector, according to the Rhyl Journal. Its closure after the owning firm’s liquidation left the building vacant and on the market, a circumstance that can increase vulnerability to unauthorised entry, as reflected in this case.

Prediction: How could this incident affect local residents and businesses?

This development is likely to reinforce concerns among St Asaph residents and nearby businesses about security at vacant commercial premises, particularly high‑profile sites such as former hotels and event venues. For local enterprises, the case may prompt reviews of perimeter security, lighting, and alarm monitoring at empty or under‑used properties to deter similar offences. For the community, the visible enforcement action—community orders, unpaid work, and financial penalties—may provide reassurance that breaches are being pursued through the courts, while also highlighting the practical challenges of safeguarding large, closed sites during periods of market uncertainty.