Crime

Woman found dead on Fishguard ferry as brawl erupts onboard

Published

9 months ago

February 26, 2025

A WOMAN has been found dead in the toilets of a Stena Line ferry sailing from Fishguard to Rosslare, sparking a violent brawl and a major emergency response at Rosslare Harbour on Tuesday (Feb 25).

Gardaí have launched an investigation into “all the circumstances” surrounding the death, which occurred aboard the 2:00pm sailing of the Stena Nordica. Officers were called to the vessel just after 5:00pm when it docked in Ireland, where a man was arrested in connection with the incident. He remains in custody under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda station in the Eastern Region.

FATAL DISCOVERY

The woman, understood to be a 40-year-old Irish national, was discovered unresponsive in a toilet cubicle on board and was pronounced dead at the scene. She was reportedly part of a group traveling to Ireland. The circumstances of her death remain unclear, and a crime scene has been declared. Her body was not removed immediately, as forensic officers carried out investigations overnight.

An autopsy is being carried out at Waterford University Hospital, and Gardaí have confirmed that the results will determine the course of their investigation.

BRAWL ERUPTS ONBOARD

It is understood a “violent incident” took place onboard the ferry prior to its arrival at Rosslare. Approximately 30 minutes before docking, the ship’s captain made an emergency call as tensions escalated. Witnesses say a violent confrontation erupted among a group of passengers, with Gardaí forced to intervene upon arrival.

Armed Gardaí and the Public Order Unit boarded the vessel as soon as it arrived at the port, sealing off the area as a crime scene. A number of ambulances were also deployed to the scene.

A Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) has been appointed to lead the inquiry, and a Family Liaison Officer (FLO) has been assigned to support the deceased’s family.

INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY

A Garda spokesperson confirmed: “Gardaí in Wexford are investigating all of the circumstances surrounding the death of a woman following an incident on board a passenger ferry en route to Rosslare, Co. Wexford this evening. Gardaí and emergency services were alerted to the incident shortly after 5:00pm and embarked the ship, which is currently docked at Rosslare Harbour. A woman was later pronounced deceased, and her body remains at the scene.”

The scene has been preserved for technical and forensic examination. The Office of the State Pathologist and the local Coroner have been notified.

LOCAL REACTION

Local councillor Ger Carthy, who attended the scene in his role as an ambulance officer, described the situation as deeply distressing: “There’s an air of shock and sadness here in Rosslare tonight over what unfolded on board the Stena Nordica. Regardless of the circumstances, at the centre of this is a woman who has lost her life, and the thoughts of the community are with her family.”

He praised the swift multi-agency response: “The speed and efficiency of the emergency services in handling such a serious incident show that the mechanisms are in place to react quickly when needed.”

SAILING DISRUPTIONS

Stena Line confirmed that services were severely impacted, with the 7:30pm sailing from Rosslare and the 1:30am sailing from Fishguard both cancelled as a result of the incident.

A spokesperson for the company stated: “An incident occurred this afternoon on the 2:00pm sailing from Fishguard to Rosslare. This is a police matter, so we are directing all further questions to the Gardaí.”

All passengers booked on the cancelled Rosslare to Fishguard sailing were accommodated by Irish Ferries on their 8:45pm service to Pembroke.

Passengers and crew members are expected to be interviewed as part of the investigation. Authorities are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

WERE YOU ON THE FERRY?

The Herald would like to hear from any passengers on board the Stena Nordica during Tuesday’s sailing from Fishguard. If you witnessed the events or have any information, please contact our newsroom via Facebook.

Crime

Swansea man dies weeks after release from troubled HMP Parc: Investigation launched

Published

3 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SWANSEA man has died just weeks after being released from HMP Parc, the Bridgend prison now at the centre of a national crisis over inmate deaths and post-release failures.

Darren Thomas, aged 52, died on 13 November 2025 — less than a month after leaving custody. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has confirmed an independent investigation into his death, which is currently listed as “in progress”.

Born on 9 April 1973, Mr Thomas had been under post-release supervision following a period at HMP/YOI Parc, the G4S-run prison that recorded seventeen deaths in custody in 2024 — the highest in the UK.

His last known legal appearance was at Swansea Crown Court in October 2024, where he stood trial accused of making a threatening phone call and two counts of criminal damage. During the hearing, reported by The Pembrokeshire Herald at the time, the court heard he made threats during a heated call on 5 October 2023.

Mr Thomas denied the allegations but was found guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to a custodial term, which led to his imprisonment at HMP Parc.

Parc: A prison in breakdown

HMP Parc has faced sustained criticism throughout 2024 and 2025. A damning unannounced inspection in January found:

Severe self-harm incidents up 190%
Violence against staff up 109%
Synthetic drugs “easily accessible” across wings
Overcrowding at 108% capacity

In the first three months of 2024 alone, ten men died at Parc — part of a wider cluster of twenty PPO-investigated deaths since 2022. Six occurred within three weeks, all linked to synthetic drug use.

Leaked staff messages in 2025 exposed a culture of indifference, including one officer writing: “Let’s push him to go tomorrow so we can drop him.”

Six G4S employees have been arrested since 2023 in connection with alleged assaults and misconduct.

The danger after release

Deaths shortly after release from custody are a growing national concern. Ministry of Justice data shows 620 people died while under community supervision in 2024–2025, with 62 deaths occurring within 14 days of release.

Short sentences — common at Parc — leave little time for effective rehabilitation or release planning. Homelessness, loss of drug tolerance and untreated mental-health conditions create a high-risk environment for those newly released.

The PPO investigates all such deaths to determine whether prisons or probation failed in their duties. Reports often take 6–12 months and can lead to recommendations.

A system at breaking point

The crisis at Parc reflects wider failures across UK prisons and probation. A July 2025 House of Lords report described the service as “not fit for purpose”. More than 500 people die in custody annually, with campaigners warning that private prisons such as Parc prioritise cost-cutting over care.

The PPO investigation into the death of Darren Thomas continues.

Crime

Woman stabbed partner in Haverfordwest before handing herself in

Published

4 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Court Reporter

A WOMAN who stabbed her partner during a drug-fuelled episode walked straight into Haverfordwest Police Station and told officers what she had done, Swansea Crown Court has heard.

Amy Woolston, 22, of Dartmouth Street in Milford Haven, arrived at the station at around 8:00pm on June 13 and said: “I stabbed my ex-partner earlier… he’s alright and he let me walk off,” prosecutor Tom Scapens told the court.

The pair had taken acid together earlier in the day, and Woolston claimed she believed she could feel “stab marks in her back” before the incident.

Police find victim with four wounds

Officers went to the victim’s home to check on him. He was not there at first, but returned shortly afterwards. He appeared sober and told police: “Just a couple of things,” before pointing to injuries on his back.

He had three stab or puncture wounds to his back and another to his bicep.

The victim said that when he arrived home from the shop, Woolston was acting “a bit shifty”. After asking if she was alright, she grabbed something from the windowsill — described as either a knife or a shard of glass — and stabbed him.

He told officers he had “had worse from her before”, did not support a prosecution, and refused to go to hospital.

Defendant has long history of violence

Woolston pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding. The court heard she had amassed 20 previous convictions from 10 court appearances, including assaults, battery, and offences against emergency workers.

Defending, Dyfed Thomas said Woolston had longstanding mental health problems and had been off medication prescribed for paranoid schizophrenia at the time.
“She’s had a difficult upbringing,” he added, saying she was remorseful and now compliant with treatment.

Woolston was jailed for 12 months, but the court heard she has already served the equivalent time on remand and will be released imminently on a 12-month licence.

Crime

Banned for 40 months after driving with cocaine breakdown product in blood

Published

8 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A MILFORD HAVEN woman has been handed a lengthy driving ban after admitting driving with a controlled drug in her system more than ten times over the legal limit.

SENTENCED AT HAVERFORDWEST

Sally Allen, 43, of Wentworth Close, Hubberston, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Dec 4) for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on November 25 to driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the prescribed limit.

The court heard that Allen was stopped on August 25 on the Old Hakin Road at Tiers Cross while driving an Audi A3. Blood analysis showed 509µg/l of Benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine. The legal limit is 50µg/l.

COMMUNITY ORDER AND REHABILITATION

Magistrates imposed a 40-month driving ban, backdated to her interim disqualification which began on November 25.

Allen was also handed a 12-month community order, requiring her to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities as directed by the Probation Service.

She was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge. Her financial penalties will be paid in £25 monthly instalments from January 1, 2026.

The bench—Mrs H Roberts, Mr M Shankland and Mrs J Morris—said her guilty plea had been taken into account when passing sentence.