News

BT wiring error led to innocent trio being wrongly accused of child abuse

Published

5 months ago

October 23, 2025

Three innocent people had their lives turned upside down after being falsely accused of downloading child abuse images – all because of a broadband wiring error by a BT engineer, a tribunal has heard.

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) was told that a mistake made years earlier inside a street cabinet caused internet activity from the real offender to be wrongly linked to an address occupied by two men and a woman. The error led Dyfed-Powys Police to launch a child abuse investigation against the trio in 2016, resulting in their homes being searched twice and their electronic devices seized.

The consequences were devastating. One of the men was placed on restricted duties at work after his employer was informed of an ongoing child protection investigation. Another had a job offer withdrawn. The woman involved was told by social services that she could not live alone with her children until the investigation cleared her name.

The tribunal heard that the accusations were “highly distressing” and had “serious consequences” for all three, who have since been granted anonymity. The location of the incident was described only as being within Dyfed-Powys Police’s “area of operation in Wales,” covering Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, and Powys.

BT told the tribunal that the issue stemmed from “crossed wires” – a rare technical fault that led to the real offender’s IP address being “misattributed” to one of the claimants, the registered tenant of the property. The error, the tribunal found, was not something the police could reasonably have foreseen.

Despite the distress caused, the IPT ruled that Dyfed-Powys Police had acted lawfully and appropriately throughout the investigation. The tribunal found no evidence of police misconduct, concluding instead that the error lay with the technical fault.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “We recognise the upset and hurt suffered by the claimants in this case, and commend them for the dignity, integrity, and full co-operation shown throughout.
We welcome the judgement which recognises that the errors discovered were no fault of the police, and all investigatory actions carried out by our officers were lawful, proportionate, and necessary.
Despite the difficult circumstances, we are satisfied that the party responsible for this error has been brought to justice.”

The tribunal heard that the true offender lived in “very close proximity” to the innocent trio’s home. Following their identification and arrest, a search of their devices uncovered indecent images of children, and they were later convicted of related offences.

Although the tribunal acknowledged the severe impact on the wrongly accused individuals, it ruled there were no grounds for compensation, as the police had acted within the law and responded appropriately once the mistake was uncovered.

BT described the wiring mix-up as an “exceptionally rare occurrence”. The telecommunications company has been contacted for further comment.

News

Motorcyclist injured in Johnston crash after overtaking lorry

Published

12 hours ago

March 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Rider treated by paramedics following collision with van pulling out from junction

A MOTORCYCLIST was treated by paramedics after a collision with a van in Johnston on Monday morning (Mar 16).

The crash happened shortly after 9.15am as the rider was overtaking a lorry through slow-moving traffic on the main road. It is understood the lorry blocked the rider’s view of a van pulling out from a junction near KO Carpets.

Police units attended promptly to assist at the scene.

The motorcyclist is not believed to have been seriously injured.

The van suffered slight damage, including a broken wing mirror.

The road was not closed, police said.

Health

Plaid Cymru to hold public meeting over Withybush hospital surgery cuts

Published

14 hours ago

March 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Candidates say residents must be heard after emergency services decision

PLAID CYMRU candidates for the Ceredigion Penfro constituency will host a public meeting in Pembrokeshire to discuss concerns over the future of services at Withybush Hospital.

The event will take place at 6:30pm on Monday (Mar 31) at Letterston Village Hall, giving residents the opportunity to share their experiences and concerns following Hywel Dda University Health Board’s decision last month to remove emergency general surgery from the hospital.

Campaigners say the move will force many patients requiring urgent treatment to travel further for care, raising fears about the potential impact on patient safety in rural west Wales.

Elin Jones, Plaid Cymru lead candidate for Ceredigion Penfro, said: “Withybush is such an important hospital for the community and residents of Pembrokeshire. The decision to remove its emergency general surgery will severely weaken the life-saving capacity of this hospital.

“Plaid Cymru has long championed small rural hospitals such as Bronglais and Withybush. We need to ensure these hospitals remain strong local services within our communities. Withybush should have the basic life-saving and everyday treatment services it needs to function as a full general hospital.”

Kerry Ferguson, Plaid Cymru candidate for Pembrokeshire within the Ceredigion Penfro constituency, said the recent success of a public petition had demonstrated the strength of local feeling.

“It’s great to see that the online petition calling for Welsh Government intervention to restore emergency surgery and essential services at Withybush has reached its target, meaning it will now be debated in the Senedd,” she said.

“We are extremely disappointed by the Health Board’s decision to remove emergency general surgery at Withybush. Increased journey times for anyone in need of urgent medical treatment will put lives at risk. We need government intervention now to overturn this decision.”

Residents across Pembrokeshire have continued to raise concerns about the future of services at the hospital, which has long been a focal point in debates about healthcare provision in rural west Wales.

Climate

Research vessel begins mission to study seabed carbon in Irish Sea

Published

14 hours ago

March 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Bangor University scientists join £2.1m project investigating the impact of bottom trawling on carbon stored beneath the seabed

A STATE OF THE ART research vessel has set sail from Liverpool to investigate how bottom trawling may affect carbon stored in the seabed of the Irish Sea.

The scientific expedition is part of a £2.1 million research project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and led by Professor Jan Geert Hiddink of Bangor University.

A team of eighteen scientists has embarked on the RRS Discovery, one of the world’s most advanced research vessels, for a three-and-a-half-week voyage studying the impact of fishing activity on carbon held in seabed sediments.

Before the ship departed, a number of local dignitaries were invited aboard for a tour of the vessel, including Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram and National Oceanography Centre Operations Director Natalie Campbell.

Professor Jan Geert Hiddink, from Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences, said bottom-trawl fishing is both vital to global food supply and a major disturbance to seabed environments.

“Bottom-trawl fishing provides around a quarter of global seafood but is also the most extensive physical disturbance caused by human activities to stocks of carbon locked in seabed sediments,” he said.

“This is important because recent evidence suggests that disturbing the seabed could lead to the release of significant amounts of greenhouse gases from the seabed into the atmosphere.

“There are still major uncertainties about how this disturbance affects carbon stored beneath the seabed. As a result, the impact of these disturbances is largely unquantified and currently unregulated.

“The aim of this project is to gain a much clearer understanding of what is happening so that scientists, policymakers and regulators can make informed decisions in the future.”

Seven research organisations are collaborating on the project: Bangor University, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Heriot-Watt University, the University of Leeds, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the University of St Andrews, and Imperial College London.

Caption: Scientists prepare to begin their research aboard the RRS Discovery, one of the world’s most advanced research vessels.