News

Child cruelty offences in Wales increase by more than 50%

Published

9 years ago

June 21, 2016

Child Abuse Wales THE NUMBER of child cruelty and neglect cases recorded by police in Wales has risen by 53% in the last year, the NSPCC reveals today.

The charity’s annual child protection review – How Safe are our children? – shows parents or carers were reported in connection with 415 offences in 2014-15 compared to 272 in 2013-14.

The increase in recorded cases is reflected in the number of calls made to the NSPCC helpline about children suffering neglect. Last year there were over 16,000 contacts to the UK-wide helpline.

Adults called with fears about children who were hungry and dirty, while other contacts reported parents who were drunk or left their children to fend for themselves.

Research has proven that emotional neglect, where children are ignored and not given the love they need, is increasingly becoming more common.

Neglect remains the most common reason for a child to be placed on the child protection register (CPR) in Wales, with 40 per cent of registrations at 31 March 2015.

In a bid to tackle neglect NSPCC Cymru was commissioned by the Welsh Government to deliver the Welsh Neglect Project. The project aimed to improve multi-agency responses and services for neglected children and their families.

The children’s charity is now calling for an enhanced health visiting service and family support programmes to ensure children’s needs are met and address issues early.

Des Mannion, head of NSPCC Cymru / Wales, said: “It is always worrying when statistics show cruelty and neglect offences are increasing, although one reason could be that the police, public and professionals are better at recognising the various forms of neglect.

“Neglect remains the most common reason for a child to be placed on the child protection register and is still an under-recognised and under-reported issue that often doesn’t come to the attention of police and social services. This means that the number of children suffering from abuse and neglect could be far higher.”

Peter Wanless, CEO of the NSPCC, said: “Neglect is the most common form of abuse in the UK and can wreak havoc on a child’s brain development, emotional well-being, ability to form relationships, and mental health. These children are more likely to suffer from depression and post-traumatic disorder, and even suicidal thoughts. For some, neglect can be fatal.

“These levels of neglect simply do not belong to the 21st century. It’s an unacceptable situation which must be remedied. And we can only do that by looking out for vulnerable children and making sure that they are given the right support to prevent longer term damage.”

It’s unclear why the recorded cases have risen so dramatically, but greater public awareness and improvements in how police record offences could be factors.

The most likely cause is that more children who are experiencing cruelty and neglect are now being identified, particularly now that emotional neglect is better recognised and the Serious Crime Act 2015 was changed to include psychological harm

One 14-year-old boy who called the NSPCC’s ChildLine service said: “I know it sounds disgusting but sometimes I feel like eating pet food because it’s all there is in the house. But I just drink water to make me feel full- up instead. My teacher has asked why I’m dressed in dirty clothes and why I never have any lunch money and I don’t know what to say. I feel angry at my parents because they don’t seem to care how miserable it’s making me. If I ask them for anything they become really angry and hit me. Sometimes I feel killing myself will be the only way out.”

Another 13-year-old told how he was forced to steal because he was so hungry: “My mum goes out every weekend to the pub. She doesn’t seem to care about me or my brother. There is never any food at home and when we ask for something to eat she gives us cereal. I’m always feeling tired and can’t concentrate – I only ever think about food when I’m at school. Sometimes I steal packed lunches from the other kids because I know I probably won’t get anything at home. I don’t know if my life will ever change but I can’t live like this anymore.”

The NSPCC is running a campaign – It’s Time – which is calling for all child victims of abuse to be given timely, appropriate therapy to help them overcome their traumatic experience and rebuild their lives.

News

Pembrokeshire town set to be rejuvenated as £12m investment approved

Published

40 mins ago

January 14, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

SENIOR Pembrokeshire councillors have backed a near-£12m ‘levelling up’ project to rejuvenate parts of Pembroke, with £1.2m of council funds.

At the January 13 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet members backed the signing of a memorandum of understanding for a UK Government Levelling Up Fund 3 award for the £11,715,141 Pembroke town Westgate to Eastgate project.

The project attracted a grant award of £10,543,627, with a commitment of £1,171,514 match-funding from the council to comply with the grant offer requirements, some 10 per cent.

Applications for ‘levelling-up’ funding for this part of Pembroke have a history going back several years, with a June 2022 bid for the second round of levelling up funding unsuccessful; a third-round bid based on an amended version of that scheme getting the thumbs-up last year.

The project delivery period is planned to run from April 2025 until March 2028, consisting of three works packages, Cabinet members heard in a presentation by Deputy Leader Cllr Paul Miller.

The three planned works packages consist of, firstly, connecting The Commons to Westgate and Main Street, including an improved pedestrian connection into the town centre running from Common Road, via the Parade to Long Entry and exiting onto Westgate Hill and public realm improvements, improved lighting and public art.

The second package, Eastgate, is described as “both the principal investment and the critical path to the overall programme,” with the works seeing “selective demolition and making good to the elements of the school building, which encroach, onto [a] projected highway corridor, and for construction new retaining walls as necessary,” along with “An enabling contract to ready East End School for development to shell and core, readied for development for currently undetermined use”.

The third work package, ‘Connecting Townscape, Landscape and Soundscape’ includes: “Pembroke’s network of public realm and green infrastructure will be enhanced along Main Street and connect through underused route ways to its flanking green space of The Commons and the Upper and Lower Mill Pond”.

Cllr Miller warned that inflationary pressures since the original proposal would lead to some adaptions to the scheme, the value of the funding being less than it was in 2022.

Seconding Cllr Miller’s proposal the scheme be backed, Leader Cllr Jon Harvey, county councillor for the Pembroke St Mary North ward, said: “I’m extremely pleased about the levelling-up money coming into this town; Pembroke is a wonderful town, but it is underperforming, with businesses struggling.”

He stressed a need for collaborative work on the project: “Community ‘buy-in’ is very important, we need to work closely with the community and the town.”

Members backed a recommendation to approve the scheme and the match-funding element, along with the signing of the memorandum.

Crime

Haverfordwest shoplifter admits theft and criminal damage

Published

59 mins ago

January 14, 2025

Sarah Jane Absalom

A 23-YEAR-OLD Pembrokeshire man has been sentenced by magistrates after admitting stealing cans of Hooch and a bottle of wine from the B&M store, Haverfordwest.

Rhys Wheeler was seen stealing three cans of Hooch and a bottle of wine from the store on December 4. As a result, he was arrested by police officers and placed inside a police van.

“He started shouting and swearing and was put in the back of the van, in a cage,” Crown Prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“En-route, officers stopped to make a phone call to the defendant’s mother and this was when he kicked out and spat towards one of the officers, causing saliva to land on the perspex of the cage. He later said he had HIV.”

Wheeler, who is currently on no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to the theft of the drinks, valued at £8.70, and of causing criminal damage to the police cage.

He was represented in court by solicitor, Tom Lloyd.

“He’d lost his job at a sushi bar and things have been difficult for him since then,” he said.

“He wasn’t in quite the right frame of mind and didn’t know what he was doing.

“There are no excuses for what he’s done and if you sit down with him today, he would tell you how genuinely sorry he is for what he’s done.”

Wheeler was ordered to pay £100 compensation to Dyfed-Powys Police for the damage caused to the police van and £8.70 compensation to B&M, Haverfordwest. He was fined £80 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £32 surcharge. “

Crime

Father-of-two sentenced for destroying car

Published

1 hour ago

January 14, 2025

Sarah Jane Absalom

A MAN has been sentenced for trashing a car that had been left in a car park in Fishguard town centre.

Father-of-two Daniel Mitchell walked up to the car, which was owned by Mr Lloyd Bowen, during the night of September 13, 2024 and:-

SMASHED each of the passenger side windows;

SMASHED the boot window;

SMASHED each of the rear lights and

SCRATCHED the paintwork on the car bonnet and the driver’s door.

“The car was completely destroyed,” Crown Prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“It was surrounded by broken glass and it looked as if the damage had been caused by a weapon.”

The court was told that Mr Bowen had parked the car close to his father’s property in Harbour Village, Fishguard, at around 9.30pm, but when he returned to it just before 7.30am the following morning, he discovered it had been extensively damaged.

Mitchell, 29, of Dunster Close, Rugby, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to the vehicle.

He was fined £600 and was ordered to pay £500 compensation to Mr Lloyd Bowen, a £240 court surcharge and £85 costs.