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TalkTalk hacker hit Withybush Hospital and others, costing tax payer £400,000

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A ‘CYNICAL and ruthless’ hacker, motivated by spite and greed, targeted the computer systems at Withybush Hospital, The Herald can confirm.

Daniel Kelley, now aged 21, hacked into networks at Withybush and Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli. When he did so, he prevented radiographers from viewing vital diagnostic images used to plan treatment for patients. The hacker also disrupted communications between different Health Board sites.

The Court heard that Kelley’s actions caused ‘a serious clinical risk of a catastrophic outcome’.

The hack cost the Welsh Government, which runs big public networks, £400,000 to repair its systems, improve its security systems, and prevent further hacks.

Kelley’s efforts in disrupting vital public services began when he implemented a Distributed Denial of Service attacks at Coleg Sir Gar, where he was a student.

Prosecutors alleged that Kelley’s motivation on that occasion was spite at being denied a place on a Level 3 computing course due to poor performance in his GCSEs.

A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack is an attack in which multiple compromised computer systems attack a target, such as a server, website or another network resource, and cause a denial of service for users of the targeted resource.

In Kelley’s case, he deliberately targeted the College’s computer infrastructure, causing disruption to systems accessed by students and teachers, including examinations.

Having accessed the College network, Kelley was able to exploit its connection to wider Welsh public service computer infrastructure and caused targeted disruption to other bodies which shared the network’s resources.

There is no sign that Kelley committed these acts for anything other than his amusement and the feeling of power it gave him.

While Kelley’s activities had widespread adverse consequences, his next step presented a major escalation.

He hijacked the computer systems of companies in Australia and Canada. The targets included Zippo Lighters, Rogers Communications, RC Hobbies, ISP JISC, TAFE Queensland, and a court transcription service called For the Record in Australia.

He attempted to blackmail company executives by targeting their loved ones and making threats to collapse companies by wrecking their computer systems.

Kelley was arrested in July 2015 but his most audacious blackmail attempt was yet to come.

In October that year, together with a group of other hackers, Kelley took part in “significant and sustained cyber-attack” on TalkTalk.

The group broke into broadband provider TalkTalk’s customer database and stole a copy of its contents.

The stolen records included customer names and addresses, dates of birth, payment card details, phone numbers, and email addresses.

Around 157,000 customers in the UK were caught up in the hack, which was said to have cost TalkTalk £77m to clean up and cost it immeasurably more in lost customer confidence and income.

Kelley then attempted to extort £80,000 in exchange for not leaking the swiped customer database onto the web.

Peter Ratliff, prosecuting, described Kelley as a “prolific, skilled and cynical cyber-criminal” who was willing to “bully, intimidate, and then ruin his chosen victims from a perceived position of anonymity and safety – behind the screen of a computer.

“Where confidential and sensitive information had been stolen in the hack – typically the personal and credit card details of the company’s clients – the defendant would threaten the company with the public release of the material, knowing and exploiting the fact that the release would risk the ruin of the company concerned.

“It is clear from the content of the emails that the defendant sent that he derived enjoyment and excitement from the power he wielded over those he sought to intimidate.”

Sentencing Kelley, Judge Mark Dennis said Kelley hacked computers “for his own personal gratification” regardless of the damage caused.

His attempts at blackmail revealed a “cruel and calculating side to his character”, Judge Dennis said.

Kelley was sentenced to youth detention due to his age at the time of his arrest.

A spokesperson for Hywel Dda University Health Board said “the NHS is increasingly reliant on the use of digital systems to support patient care we hope that this sentence will act as a deterrent to others from attempting to hack public sector organisations in Wales in the future.

“At the time, this hack caused a number issue in Hywel Dda including:-

  • Radiologists were unable to effectively report on diagnostic images because the reporting / dictation system we use were unresponsive during the Denial of Service attacks at Prince Philip Hospital. This seriously interrupted clinical workflow and wasted a great deal of Radiologist time. This could have adversely affected the care of patents including those critically ill/injured as without prompt, reliable access to images there is a serious clinical risk.
  • Our Patient Administration System at Prince Philip Hospital had response time issues causing difficulties on the Wards, A&E and Maternity departments as well as administrative areas like Medical Records.
  • Experienced delays with ICT services at other Health sites in the Llanelli area including Ammanford and Cross Hands Health Centres.

“Following this incident Welsh Government bolstered the Public Sector network (which all public bodies in Wales use) with hardware and software to detect and stop denial of service attacks in the future and mitigate the risks as far as possible.”

Crime

More than 2,000 child sexual abuse image crimes recorded in Wales last year

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Private messaging platforms exploited by criminals

MORE than 2,000 child sexual abuse image offences were recorded by police forces in Wales over the past year, according to Home Office data. The figures highlight the exploitation of private messaging platforms by criminals to share illegal material, prompting renewed calls for stronger regulations.

The NSPCC has urged the UK Government to take decisive action to protect children in private messaging environments. The charity, along with Barnardo’s and the Marie Collins Foundation, has written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Science, Innovation, and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, calling for Ofcom’s approach to private messaging to be strengthened.

Six offences recorded daily

The data shows that 2,194 child sexual abuse image crimes were recorded by Welsh police forces in 2023/24, equating to around six offences per day.

  • Dyfed-Powys Police recorded 192 offences.
  • South Wales Police recorded 964 offences.
  • North Wales Police recorded 535 offences.
  • Gwent Police recorded 503 offences.

A separate Freedom of Information request by the NSPCC revealed that, in cases where police documented the platform used by perpetrators, half (50%) of offences occurred on Snapchat. Meta platforms accounted for a quarter of cases, with 11% on Instagram, 7% on Facebook, and 6% on WhatsApp.

Call for stronger protections

In their letter to the Government, child protection charities expressed concerns over Ofcom’s Illegal Harms Code of Practice, published in December 2024. The charities argue that the code does not go far enough to protect children from the worst forms of abuse on private messaging services, despite the Online Safety Act aiming to address such risks.

Ofcom has stated that platforms are only required to remove illegal content where it is ‘technically feasible’. However, campaigners warn that this loophole allows some services to avoid implementing basic protections for children.

Police data suggests that private messaging platforms are involved in more child sexual abuse image crimes than any other type of online platform. Offenders exploit the secrecy of these services to target children and avoid detection.

The role of end-to-end encryption

The NSPCC is calling on the UK Government to push Ofcom to strengthen its codes of practice and ensure online safety regulations adequately tackle this issue. The charity also wants private messaging services, including those using end-to-end encryption, to introduce robust safeguards.

End-to-end encryption is a secure communication system where only the sender and recipient can access messages, preventing service providers from detecting illegal content. This, campaigners argue, creates a ‘safe haven’ for child abusers.

Childline reports rise in cases

Data from Childline provides further evidence of the dangers of private messaging platforms. Last year, the service delivered 903 counselling sessions to children experiencing blackmail or threats to expose or share sexual images online—a 7% increase compared to 2022/23.

One 13-year-old girl who sought help from Childline said: “I sent nude pics and videos to a stranger I met on Snapchat. I think he’s in his thirties. I don’t know what to do next. I told him I didn’t want to send him any more pictures and he started threatening me, telling me that he’ll post the pictures online. I’m feeling really angry with myself and lonely. I would like support from my friends, but I don’t want to talk to them about it as I’m worried about being judged.”

NSPCC chief executive’s warning

Chris Sherwood, NSPCC Chief Executive, said: “These offences cause tremendous harm and distress to children, with much of this illegal material being repeatedly shared and viewed online. It is an outrage that in 2025 we are still seeing a blatant disregard from tech companies to prevent this illegal content from proliferating on their sites.

“Having separate rules for private messaging services lets tech bosses off the hook from putting robust protections in place. This enables crimes to continue to flourish on their platforms even though we now have the Online Safety Act.”

He added: “The Government must set out how they will take a bold stand against abuse on private messaging services and hold tech companies accountable for keeping children safe, even if it requires changes to the platform’s design. There can be no excuse for inaction or delay.”

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Health

Welsh NHS Confederation calls for long-term workforce plan

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Leaders urge government to address staffing challenges

THE WELSH NHS Confederation has responded to an Audit Wales report highlighting workforce challenges in the health and social care sector, calling for a fully funded, long-term staffing plan.

Darren Hughes, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, said: “We welcome Audit Wales’ report on NHS workforce challenges. It’s no secret that the workforce is the lifeblood of the NHS and social care services.”

He reiterated long-standing calls for the Welsh Government to invest in a costed Long-Term Plan to create a sustainable workforce, ensuring the NHS and social care services can meet future demand.

Growing workforce, rising costs

Hughes acknowledged ongoing efforts to reduce reliance on agency staff and fill vacancies but warned that while the NHS workforce is expanding, staffing costs are rising unsustainably.

“Audit Wales rightly questions the sustainability of these rising staffing costs in the current financial climate,” he said.

Multi-disciplinary teams needed

NHS leaders believe that multi-disciplinary teams are key to meeting the evolving needs of the population. However, Hughes expressed concerns over the lack of a national workforce plan and unclear system leadership arrangements.

“Now more than ever, we must work together across NHS and social care boundaries to find long-term solutions to recruitment and retention,” he added.

The Welsh NHS Confederation represents the country’s seven local health boards, three NHS trusts, Health Education and Improvement Wales, and Digital Health and Care Wales.

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Charity

RNLI on the lookout for new beach lifesavers in Pembrokeshire

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LOCALLY, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is seeking budding lifeguards to launch their lifesaving careers on some of Wales’ most popular beaches.

The RNLI are recruiting beach lifesavers ahead of the 2025 season. Recruitment for this season’s lifeguard team has started nationally in preparation for providing local authorities and landowners with the service they request to keep beachgoers safe this summer. Recruitment is still open for positions in North Pembrokeshire.

The charity’s lifeguards not only rescue those in difficulty in the water, they also provide vital beach first-aid and safety advice to ensure visitors can return home safely. In 2023, RNLI lifeguards in West Wales provided patrols and responded to more than 753 incidents, helping more than 1,148 people in need, saving seven lives.

Last summer, lifeguards rescued stricken swimmers from powerful rip currents, saved children being blown offshore in inflatables, came to the aid of paddleboarders and gave lifesaving CPR on beaches among the thousands of incidents they attended.

Successful applicants will receive world-class lifesaving training, enjoy good rates of pay, the possibility of flexible working patterns and develop valuable skills for a future career.

Stuart Penfold Lead Lifeguard Supervisor for North Pembrokeshire said:

‘Being a beach lifeguard is great. Although the job can be very challenging at times, you get the chance to work alongside some incredible people, receive great training, be outdoors and most importantly, make a real difference to people’s lives.

‘The role is well suited to outgoing individuals, confident swimmers and those who are passionate about helping people. This year our lifeguard team will be patrolling Poppit Sands, Newport Sands, Whitesands, Newgale, Nolton Haven and Broad Haven.’

‘To apply to join North Pembrokeshire’s Lifeguard Team visit: Lifeguards: Haverfordwest North – Poppit Sands to Broadhaven

Lee Fisher, Lifeguard Experience Manager said: ‘Beach lifeguarding is a great opportunity and a very rewarding role that changes lives – including your own – all whilst enjoying the beach as your office.

‘Our lifeguards range from teenagers all the way up to lifesavers in their 70s, as long as you meet the fitness requirements and you are over 16 years old, there could be a role for you.

‘The job also has great paths for progression – we have lifeguards who have been working for the RNLI for years, both on the beach and as part of our support teams, and the skills you gain can make an ideal first step towards many careers. It’s a great opportunity whether you want a rewarding summer job or to pursue a career in lifesaving.’

To find lifeguard vacancies in your area visit: Find a job (rnli.org)

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