One death is linked to HMP Parc, one post-release from HMP Cardiff

TWO more deaths connected to Welsh prisons have been confirmed by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO), adding to what campaigners describe as a deepening crisis across the prison system in Wales.

The PPO has opened an investigation into the death of Kenneth Male, born 12 December 1957, who died on 22 November 2025 while serving his sentence at HMP/YOI Parc in Bridgend. The case appears in the Ombudsman’s official listings with the investigation currently marked as in progress.

Campaigners say his death is the 40th linked to Parc since 2022.

In a post shared widely on social media, campaign spokesman Zackery Lee Griffiths described the number of deaths as “the highest at any prison in England and Wales since 2022”, adding that bereaved families “could have been spared months or even years of grief if action had been taken earlier”.

A second new case has also been listed by the Ombudsman. Scott Price, born 12 February 1996, died on 13 November 2025, shortly after his release from HMP Cardiff. His death is categorised as post-release, with the PPO investigation also ongoing.

Both deaths will be subject to full independent investigations, which will examine the circumstances leading up to each case, the care provided, and any wider systemic issues.

Background: growing scrutiny of Welsh prison safety

The Herald has been reporting extensively on conditions at HMP Parc, including allegations of drug use, violence, failures in safeguarding, and patterns of deaths linked to synthetic drugs and medical emergencies.
Concerns have been raised repeatedly in the Senedd, with Welsh ministers and several MSs calling for urgent intervention and a full review of G4S’s running of the Bridgend facility.

The UK Government, which oversees justice and prisons in Wales, has so far resisted calls for removing the contract from G4S.

Campaigners say the latest death strengthens the case for major reform.

What happens next

The PPO will now conduct two independent investigations, with reports expected to be published publicly once completed. The Herald will continue to follow developments.

Illegal drugs operation uncovered at isolated Whitland property led to major Proceeds of Crime ruling

A FAMILY who ran a sophisticated cannabis factory from an isolated Carmarthenshire property have been ordered to repay more than £1 million in illegal profits.

Husband and wife Edward McCann, aged 65, and Linda McCann, aged 63, together with their son Daniel, aged 40, appeared at Swansea Crown Court today for a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) hearing following their earlier convictions.

Police uncovered the family’s large-scale drug operation on 23 October 2020, when officers executed a warrant at their rural home in Blaenllain, near Whitland. Inside, they found a sophisticated setup producing herbal cannabis, cannabis resin and cannabis oil.

A detailed financial investigation estimated the potential wholesale value of the family’s drugs over a five-year period at between £1.79 million and £2.4 million, with a possible street value of up to £4.9 million.

At the POCA hearing, the court heard the McCanns’ available assets were agreed at £1,091,330. This figure included proceeds from the sale of two properties, a Mercedes, Porsche, and Harley-Davidson motorcycle, as well as valuable jewellery.

Judge Paul Thomas KC ordered the family to repay the full amount.

Detective Sergeant Owen Lock, of Dyfed-Powys Police, said: “Ongoing work by our economic crime team has taken the McCanns’ prison sentences one step further by ensuring they must also surrender the money and assets obtained through their criminal activity. We hope this serves as a clear warning to others — you cannot profit from crime.”

Local mentor recalls seven-year-old Norris as “one to watch from day one”

A FORMER Pembroke Dock man has been revealed as one of the earliest influences behind newly-crowned Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris – adding an unexpected Pembrokeshire chapter to one of the biggest sporting stories of the year.

Robert Dodds, who grew up in Pembroke Dock before later moving to Poole, was Norris’s first coach at BKC Racing. He began mentoring the future McLaren star when he was just seven years old, helping shape the early foundations of a career that reached its peak on Sunday (Dec 7) when Norris secured the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to The Herald, Mr Dodds said Norris’s talent was obvious from the very first outing.

“There was something special about him from day one,” he said. “By the time he was eight, he was already as quick as the 10–12-year-olds. He just had this will about him – he wanted it.”

Pembrokeshire link to a global success story

Dodds coached Norris for four years, guiding him through kart setup, technique, and competitive racecraft. He says he remains “immensely proud” that his own Pembrokeshire roots now form a small part of the world champion’s rise.

“Ten or fifteen years ago he was sat in the front of my van as we drove to tracks,” he said. “Now he’s flying around the world racing in Monaco. It’s incredible how far he’s come.”

That early development included a fierce sibling rivalry with Norris’s older brother, Oliver – something Dodds believes accelerated his progress.

“Because of that rivalry, his pace shot up. He wanted to beat his brother – and then he wanted to beat everyone.”

BKC Racing has produced other top talents too, including 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Phil Hanson, further underlining the pedigree of the team that helped launch Norris’s career.

The moment a champion first stood out

Dodds still recalls an early test at Clay Pigeon Raceway, where a seven-year-old Norris completed a lap in 39 seconds – a benchmark usually achieved only by much older cadet racers.

“He came past me with his thumb up – this tiny kid doing senior cadet times. That was the moment we knew.”

Norris seals his first world title

Norris made his Formula 1 debut in 2019, claimed his first podium in 2020, took pole position in 2021 and secured his first Grand Prix win in Miami in 2024. His 2025 campaign saw him take multiple victories before clinching the world championship in Abu Dhabi, becoming the first British driver since Lewis Hamilton to lift the title.

Pride back home in Pembrokeshire

Motorsport fans across the county followed Sunday’s title decider closely, with many celebrating the unexpected local connection.

A local F1 fan who watched the race in a Haverfordwest pub told The Herald:
“Everyone here was proud of Lando – and hearing that one of his early coaches came from Pembroke Dock makes it feel like Pembrokeshire had a tiny part in his journey.”

Dodds, who continues to mentor young racers today, says Norris’s success is already inspiring the next generation.

“It’s like something out of a film. I’m proud of what he’s achieved – and proud to have been part of the journey.”

For Pembrokeshire, the story adds a local footnote to a global sporting triumph – and a reminder that world champions sometimes start out much closer to home than anyone realises.

Cover image:

Proud mentor: Pembroke Dock’s Robert Dodds helped shape Norris’s early racing career (Pic: Robert Dodds)