Crime

Thai mother sentenced to hospital order for killing son

Published

12 months ago

December 13, 2024

A HARROWING 999 call was played at Swansea Crown Court today (Dec 13) as the trial of a Thai mother, who admitted to killing her seven-year-old son earlier this year, concluded with her sentencing.

Papaipit Linse, 43, of 14 Upper Market Street, Haverfordwest, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on November 22 after psychiatric reports confirmed she was suffering from severe mental illness at the time of the incident.

During the trial, the court heard the disturbing emergency call Linse made at 10:44am on January 10, 2024. In the recording, Linse repeatedly told the operator: “I have killed my son. I felt totally mental, I felt like a robot, I felt totally twisted.”

CHILLING DETAILS REVEALED

The prosecution revealed that Linse had strangled her son with a leather handbag strap. She later told police she “couldn’t check for a heartbeat” after what she had done.

When officers arrived at the three-story home, they found the boy’s body on the third floor, covered with a pillow and duvet. Despite attempts to perform CPR, it was evident he had succumbed to strangulation, with the strap leaving clear marks on his neck.

At the time of the tragedy, Linse’s husband, the child’s father, was receiving treatment at a psychiatric hospital.

MENTAL ILLNESS THE EXCLUSIVE CAUSE

Psychiatric reports presented by Dr Davis, Dr Wing, and Dr Cumming concluded that Linse was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia during the incident. All three experts agreed her mental illness was the sole reason for the killing and recommended ongoing treatment.

Dr Davis, speaking for the defence, told the court: “If it wasn’t for that severe psychotic episode, the incident would not have occurred. In my opinion, she was unable to recognise the nature of what she was doing or the legality of her actions.”

The court accepted her plea of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility.

“NOT A WICKED PERSON”

In sentencing Linse to a hospital order, His Honour Judge P H Thomas addressed her mental state at the time of the tragedy, saying: “Your son was not killed by you because you are a wicked person—you are not. He died because at the time you were suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.”

He continued: “I am acutely conscious that your son has barely been mentioned by me. What happened to him was tragic.”

Judge Thomas emphasized that Linse’s responsibility was grossly affected by her illness, which rendered her incapable of comprehending her actions.

Linse, who moved to the UK from Thailand in 2017, will now receive treatment under the hospital order as recommended by psychiatric experts. Judge Thomas reserved further comment, stating that he had considered the severity of the case and the unanimous psychiatric evidence in his ruling.

POLICE COMMENT AFTER THE HEARING

Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Gary Williams said: “This is a terribly sad and tragic case, and our thoughts remain very much with all those who knew and loved Louis.

““We have worked closely with the CPS and independent mental health experts who concluded that Linse was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia when she killed her son.

“I would like to thank the team of police officers and staff involved throughout the past 11 months for their diligence, professionalism and care during this emotive case, and for their efforts in ensuring a full and thorough investigation was carried out.”

The judge described Louis’ death as “unspeakably tragic” and “unbearable for many people”, adding that he hoped the sentence imposed would be understood by those who knew him.

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

3 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

7 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.