Crime

Inmate suddenly dies at troubled Welsh prison, adding to alarming death toll

Published

1 year ago

March 2, 2025

PARC PRISON, WHICH HOUSES MANY OFFENDERS FROM PEMBROKESHIRE, HAS THE HIGHEST DEATH RATE IN ENGLAND AND WALES

CONCERNS over safety at HMP Parc have deepened following the sudden death of a 49-year-old inmate at the troubled Bridgend prison on Saturday (Mar 1).

South Wales Police confirmed the death, stating that there were no suspicious circumstances and that the coroner has been informed.

The incident adds to an already alarming death toll at HMP Parc, which recorded 17 inmate deaths in 2024—the highest number of any prison in England and Wales.

GROWING CONCERNS OVER DEATHS AND CONDITIONS

G4S, the private security firm responsible for managing the facility, has confirmed the 17 deaths. It is understood that:

Eight deaths were due to natural causes.
At least four are believed to have been drug-related.
Three prisoners were hospitalised following disorder in June.

HMP Parc has been under scrutiny for its handling of violence, drug misuse, and rising mortality rates. In May, families of deceased inmates staged protests outside the prison, demanding accountability and action over claims that authorities had failed to tackle drug misuse inside the facility.

***Reinforcements arrive during a disturbance at the prison in June 2024 (Image: Herald)***

A TROUBLED HISTORY

HMP Parc is one of the UK’s largest Category B prisons, housing adult male offenders, young offenders, and individuals convicted or accused of sex offences.

It houses many offenders from Pembrokeshire, as it is the nearest long-term prison.

Despite G4S stating that it has a “zero-tolerance policy towards drugs”, the prison has been the subject of repeated allegations of mismanagement, security failings, and corruption. Concerns about the availability of illicit substances, organised violence, and deteriorating conditions have been repeatedly raised by campaigners and inmates’ families.

A spokesperson for G4S said: “Next of kin has been informed, and our thoughts are with his family and friends. As with all deaths in custody, this will be investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, and the cause of death is for the coroner to determine.”

***Prison officers prepare to enter a cell during a training exercise (File image)***

CALLS FOR TRANSPARENCY AND REFORM

Following the latest fatality, HMP Prisons Justice Group has issued a statement condemning the handling of inmate welfare at HMP Parc.

The group claims the death occurred on A3 Wing, bringing the total number of confirmed fatalities at the prison to 32 since February 2022.

A spokesperson for the group said: “We believe that once again, staff negligence and security failures have cost a life. Night staff failed to conduct proper welfare checks, and morning handover staff failed to confirm the inmate was breathing or check for signs of life. These basic safeguarding duties were ignored, allowing yet another inmate to die under G4S management.”

The group has also raised serious concerns over reports that a highly potent batch of synthetic cannabis, known as ‘Killer Spice’, is circulating on A3 Wing.

There are fears that the substance may be laced with fentanyl or nitazines, which can cause severe medical distress, including projectile vomiting, loss of consciousness, and extreme reactions.

Crime

Local carpenter retains driving licence despite previous ban

Published

14 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A Herbrandston carpenter has been allowed to keep his driving licence despite a previous driving disqualification for using his mobile phone whilst driving.

Addressing District Judge Mark Layton at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court this week, Simon Shaw stressed the disqualification was having a major impact on his work commitment as well as his ability to support members of his family.

“If the ban continues, at least two of my five employees will have to be lost” said Shaw, who works as a self-employed carpenter operating from Herbrandston and the Milford Haven Industrial Estate.

“We travel throughout the whole of West Wales and also work at Thorne Island, where we’ve been providing logistical support for renovations for the last four years.”

Shaw, of Triplestone Close, Herbrandston, went on to say that his business has only one other driver who works as a reserve fire fighter.

“As a result, he’s not available to provide the 24 hour cover we provide to various care homes in the county,” he said.

Simon Shaw concluded by stating that his daughter is also dependent on his support having recently given birth to twins while his son-in-law and his partner’s mother are both currently undergoing serious healthcare treatments.

“I’m trying to provide as much logistical support for them as I can, but without my driving licence, this is impossible,” he said.

After listening to his comments, Judge Layton granted Shaw permission to retain his licence.

Crime

Delivery driver caught twice over legal drink-drive limit

Published

15 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A DELIVERY driver has been banned from the roads after being caught behind the wheel when he was over twice the legal drink-drive limit.

Twenty-nine year old Sam Rowe was stopped by officers just before 9.30 am on April 20 as he drove his Vauxhall Vivaro along Ferry Lane in Pembroke Dock.

“His speech was slurred and his eyes were bloodshot,” Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker told Haverfordwest Magistrates Court this week.

“There was also a strong smell of intoxicants emanating from him.”

When spoken to by the officers, Rowe stated he’d drunk a pint of alcohol approximately an hour before being stopped, however subsequent breathalyser tests showed he had no less than 75 mcg of alcohol in his system. The legal limit is 35.

Rowe, of Hazel Close, Pontypool, pleaded guilty to the offence and was represented in court by solicitor Michael Kelleher who informed the court that the defendant was holidaying in Pembrokeshire at the time of the offence.

“His daughter fell ill and he was attempting to find painkillers for her at a supermarket,” he said. “He’s very remorseful and is now going to lose his job as a delivery driver.”

Rowe, who has no previous convictions, was disqualified from driving for a total of 20 months. He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £48 surcharge.

Crime

Police tip-off leads to driving ban for Milford motorist

Published

15 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A PEMBROKESHIRE motorist has lost his licence after police received information that the 40-year-old male may have been driving under the influence of drugs.

This week Haverfordwest Magistrates court was told that at around 8.30pm on November 22 officers received a call informing them that Michael Miles was suspected of driving his Peugeot Bipper through Milford Haven after consuming drugs.

Miles was subsequently stopped on Marble Hall Road and when spoken to by the officers, he informed them that he was a drug user. A saliva sample tested positive for cocaine while further tests carried out at the police station showed that Miles had 760 mcg of the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine in his system, the legal limit being 50.

Miles, of Milford Road, Steynton, chose to be legally unrepresented in court and pleaded guilty to the drug-driving charge.

The probation service said he was very remorseful for the offence and has since had appointments with the Dyfed Drugs and Alcohol Service to help him deal with his drug usage. Miles was served with an interim driving disqualification however as a result of his previous non-payment of fines, his punitive sentencing was adjourned to Thursday, May 7.

“If you pay your outstanding fines before Thursday, you will be fined for this offence,” warned District Judge Mark Layton. “But if you don’t pay, you will be given a custodial sentence.”