News
Crisis deepens at Parc Prison as six officers arrested

Six officers at HMP Parc have been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office as police continue to investigate a series of serious allegations at the troubled Bridgend jail.
A spokeswoman for South Wales Police said the arrests followed “a series of incidents” at the privately run prison, which has faced growing scrutiny over violence, inmate deaths, and alleged corruption.

The latest arrests at the facility, which houses many offenders from Pembrokeshire, come as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into conduct at the Category B facility, operated by security firm G4S.
In a statement, police confirmed that during a second phase of arrests in January, the following individuals were detained on suspicion of misconduct in public office:
A 35-year-old man from Bridgend
A 40-year-old man from Swansea
A 38-year-old man from Barry
A 50-year-old man from Taibach
A 23-year-old woman from Cardiff
A 36-year-old man from Llanelli
Five have been bailed while enquiries continue, and one has been released under investigation.
The second wave of arrests follows an earlier operation in September 2024, when four Parc prison officers were arrested on suspicion of assault and misconduct in public office. Those arrests were linked to the discovery of social media messages allegedly shared between staff, reportedly referring to the excessive use of force and other serious misconduct.

Police have now confirmed that no charges were brought in that first phase, but the investigation remains live.
Detective Chief Inspector Dean Taylor said officers are working closely with G4S as part of the inquiry.
A spokeswoman for the company said: “We are aware a decision has been made not to proceed further with a number of initial cases. It is not appropriate for us to comment on other cases which are ongoing, but we will continue to support police colleagues.”
Meanwhile, it has also emerged that police are probing a separate allegation that a group of officers at Parc assaulted an inmate, leaving him with serious injuries including possible broken ribs and heavy bruising. The incident was reported last Saturday and remains under investigation.
G4S has declined to comment directly on the alleged assault.
The prison has been engulfed in controversy over the past year, with a steady stream of reports highlighting issues with violence, drug use, staff shortages, and inmate deaths.
In the wake of last year’s riot at Parc, G4S replaced the prison’s director by mutual agreement. The role was taken over by Will Styles, formerly of G4S-run HMP Five Wells in Northamptonshire.

Earlier this week, The Herald reported that police are investigating an alleged sexual assault on a young inmate on X1 Wing, said to have involved coercion and scalding.
Zack Griffiths of the HMP Prisons Justice Group, speaking about that case, said: “A vulnerable young person was left exposed to a violent, dangerous offender, and the consequences have been devastating. This isn’t just an individual crime—it is a catastrophic failure of the prison system to safeguard those in its care.”
The Ministry of Justice’s anti-corruption unit is working alongside South Wales Police as part of the wider investigation into the jail.
HMP Parc is the largest prison in Wales and one of the few in the UK operated by a private firm. The growing number of allegations has sparked renewed calls for an independent inquiry into its management and oversight.
In addition to the ongoing police investigations, the prison has recorded multiple deaths over the past 12 months. At least eight inmates are reported to have died in that period. Some of those deaths are understood to be drug-related or suspected suicides, though not all have been officially confirmed.
Campaigners and whistleblowers have warned that conditions inside Parc have become dangerously unstable, with claims that vulnerable prisoners are frequently left without adequate supervision or support.
None of the officers arrested to date have been charged, and all remain innocent unless proven otherwise.
The Herald has contacted G4S and the Ministry of Justice for further comment.
Business
Beggars Reach Hotel sold to local business family for £950,000

A WELL KNOWN countryside hotel and event venue has been sold to local operators in a deal brokered by specialist business property adviser Christie & Co.
Beggars Reach Hotel, located in the village of Burton and set within seven acres of landscaped gardens, has been acquired by a local business family with a strong track record in hospitality and retail. The family also owns an established fish and chip restaurant in the seaside town of Tenby, as well as other commercial property interests in the region.
The popular hotel features 30 en-suite bedrooms, a restaurant, bistro-style breakfast room, and several function and event spaces – including a light-filled Orangery. With its sweeping views of the surrounding South West Wales countryside, Beggars Reach has become a sought-after venue for weddings, leisure breaks, and corporate events.
The property also holds planning permission for twenty additional guest rooms and a spa facility, offering the new owners scope for further development.
The transaction was supported by Christie Finance, who secured funding for the buyers within weeks of the sale being agreed.
Sam Roberts, Senior Broker at Christie & Co, said: “After the previous owner acquired the business through us early last year, unforeseen personal circumstances led to the need for a resale. We launched a full marketing campaign, which attracted strong interest, and we were able to secure a suitable buyer quickly. It has been a pleasure to assist with the sale of Beggars Reach for a second time, and we wish the new owners every success in taking the hotel forward.”
Tamara Ryan, Finance Consultant at Christie Finance, added: “It was an absolute pleasure to support our client with this acquisition. As an experienced and ambitious local business partnership, they have exciting plans for the hotel. We secured highly competitive funding within a few weeks of the offer being accepted, reflecting the strong appetite in the market for hotel investment.”
The hotel was sold off an asking price of £950,000.
Crime
Man avoids jail despite possessing child abuse images

A PEMBROKE DOCK man has been spared immediate custody after police found almost 70 indecent images of children on his mobile phone — including one image of a child aged around three whose hands and ankles were bound.
Andrew Davies, aged 36, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday (Apr 1), having earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent photographs of children.
The court heard that officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a search warrant at Davies’ home on Brewery Street in November 2022. Davies was present at the property and handed over a mobile phone along with the PIN code to unlock it.
Upon examination of the device, officers discovered 67 illegal images. These included nine category A images — the most serious classification — 14 category B images, and 44 category C images. The images had been downloaded and stored in a password-protected application.
Prosecuting, Sian Cutter said one of the images showed a child estimated to be three years old with their limbs restrained. She told the court that all of the material was accessible on the device and had been intentionally downloaded.
In mitigation, defence barrister Ryan Bowen said Davies was “under no illusion as to the seriousness of his offending”. He said the offences dated back to 2019, and that the matter had been hanging over Davies for several years.
Mr Bowen added: “He has no previous convictions and is of otherwise good character. He accepts responsibility for his actions and has shown insight and a willingness to address his behaviour. There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.”
Sentencing, Her Honour Judge Catherine Richards told Davies: “The possession and viewing of child sexual abuse images causes direct harm to real children. It is a very serious aggravating factor that some of the images involve children as young as three.”
Davies was handed three prison terms of eight, four and two months, to run concurrently, making a total of eight months. The sentence was suspended for two years.
He must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and attend 25 rehabilitation activity days. He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.
Business
Valero refinery escapes Trump’s new tariffs

Fuel imports spared as US tries to avoid price hikes
THE VALERO oil refinery in Pembroke has escaped the impact of Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs on UK and EU goods, following confirmation from the White House that all oil, gas and refined fuel imports will be exempt from the new trade restrictions.

On Wednesday (Apr 2), Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff on all imports into the United States, with higher duties targeting key trading partners including Britain and the European Union. The move has sparked fears of a deepening global trade war, with UK manufacturers, farmers, and exporters among those facing fresh barriers to the American market.
However, a White House official told Reuters that energy imports would be excluded entirely from the tariff measures. The exemption, which applies to crude oil, natural gas, petrol, diesel and jet fuel, is designed to prevent supply disruptions and price spikes in the United States, particularly on the East Coast, where fuel imports from Europe play a vital role.
Relief for Pembrokeshire
The announcement is a major relief for Pembrokeshire, where the Valero refinery at Rhoscrowther remains one of the area’s largest employers. Hundreds of local jobs depend directly on the refinery, with many more supported through contractors, hauliers, suppliers and businesses tied to the energy sector.
A local business owner in Pembroke Dock said: “This is brilliant news for the area. Valero keeps a lot of people in work around here, and the last thing we needed was more uncertainty from across the Atlantic.”
While other Welsh exports—including lamb, steel and whisky—face an uphill battle under the new tariffs, Pembroke’s key fuel production facility has been spared thanks to a combination of its strategic importance and ownership.
American-owned, Atlantic-focused
Valero Energy Corporation, which owns the Pembroke site, is a US-based multinational headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. The company is one of the largest independent refiners in the world, and acquired the Pembroke refinery in 2011 from Chevron for $730 million.
The deal also included a vast logistics and retail network across the UK and Ireland, including four product pipelines, 11 fuel terminals, a 14,000-barrel-per-day aviation fuels business, and more than 1,000 Texaco-branded forecourts—making it the largest branded dealer network in the UK.
At the time of the acquisition, Valero’s Chairman and CEO Bill Klesse said the move would allow the company to supply the US East Coast market more competitively, particularly after exiting US East Coast refining operations in 2010. “The Pembroke refinery remained profitable even during the depths of the economic downturn,” Klesse said. “We expect that it will be immediately accretive to earnings per share.”
Fuel to flow when economics align
The Pembroke refinery has a processing capacity of 270,000 barrels per day, making it one of the most complex and flexible in Europe. It produces around 3.6 million gallons of petrol and 2.2 million gallons of diesel daily and can process more than 60 different types of crude oil.
While exact export volumes to the United States are not publicly disclosed, the site is considered a key part of Valero’s Atlantic Basin margin optimisation strategy—designed to move fuel between Europe and the US when market conditions are favourable. Europe remains a major supplier of refined fuel to the US East Coast, where refining capacity has declined.
An energy analyst told The Herald: “Even if Pembroke isn’t exporting to the US every day, it’s a crucial part of Valero’s strategy. When the economics make sense, diesel or jet fuel from Wales can and does flow to the US. That’s why the White House exemption matters—it keeps those channels open.”
Wider Welsh economy still exposed
While Valero and the Pembroke refinery are protected under the exemption, other Welsh sectors are now facing harsh realities. Exports such as Welsh lamb, whisky, steel and car components are now subject to tariffs that could reduce competitiveness in one of Wales’ most important markets.
Welsh Liberal Democrat MP David Chadwick said: “Donald Trump has launched a destructive trade war that threatens the jobs and living standards of people right across Wales. This needs to be brought to an end quickly, and the Prime Minister should be forming a coalition of allies—Canada, Australia, the EU—to stand against this. If the Government gives in to Trump’s threats, it will only encourage more bullying tactics in future.”
Looking ahead: volatile politics, stable demand
Although energy has been exempted for now, industry insiders warn that volatility remains high.
“The US exemption is about fuel supply and domestic prices,” the analyst added. “If demand or political calculations shift, exemptions could change too. Wales can’t afford to be complacent.”
One refinery worker put it more bluntly: “We’ve dodged this bullet, but with Trump, the safety’s always off.”

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