Crime

Youth custody crisis : Parc Prison offers rare progress amid widespread failures

Published

6 months ago

June 9, 2025

Children held in English youth prisons face long cell time, little trust in staff – but Bridgend’s Parc offers glimmer of hope

A MAJOR report from HM Inspectorate of Prisons has exposed alarming failings across the youth justice system in England and Wales – revealing that many children held in custody feel unsafe, isolated, and unable to build basic trust with staff.

The report, published on Tuesday (June 10), followed inspections at three Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) – Wetherby in West Yorkshire, Werrington in Staffordshire, and Parc in Bridgend, Wales. While conditions in the English institutions were found to be deteriorating, inspectors described Parc as a clear outlier, with more structured routines, stronger staff relationships, and significantly more time spent out of cells.

CHILDREN LOCKED UP, IGNORED AND FAILED

At Wetherby and Werrington, children reported being locked in their cells for up to 21 hours a day, often alone and without any meaningful conversation with staff. Many said they did not feel safe. The use of segregation was widespread, with some children spending over 100 days separated from others, in conditions bordering on solitary confinement.

The report concluded that chronic staff shortages, excessive redeployment, and poor implementation of national care frameworks had eroded any chance of building positive relationships. In some cases, boys were only spoken to when being escorted between rooms. Dining alone in cells was the norm, and staff were frequently rotated, breaking continuity of care.

One boy told inspectors: “I haven’t had a proper conversation with a single officer since I arrived.”

PARC: A DIFFERENT PICTURE

In sharp contrast, HMP & YOI Parc in Bridgend, operated by G4S, was praised for providing more stability and structure. Children at Parc typically spent 7–9 hours out of their cells on weekdays, and up to 8 hours even on weekends — double the freedom seen in English YOIs.

Officers at Parc worked in consistent units, enabling them to build familiarity and trust with the boys they supervised. The report said: “Children were out of their cells for much longer every day, the rules were well established, and relationships were stronger.”

Staff at Parc had a better understanding of the Framework for Integrated Care, and children could access education, health support, and therapeutic activities. Importantly, even children placed in separation units at Parc continued to receive education and were not locked in cells all day — a standard not met in England.

However, inspectors still found room for improvement at Parc. Literacy and numeracy outcomes remained below expectations, and while staff were more consistent, not all were effectively trained in trauma-informed care.

NACRO: SYSTEMIC FAILURE MUST BE ADDRESSED

Reacting to the report, the crime reduction charity Nacro said the youth justice system is now in a “growing state of crisis.”

Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of Nacro, said: “Self-harm, violence and isolation are all major issues in the youth estate. Children need adults they can trust – yet this report shows they are being failed. The number of children who say they feel unsafe in custody has doubled in a year. That must change.”

Nacro, which operates in more than 40 prisons across the UK, including Wales, urged the Government to ensure that youth custody is used only as a last resort, and that all children in detention are given a safe and rehabilitative environment.

EDUCATION FAILURES ADD TO THE PROBLEM

In addition to prison conditions, the report drew attention to widespread failures in education provision within the youth estate. A separate December 2024 progress inspection at Parc noted reasonable progress on most issues, but flagged persistent shortcomings in teaching quality, literacy strategies, and reintegration planning.

The education watchdog Estyn, in its annual prison report, also raised concerns about inconsistent teaching and leadership at Parc and HMP Cardiff. Despite some pockets of good practice, inspectors said many learners were not reaching basic levels of literacy or numeracy and that opportunities for purposeful education remained too limited.

Inspectors recommended that education providers and prison staff work more closely together to identify learning needs, plan better lessons, and give young people meaningful qualifications before release.

WEAPONS, VIOLENCE AND RISING DANGER IN ENGLAND

The severity of the problems in England was underscored by new data from Wetherby, where nearly 900 improvised weapons were seized in a single year. Staff recorded over 1,100 restraint incidents, and classroom time was lost on more than 12,000 occasions due to fights, lockdowns, or unsafe conditions.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor said: “This report sets out in stark terms the failure by the Youth Custody Service to create environments in which children in YOIs can form positive, appropriate relationships with authoritative, well-trained and well-supported staff.”

He added: “In 2018, my predecessor reported that children who had these relationships with staff were likely to be motivated to engage with behaviour management schemes. Seven years on, behaviour management is an increasing challenge.”

WALES: A MODEL FOR REFORM?

Despite Parc’s relative success, campaigners warn it must not be seen as a reason for complacency. Children in Wales are still subject to the same overarching policies and pressures from the Ministry of Justice and Youth Custody Service. And while Parc offers some of the best practice in the UK, its lessons have yet to be properly implemented elsewhere.

The report calls on the UK Government — and by implication, the Welsh Government in its devolved responsibilities — to:

End long-term cell confinement of children
Ensure every child receives at least 15 hours of education per week
Improve staff training in mental health and trauma-informed care
Phase out harmful segregation and separation practices
Reduce custodial use and invest in community alternatives

Parc is not perfect — but it is proof that a better approach is possible. While most YOIs across England continue to fail children, Wales has the opportunity to lead by example. With political will and investment, Bridgend’s example could be the start of a much-needed transformation in how we treat the most vulnerable young people in custody.

Crime

Pembroke rape investigation dropped – one suspect now facing deportation

Published

13 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS POLICE have closed an investigation into an alleged rape and false imprisonment in Pembroke after deciding to take no further action. One of the two men originally arrested is now in immigration detention and faces deportation.

The incident took place on Main Street over the weekend of 8–9 November 2025. Police were called at 9:45am on Sunday 9 November after reports of a woman in distress. She was taken to hospital for treatment.

Two men – aged 36 and 27 – were arrested at the scene on suspicion of rape and false imprisonment. They were subsequently released on bail while enquiries continued.

On Tuesday (2 December 2025), the force announced the criminal investigation has concluded and no charges will be brought. A police spokesperson said the decision took full account of the victim’s wishes.

Outcome for the two suspects:

The 36-year-old man has been transferred to the custody of the Home Office Immigration Enforcement team and is now detained pending deportation.
The 27-year-old man has been released with no further police action.

A Dyfed-Powys Police statement read: “This investigation was not terrorism-related, and we have no knowledge of any linked incident in Monkton. All rumours suggesting otherwise are incorrect.”

The force has also dismissed separate community speculation that the men entered the UK illegally on fraudulent passports or were due in court this week on terrorism charges.

Detectives stressed that every report of rape or serious sexual assault is treated seriously and victims are supported throughout. Anyone affected has been directed to specialist services, details of which are available on the force website.

No further police updates are expected.

Crime

Defendant denies using Sudocrem-covered finger to assault two-month-old baby

Published

1 day ago

December 2, 2025

Tom Sinclair

In dramatic day-long cross-examination, Christopher Phillips repeatedly denies sexual penetration, as prosecution alleges escalating anal attacks ended in catastrophic injury

CHRISTOPHER PHILLIPS, 28, spent almost six hours in the witness box today. During the entire afternoon he underwent a sustained and highly graphic cross-examination by prosecuting counsel Caroline Rees KC.

The defendant is accused of cruelty and multiple sexual assaults on his then-girlfriend’s two-month-old son between December 2020 and January 2021, culminating in life-threatening anal injuries discovered when the child was rushed to hospital on 24 January 2021. The baby’s mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is jointly charged with causing or allowing serious physical harm.

Both defendants plead not guilty.

Ms Rees KC opened the day by telling Phillips that the prosecution case was that he had developed a sexual interest in penetrating the baby anally and had used his finger, coated with Sudocrem, to do so on a number of occasions before finally causing the “catastrophic” tearing injury seen in the medical photographs.

***Artist’s impression of Christopher Phillips giving evidence at Swansea Crown Court***

Sudocrem and the mechanics of nappy changing

The prosecutor took Phillips step-by-step through his own description of how he applied Sudocrem: Ms Rees: “You would put a blob of Sudocrem on one finger, then use another finger to smear it around the nappy area?” Phillips: “Yes.” Ms Rees: “So your finger was covered in Sudocrem?” Phillips: “Yes.” Ms Rees: “And you accept you sometimes changed the baby completely alone?” Phillips: “Yes, occasionally.” Ms Rees: “You are extremely experienced with anal sex. You know that the first thing you do is use a lubricated finger to relax and open the sphincter before anything larger is introduced?” Phillips: “With consenting adults, yes.” Ms Rees: “Precisely. And that is exactly what you did to this baby with your Sudocrem-covered finger on more than one occasion, wasn’t it?” Phillips: “No. Never. Absolutely not.”

The alleged progression of assaults

Ms Rees put it to Phillips that the bright red blood he first noticed in the nappy around 12 January 2021, the further bleeding he photographed and sent to the mother on the night of 23 January, and the eventual massive tear and prolapse discovered hours later formed a clear escalation. “You were testing the water,” Ms Rees said. “First a little bleeding, then a bit more, and finally you went too far and caused the terrible injury the jury have seen.” Phillips repeatedly insisted the blood was caused by constipation and a haemorrhoid he had personally identified.

The baby’s rattle

Returning to the incident in which Phillips pressed the baby’s rattle against his own anus as a joke, Ms Rees said: “You have a highly trained eye for objects that can be used anally, don’t you, Mr Phillips? Within a split second you saw that rattle and thought ‘sex toy’.” Phillips replied: “It was a stupid, throw-away moment of jocularity. I didn’t insert it.”

Deletion of material from his phone

Within 48–72 hours of the baby being admitted to hospital in a life-threatening condition, Phillips wiped large quantities of sexual photographs, videos and internet search history from his device. Ms Rees: “You realised the game was up and you frantically deleted anything that showed your sexual interests, didn’t you?” Phillips: “I deleted adult material involving [the mother] because I was embarrassed. There was never anything involving the baby to delete.”

The final night – 23/24 January 2021

Cell-site records show Phillips arrived at the flat around 18:30 and did not leave until 02:57. He accepts he changed the baby’s nappy three times that night, including once around 22:17 when he photographed fresh blood and sent it to the mother who was in the next room. Ms Rees put it to him that shortly before he left he carried out the most serious assault, causing the full-thickness tear and prolapse, then “calmly walked out knowing the child was catastrophically injured”. Phillips answered: “When I left he was quiet and settled in [the mother’s] arms.”

Closing accusation

At the end of the afternoon, Caroline Rees KC rose and addressed the defendant directly: “Mr Phillips, over a period of weeks you sexually assaulted this two-month-old baby with your finger on multiple occasions. On the final night you penetrated [Baby C] so violently that you caused the devastating injuries shown in the photographs the jury have seen. That is the truth, isn’t it?” Phillips turned to face the jury and replied firmly and clearly: “No. I did not. I have never touched that baby sexually or harmed [the baby] in any way whatsoever.”

Caroline Rees KC indicated she still has further questions. Cross-examination will resume tomorrow morning before His Honour Judge Paul Thomas KC.

Crime

Probation claims ‘not fair’, says solicitor as defendant jailed for hammer offence

Published

1 day ago

December 2, 2025

Sarah Jane Absalom

Defence challenges report accusing Milford man of refusing to comply with community order

CLAIMS by the probation service that a defendant had refused to comply with community order requirements were strongly refuted by a defence solicitor when the case came before Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

Representing Josh Skipper, solicitor Tom Lloyd criticised what he described as a catalogue of inaccuracies in a probation report that recommended an immediate custodial sentence.

The report alleged that Skipper had:

REFUSED to comply with his community order;
was UNMOTIVATED to seek employment;
had no ACTIVE SKILLS or activity preferences; and
was not EASY to engage with.

But Mr Lloyd told the court these assertions were “simply not fair”.

“The report isn’t helpful in setting out the defendant’s background,” he said. “It’s just not fair.”

He told magistrates that Skipper had made repeated attempts to secure work in recent weeks, but had been unsuccessful. He added that the report criticised Skipper for having no skills or activities but offered no constructive recommendations such as unpaid work.

“It says he isn’t an easy person to engage with, but this is someone who was brought up in care from the age of 13 or 14,” Mr Lloyd said.

Skipper, 24, of Chestnut Way, Milford Haven, was before the court for sentence after pleading guilty to possessing an offensive weapon — a hammer — in a public place, namely Victoria Road, Milford Haven, on November 9.

Mr Lloyd accepted the offence crossed the custody threshold but urged magistrates to impose a suspended sentence.

“He understands it isn’t up to him to pick and choose what requirements they want of him,” he said. “But rather than be given a custodial sentence, his sentence should be suspended.”

Magistrates rejected the request, citing Skipper’s repeated offending and his lack of compliance with previous community orders.

Skipper was sentenced to 26 weeks in custody and ordered to pay a £154 surcharge and £85 costs. A forfeiture and destruction order was made for the hammer.