Crime

Calls grow for reform as Pentonville scandal mirrors Welsh prison crisis

Published

6 months ago

September 29, 2025

A DAMNING inspection report into HMP Pentonville has prompted renewed warnings that prisons in Wales face the same systemic failures.

The Chief Inspector of Prisons issued an Urgent Notification to the Secretary of State after finding appalling conditions at the London jail. Inspectors reported that 44% of prisoners felt unsafe, violence was being driven by widespread drug use, and men were locked in filthy, vermin-infested cells for more than 22 hours a day.

New arrivals were often left without bedding, pillows or cutlery, with some scattered around the prison and staff unable to locate or even identify them. Others at high risk of self-harm received little or no support. Inspectors described officers asleep or absent while supervising vulnerable prisoners, and three men had taken their own lives this year.

Half of those surveyed said they had been bullied or victimised by staff. Relations between prisoners and officers were “poor and often hostile”, with a noticeable lack of empathy or care. Wings were dirty, noisy and chaotic, with a pervasive smell of cannabis and infestations of mice and cockroaches.

The inspection also found serious administrative failings. Some men were held unlawfully beyond their sentence end dates because release calculations had not been properly carried out.

Not just a London problem

Campaigners say the findings expose issues that stretch across England and Wales. Nacro, which works in more than 40 prisons, warned that jails are “places of fear and neglect” rather than rehabilitation.

Chief executive Campbell Robb said: “What chance is there for rehabilitation when violence and drugs are rife, nearly half of the prison population feels unsafe, and people are confined to overcrowded, filthy cells infested with vermin? This is not just a failure of one prison, these issues are systemic.”

In Wales, HMP Parc has faced repeated criticism over violence, drug abuse and suicides, while Swansea and Cardiff prisons are regularly flagged as overcrowded and under-resourced. Local campaigners argue that the Welsh estate is under the same pressures as Pentonville, with chronic underfunding and insufficient staff undermining efforts to support rehabilitation.

Call for urgent change

Chief Inspector Charlie Taylor warned that Pentonville’s collapse showed the need for investment and reform. “We found comprehensive failures by leaders to make sure that there was effective oversight and management of some of the basic operations of a reception prison. It will take support and investment from the prison service to turn round this troubled jail,” he said.

Nacro is calling for urgent action to make prisons places of rehabilitation, with greater investment in staff, mental health services, education and employment opportunities.

With Wales facing a rising prison population and persistent failures at HMP Parc, campaigners say the Pentonville report is a stark reminder that the system is “on the brink of collapse” unless the UK Government acts.

Crime

Woman fined over £1,000 for illegally collecting rent without a licence

Published

2 days ago

March 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A HAVERFORDWEST woman has been ordered to pay more than £1,000 after admitting to unlawfully collecting rent at a property she was not licensed to manage.

Majeda Sikdar appeared at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court where she pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place at a property on Tasker Way in the town last April.

The court handed Sikdar a total bill of £1,046, made up of a £293 fine, £636 in costs, and a £117 surcharge.

Crime

Dangerous driver sentenced following a police chase through Carmarthenshire streets

Published

2 days ago

March 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A DANGEROUS driver has been sentenced after attempting to evade the police and hitting speeds of up to 70mph in residential streets.

Liam Williams, 31, from Station Road in Llanelli, was arrested on February 23 after he failed to stop for officers whilst driving without a valid licence and under the influence of drugs.

His black Jaguar XF was spotted travelling along New Dock Road, Llanelli, at around 2am. Williams quickly accelerated away from officers after turning into a residential area. Despite being warned to stop with blue lights, he reached an estimated speed of 50mph over the speed bumps on the 20mph road.

He then cut across a junction and turned on to the 40mph coastal road on the wrong side of a bollard. He continued to reach around 80mph to try and get away from pursuing officers.

Williams was unaware that Dyfed-Powys officers had set up a stinger site to puncture his tyres further along the road. He sped through the stinger site and continued towards the sandpiper roundabout. He reached speeds of 70mph and then appeared to lose control of the car at the roundabout. Officers noted that his front offside tyre was deflated and his brake disc was red hot and sparking.

Despite this, Williams exited the roundabout towards Llanelli town centre and appeared to lose control again. Officers attempted to pass him as he accelerated back up to speeds around 50mph on the 20mph road. Williams turned into smaller side streets to try and escape but was quickly followed by supporting officers.

As he returned to the main road towards Llanelli town centre, officers moved to box the vehicle in. The pursuit quickly came to an end and Williams was arrested for multiple offences.

A drug wipe showed that Williams was under the influence of cocaine. A further blood specimen was taken in custody, before he was charged and remanded.

He appeared in Llanelli Magistrates Court on Tuesday 10th March. He was found guilty of dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

Williams was handed a 34-week prison sentence, suspended for 24 months. He was disqualified from driving for 34 months, followed by an extended re-test. He must also complete 100 hours of unpaid work within 12 months and pay £85 in court costs and a £187 surcharge.

Crime

Man jailed for romance fraud after conning three women out of nearly £50,000

Published

3 days ago

March 12, 2026

Court Reporter

A CARDIFF man who used fake identities on dating sites to defraud three women of almost £50,000 has been jailed.

Rodney Roberts, aged 40, of Trowbridge, Cardiff, was sentenced at Newport Crown Court to five years and one month in prison after pleading guilty to fraud by false representation.

Officers from the Proactive Economic Crime Team at the Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), working with South Wales Police, found that Roberts defrauded three victims of a combined £49,580 between 2021 and 2024. He contacted the women through online dating and social media platforms while using the false name “Paul Smith”.

Roberts first contacted a victim in February 2021. He initially claimed to be an American from California working in the UK as an attorney and financier. He later told the victim this was merely a cover story and that he was in fact an intelligence agent. Roberts claimed that because of his work he did not have direct control of his finances and asked the victim for financial help.

During the relationship he persuaded the woman to invest money in a fictitious investment company. He also assisted her in selling her home so she could invest more money into the scheme and encouraged her to open a bank account in her name for him to use. Unknown to the victim, Roberts also opened a cryptocurrency account in her name.

Roberts contacted a second victim in October 2022. Again he encouraged her to invest in what he claimed was a lucrative opportunity promising high returns. He showed her screenshots which appeared to show the investment growing in value, but these images were fabricated. Throughout the relationship Roberts repeatedly gave excuses for why he was unable to repay the money.

He contacted a third victim in March 2024, this time claiming to be an American television producer working for the BBC on a two-year visa. Roberts told the victim he was struggling to access his American bank accounts and asked for money to help him put down a deposit on a flat. As before, he used fake screenshots of accounts to convince her the investment was genuine, before providing excuses as to why the borrowed money could not be returned.

The third victim eventually became suspicious and carried out online searches, which led her to two historic news reports detailing previous fraud offences committed by Roberts under the alias Paul Smith. She then contacted South Wales Police.

Detective Constable Amanda Davies, of Tarian ROCU, said romance fraud was a growing and highly damaging crime.

“Offenders deliberately exploit trust and vulnerability,” she said. “Victims are often left with not only significant financial losses but also psychological distress and embarrassment, which can prevent them from reporting the offence.

“I am pleased with the sentence handed down today and hope it sends a message to others who would behave in such an abhorrent way for financial gain.

“I would also like to recognise the courage shown by the victims in helping us pursue a conviction and bring Roberts to justice.”

DC Davies urged anyone forming relationships online to remain cautious.

“Common warning signs include requests for money, reluctance to meet in person or by video call, or pressure to keep a relationship secret. Another warning sign is ‘love bombing’, where a new or prospective partner overwhelms someone with excessive attention, affection or grand gestures early in the relationship.

“Fraudsters are skilled at creating narratives that sound believable. If something feels too good to be true, trust your instincts and speak to friends or family.

“If you believe you may have been a victim of romance fraud, report it to Action Fraud.”

She added that Tarian ROCU would continue to pursue fraudsters and bring them before the courts.