Crime

Killings by former Haverfordwest resident were ‘a preventable tragedy’

Published

1 year ago

August 12, 2024

KILLER Valdo Calocane, a former Haverfordwest resident, will have his story laid bare in a BBC Panorama documentary first airing tonight. The programme, set to air at 8pm on BBC One, will uncover of Calocane’s disturbing background. He fatally stabbed three people in Nottingham in June 2023, sparking a debate about the failings of the UK’s mental health system.

Originally from Guinea-Bissau, Calocane moved to Haverfordwest in 2007 with his family after his father gained Portuguese citizenship and subsequently settled in the UK. The family, described by locals as “lovely neighbours” and “high achievers,” quickly integrated into the community. They were regular attendees of Calvary Church, where they were known for their devout faith.

***Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar were stabbed to death in Nottingham (Images: Nottingham Police)***

Valdo’s mother, Celeste, a registered nurse, began working at Withybush General Hospital, a key institution in the town. Meanwhile, his father found work as a carer, contributing to the local community. Valdo himself attended Sir Thomas Picton High School, where he was known as a bright and studious pupil, before moving on to study mechanical engineering at the University of Nottingham.

However, behind this seemingly perfect façade, Valdo was struggling with severe mental illness. Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2020, he was sectioned multiple times within two years. The Panorama documentary reveals that, despite warnings from doctors that his condition could lead to tragedy, he was discharged into community care without a robust treatment plan.

***Moment of arrest: Valdo Calocane is detained by officers (Pic: Nottingham Police)***

The documentary also uncovers a shocking lapse in communication: Valdo’s family, who were deeply concerned about his well-being, only learned about a 300-page medical summary detailing the warnings about his condition after his sentencing. His mother, Celeste, and brother, Elias, have spoken out for the first time, describing the killings as a “preventable tragedy” and calling for urgent reforms to the mental health system.

“We had no idea the situation was this severe,” Celeste told Panorama. “If we had known, we would have fought harder to get him the help he needed. Instead, the system failed him, and now three innocent people are dead.”

***Valdo Calocane was given a hospital detention order, something the families of the victims were unhappy with (Pic: Nottingham Crown Court)***

The local community, particularly those connected to Withybush Hospital, has been left reeling. Colleagues of Celeste have expressed their shock and sadness, with many reflecting on the challenges faced by mental health services across the UK.

The aftermath of the Nottingham attacks has been devastating for all involved. Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both students at the University of Nottingham, and Ian Coates, a school caretaker, lost their lives in the brutal attacks. The families of the victims, along with Valdo’s family, are now calling for a public inquiry to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.

***Police forensics officers at the scene of one of the incidents linked to Calocane in Nottingham (Image: Sky News)***

In the wake of the killings, Valdo was sentenced to detention in a high-security hospital. The Court of Appeal upheld this decision, acknowledging his severe mental illness. However, the sentence has sparked debate, with many, including Barnaby Webber’s mother, Emma Webber, criticizing the criminal justice system for being “flawed and under-resourced.”

As the community of Haverfordwest grapples with these revelations, there are growing calls for accountability and change. The Care Quality Commission is set to release a review of Valdo’s care under Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and many are hoping this will be the first step towards meaningful reform.

The Panorama documentary is expected to shed further light on the complexities of Valdo Calocane’s case, raising important questions about the state of mental health care in the UK and the support available to those in need.

As the town watches tonight’s broadcast, the tragedy that has unfolded will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on the people of Haverfordwest and Pembrokeshire as a whole. The hope now is that these revelations will lead to real change and prevent such a horrific event from happening again.

Report by Maya Goodwin and Tom Sinclair

Crime

Swansea man dies weeks after release from troubled HMP Parc: Investigation launched

Published

4 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

5 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

9 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.