Inmate at Welsh prison 'stabbed with makeshift weapon'

North Wales Live

15 hours ago

An inmate at a troubled Welsh prison was reportedly stabbed with a makeshift weapon.
The prisoner's mother claimed he was attacked with a weapon fashioned from a tin can at Parc prison by an inmate said to have been high on spice.
Speaking to WalesOnline, the mother said her 37-year-old son was attacked on the morning of July 26. She claimed he suffered injuries to he back of his head, his chest, bicep and lip.
A spokesperson for G4S, the private security giant that runs the Bridgend jail, confirmed an inmate was taken to hospital "for treatment on a minor injury". Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone
The mother claimed: "My son had just returned from chapel and gone into his cell when the guy walked in and attacked him from behind.
"He'd fashioned a tuna can into sharp shards and he had one in each hand. A friend of my son then came in and restrained the guy."
She said an attempt to glue the head wound in the prison was not successful, so he was taken to hospital the following day, while the cuts to his chest, bicep and lip were less severe.
She said medics told her son that if the stabbing to his head had been slightly to one side it could have been fatal.
"The guy who did it has been a very troubled prisoner for a long time," she claimed. "He's got mental health issues and he's been getting spice in prison."
In April a report into Parc found a failure to tackle an "alarming" flow of drugs led to "a spate of tragic deaths". Two of the prison's drug-related deaths from last year have been linked to spice, a synthetic cannabinoid sometimes called the "zombie drug" because it can leave users contorted in unnatural positions for hours.
"I've never had to think about this sort of threat to his life," said the mother of the injured prisoner. "Now it's become more prevalent, just how dangerous this prison is.
"Spice is a huge issue, and the officers have been taking it in. He knows a lot of people who have killed themselves in there. There is a lot of violence from drug dealers and prisoners who are on drugs.
"A lot of the officers don't want to be there so they quit or transfer, and the prison is understaffed. When they can't contain the prisoners they lock them up all day, which makes the pent-up anger and frustration even worse."
Parc's recent inspection concluded standards had "declined significantly" from 2022 because of private security giant G4S winning a 10-year contract to run the jail.
The inspector spoke of serious deficiencies including cell windows that could be easily opened from inside allowing drugs to be pulled in from drones.
A G4S spokeswoman said: "A man was taken to hospital for treatment on a minor injury and returned the same day."
South Wales Police said the July 26 incident was not reported. When G4S was asked why not, there was no response.
G4S said in response to the inspection findings: "The first six months of 2024 were extremely difficult and our thoughts remain with the families and loved ones of the men that passed away. Since then, considerable work has been carried out to make significant improvements at the prison.
"We are encouraged that [the report] recognises that we are making solid progress and noted positive developments in tackling violence, self-harm rates and use of force. We are determined to ensure the men in our care are safe, supported and can feel optimistic about their futures, and we are working tirelessly on a comprehensive improvement plan to once again deliver excellent services at HMP Parc."