Latest news with #HMPParc
Pembrokeshire Herald
24-07-2025
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Rise in Welsh shoplifting sparks union concern for retail staff safety
A WHISTLEBLOWER has alleged that a senior officer at HMP Parc made violent threats against prison reform campaigner Zack Griffiths during a formal job interview. The comments, which included claims that officers 'up and down the country' were 'ready to kill' Mr Griffiths, were allegedly made in May during an interview for the role of prison officer. The whistleblower, Kirsten Myles, says the officer also falsely claimed that Mr Griffiths was a registered sex offender. According to the testimony, when challenged by another staff member, the officer doubled down on the remarks and responded with 'visible hostility,' reportedly saying: 'F* no**,' when asked if Mr Griffiths was currently housed at Parc. Ms Myles shared the statement publicly via a redacted document and a post in the HMP Prisons Justice Group, a Facebook group with over 6,000 members. She claimed she withdrew from the application process as a result of what she witnessed, stating: 'I cannot, in good conscience, work within a system where such behaviour is displayed without accountability.' Zack Griffiths held at HMP Swansea Zack Griffiths, 35, is a former inmate at HMP Parc who has since become a prominent campaigner for prison reform. He is currently in custody at HMP Swansea following his recall to prison earlier this year. He previously served a sentence after sharing a video from inside Parc Prison, which showed a violent restraint involving a staff member. In April, he was arrested again while attending Cardiff Crown Court. Charges of malicious communications have since been dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service, but one charge relating to the unauthorised prison footage remains active. Griffiths founded the HMP Prisons Justice Group and has led protests outside Parc highlighting concerns over inmate deaths, drug abuse, and alleged staff misconduct. Parc Prison, Bridgend (Pic: Herald) Prison responds: Claims 'unsubstantiated' HMP Parc has issued a formal response denying the whistleblower's claims. In a brief statement to The Herald, a prison spokesperson said: 'Ms Myles' claims have been thoroughly investigated and found to be unsubstantiated.' G4S also say that Ms Myles was not withdrawn from the recruitment process as she claimed. G4S added: 'Ms Myles was unsuccessful in her application and did not withdraw from the process voluntarily. This decision was made prior to her raising concerns.' Growing scrutiny at HMP Parc Prison officers prepare to enter a cell during a training exercise. HMP Parc, operated by private security firm G4S, has been subject to growing scrutiny over the past year. At least 25 inmates are believed to have died in the prison since 2023. Several staff are under investigation or have been arrested in connection with ongoing misconduct allegations. The Herald understands that formal complaints have been lodged regarding the comments alleged in the leaked statement. Ms Myles' post online has drawn significant attention and reignited debate about the culture and accountability of privately run prisons. Campaigners express concern Tom Blewitt of UK Prisons for Justice told The Herald: 'We are deeply concerned after hearing the remarks senior officers at HMP Parc have made regarding Zack. 'These comments show a total lack of regard for his welfare. 'As a group, we are worried for his safety and hearing this only intensifies that concern.'
BBC News
22-05-2025
- BBC News
Parc prison: Positive 'green shoots' at troubled jail
There have been some "green shoots" of positive actions at the troubled Parc prison, near Bridgend, the most senior prisons inspector in Wales and England has this year a report from Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, said the situation at Parc was "enormously disappointing".The damning report said Parc was failing to tackle an "alarming" amount of drugs that have led to a "spate" of he told MPs on Wednesday that a new boss had provided "a little bit more grip" although there was still "a long way to go". The report, which followed an unannounced inspection of HMP Parc in January, said drugs were "pouring into the prison", with deliveries often by inmates are known to have died at Parc in 2024, more than any other UK the 17 deaths G4S, which runs the prison, confirmed that eight inmates had died from natural causes, and five deaths were believed to be drugs were found on 900 occasions in 2024, and G4S said it had invested significant resources to tackle drugs in the prison including patrol dogs and detection equipment. Parc had previously been judged as one of the most successful prisons, and HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor called the January inspection "enormously disappointing".Addressing MPs on the Welsh Affairs Select Committee at Westminster on Wednesday, Mr Taylor said the recent deaths had "an absolute catastrophic effect" on "the pride and that real sense of community" on both staff and inmates. However, he said, although the January inspection was very critical there "were some positives there".He told MPs: "There was a little bit more grip by a new director who had been appointed, the number of deaths had diminished since that shocking high that there had been earlier last year."The regime wasn't nearly good enough, but there were some reasonably credible plans to get prisoners out and about and doing some of the things that in the past we commented on reasonably positively."There was a sense amongst the leadership team and also amongst officers, that morale was beginning to improve. So there were some green shoots."However he warned: "I wouldn't want to give you a false assurance on that. "We will be back at Parc within the year and we'll want to see that those improvements that we've begun to see have been sustained but there is a long way to go."Following the report in January, G4S, which runs the prison, said "significant improvements" were being made.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Bridgend: HMP Parc prison expansion plan details revealed
A prison in Bridgend could expand to house another 345 inmates, with an increase of 160 staff. The company behind the development, Galliford Try Construction Limited, says it hopes to submit a full planning application for the proposed works in of the public have been asked to give their views on early proposals to expand HMP Ministry of Justice, which owns the prison, has been approached for comment. HMP Parc is a category B prison which opened in 1997, and currently accommodates 1,670 prisoners and 676 prison has recently been criticised for failing to tackle an "alarming" amount of drug that have led to a "spate" of expansion proposals, which are subject to the consultation, include demolishing and repositioning parts of the boundary wall, building a K-shaped block to accommodate the extra prisoners, and a new gym and multifaith building. The plans also include a new access road to the north of the site, and a new car park to the Ministry of Justice, which owns the prison, has been asked to comment.G4S, which runs the prison, declined to county council said no planning application had been received at this stage, but its own consultation process would take place if that were to happen.
Sunday World
08-05-2025
- Sunday World
Criminal who had ‘flings' with two prison workers sent back to jail after a week on the run
A prison nurse was jailed for six months after she admitted to misconduct in a public office following their 'relationship' A criminal who had flings with two prison workers has been sent back to prison after he spent a week on the run. Harri Pullen (27) was arrested after he was caught dealing drugs, only to flee custody in a getaway car after requesting to use the bathroom. The gang member was released from prison after serving a four-year sentence in Bridgend, Wales, only to be nabbed for selling crack cocaine on his e-bike. He was discovered with five wraps of crack cocaine, a burner phone, an iPhone and £90 inside a bum bag. When detained, he told police he had a pain in his head and was taken to hospital for treatment. Pullen escaped in a getaway car when he was permitted to go to the bathroom. He was still wearing handcuffs as he ran through the hospital car park and ambulance bay to escape. Officers ran after him, but he managed to get away when he jumped into a car that fled at speed. One week later, he was found hiding in a farmhouse and tried to escape again but eventually surrendered. Julia Cox, defending, told the court that her client was 'immature' and suffered from 'hypochondria', believing that he had a brain tumour. 'This was not anything that was pre-planned. It was more opportunistic than that. 'It was upon his family's attendance at the hospital that he, in his words, 'lost his head'.' Pullen pleaded guilty to 11 charges, including drug possession, escaping custody, and dangerous driving and will return to prison for six years. During his previous stint behind bars, he had flings with a prison officer and a nurse. Ruth Shmylo (26) was accused of having an 'inappropriate relationship' with Pullen between December 2020 and April 2021 while she was working at HMP Parc in Wales. Cardiff Crown Court heard that Pullen passed Shmylo a note with his phone number on it. She said she pushed it back, to which he threatened her, asking: 'Do you know what you've just done?' Prison officer Ruth Shmylo She told the court that Pullen had initiated phone sex with her, and she repeatedly asked him to stop, adding that she viewed it as sexual harassment. Shmylo was found not guilty of misconduct in public office and walked free following the trial. In 2022, 27-year-old medic Elyse Hobbs was jailed for six months for having an 'inappropriate relationship' with Pullen. Convicted drug dealer Harri Pullen News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025 The Manchester woman admitted to misconduct in a public office while working at HMP Parc. Cardiff Crown Court heard the pair met when Hibbs was giving Pullen medical treatment. He was moved to HMP Manchester – commonly known as Strangeways Prison – after concerns were raised about the inmates' behaviour. Hibbs handed her phone number over to friends of Pullen who had asked them to track her down online. They then engaged in 'flirtatious' conversations over a six-week period in 2021. Elyse Hibbs Hibbs eventually asked Pullen to stop contacting her, and she resigned from her job. Days later, she was arrested and struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe told the court that their conversations were "wholly inappropriate"., "The conversations do contain several references to the defendant asking the inmate not to contact her, nevertheless the contact does continue. "They also reveal the inmate thought very little of the defendant; he was quite clearly manipulating her." Adam Sharp, defending, said that the contact happened while the inmate was in a different prison, adding that his client didn't make any gains from the romance - financial or otherwise. "The misconduct was not face-to-face, it wasn't even within physical proximity to each other." He also said his client, who was 23 at the time of the offence, "young, impressionable and relatively inexperienced" and "emotionally vulnerable".
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Yahoo
Messages reveal prison staff violence towards inmates
Leaked messages show prison staff at a Welsh prison laughing at violent encounters with inmates and making fun of self-harm incidents. In them, one staff member at privately run HMP Parc in Bridgend responded to a complaint about an inmate and said: "The prisoners need to be broken mentally and physically." It is understood the messages, seen by the BBC, were shared on social media last summer. G4S, which runs HMP Parc, said it had a "zero tolerance" approach to staff behaviour that fell short of its standards. Death-hit prison's excessive force messages probed Drugs smuggled in drones and nappies - prison boss Protestors demand 'justice' after prison deaths In the messages, one exchange about an inmate said: "XXX opened the door and they smashed him into the shower lol." A response to the message said: "Good! I hope they hurt him too." A separate exchange used an expletive to describe punching an inmate "after he bit me so there's some closure", along with a laughing emoji. Other messages included jokes about someone who was said to be at risk of taking their life and another offender who was seriously self-harming. Some 17 inmates are known to have died at Parc in 2024 - more than any other prison. In a letter to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee in October 2024, Prisons Minister James Timpson said the prison service's corruption unit was looking at the prison. Last September, four of the prison's custody officers were arrested on suspicion of assault and misconduct in public office following reports of a series of incidents at HMP Parc. All four have been released without charge, South Wales Police told the BBC. The force said an additional arrest phase took place in January 2025 following the four arrests. A 36-year-old man from Llanelli has been released under investigation, while a 35-year-old man from Bridgend, 40-year-old man from Swansea, 38-year-old man from Barry, 50-year-old man from Taibach and a 23-year-old woman from Cardiff have all been bailed for further inquiries until the end of April 2025. South Wales Police Det Ch Insp Dean Taylor said: "The investigation remains ongoing, and officers are continuing to work closely with G4S." A G4S spokesperson said: "Of the four individuals who were arrested and released without charge by South Wales Police, three have been dismissed from the company and one remains suspended from duty pending the outcome of a disciplinary process. "The vast majority of our staff are hardworking and honest. We are absolutely committed to rooting out any wrongdoing." In response to the messages, G4S added: "Our staff are expected to treat everyone with dignity and respect and we have a zero tolerance approach to dealing with any staff behaviour that falls short of our standards." Violence, overcrowding, self-harm: BBC goes inside one of Britain's most dangerous prisons Prisoners to be held in police cells to deal with overcrowding UK looks at Texas supermax prison for ideas to cut overcrowding
