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News that dozens of people have been charged in connection with riots in Cardiff last year, has highlighted inaccurate comments by the controversial former public monitor of South Wales Police (SWP) who was paid over £86,000 a year in taxpayers’ money.
Some 27 people have now been charged with the offence of riot, while a further four have been charged with causing or threatening to cause criminal damage.
Following a disturbance in the Ely area of Cardiff, the one-time SWP Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Alun Michael, had said that rumours the deaths of two youngsters before it had come after a police chase, were ‘not true’. However footage later emerged which appeared to contradict this statement.
It showed a police van on a road shortly after two teenagers, who later died, had come through frame, riding on an e-bike, and SWP later confirmed that police had indeed been following the youths.
Mr Michael, though, stoutly defended his remarks, by declaring that they were made, “to the best of my knowledge”, and grabbed the headlines by telling MPs on the Welsh Affairs Committee: “I am satisfied that what I did was done appropriately at the time and with integrity”.
In July last year, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed the driver of the van was under criminal investigation for dangerous driving.
Former IOPC Director General, David Ford proclaimed even before this announcement: “First and foremost our thoughts and sympathies go out to the families and friends of the two boys who sadly lost their lives… in Ely. It is important that we independently investigate the circumstances leading up to this tragic event. This incident and the events that followed have, understandably, attracted significant interest and public concern. It is important that we thoroughly and independently investigate this matter, in order to establish the full facts and circumstances of exactly what happened …”
In another statement to the media later, he stated: “Upon conclusion of the investigation we will determine whether there is any indication that anyone serving with the police may have breached the standards of professional behaviour”.
15 year old Harvey Evans, and Kyrees Sullivan, who was 16, were killed before the riot on May 22, in which several police officers were injured.
Mr Michael said the outrage over his erroneous comments was not a factor in his decision to quit, although in the past he has been accused of being far too close to the police..
“I’ve done three terms as police and crime commissioner. I think it’s time for fresh leadership,” Mr Michael said
Others, however, have been unimpressed. Heledd Fychan, MS, said: “Alun Michael has seemingly acted as a spokesperson for South Wales Police rather than the community…”.
Under the headline: “Are PCCs the voice of the public in law and order matters – or the voice of the police?”, the columnist Will Hayward wrote in the Western Mail (WM): “Mr Michael…blamed the “rumours” of a police chase leading to the riot.
“But then later the same day CCTV emerged appearing to show an electric bike being followed by a police van.”.
Yet Mr Michael is no stranger to challenging headlines.
He served as Secretary of State for Wales (Welsh Secretary) from 1998 to 1999 and then as First Secretary of Wales (FSW) (later known as First Minister of Wales [FMW]) and Leader of Welsh Labour from 1999 to 2000. He served as SWP PCC from 2012 to 2024
But when he arrived to take over Wales’ top political job, he stood accused of being ‘parachuted’ in to it by London.
Soon after this difficulty, Mr Michael had to fight a bitter battle with Cardiff West MP Rhodri Morgan to become the prospective Labour Leader in (what was then) the National Assembly for Wales.
He won, albeit narrowly, thanks to the use of union block votes in his favour.
But Mr Morgan had won the overwhelming support of grass-roots Labour members, leaving Mr Michael open to Plaid Cymru’s (Plaid’s) taunt that he was “Blair’s poodle”.
Further trouble loomed for him during the subsequent Assembly election in May 1999, and as a latecomer to the list of candidates, he had difficulty finding a seat.
He eventually succeeded in winning a Mid and West Wales regional list seat, but only thanks to the Proportional Representation (PR) voting system, where a strong showing by Plaid paradoxically ensured his election.
Plaid’s surge in support also robbed Labour of its expected majority in the Assembly – Labour won only 28 of the 60 seats, but Mr Michael decided to press on and form a minority administration anyway.
His efforts to govern Wales under these circumstances were dogged by controversy over the Objective One issue (the £1.3 billion payout of European Aid for which parts of Wales qualified).
So it has not been an easy time for ‘workaholic’ Mr Michael.
News now that there have been so many charges after what happened in Ely and his completely false comments afterwards which appeared to side with the police, will only deepen his problems…
The memories of Phil’s decades long award-winning career in journalism (including stories about police actions) as he was gripped by the rare neurological disease Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), have been released in a major book ‘A GOOD STORY’. Order it now.
Tomorrow – during 41 years in journalism (when he was trained to use simple language, avoiding jargon) for Phil (who spent 23 years with the BBC,) legal issues were always paramount, and now this is put centre stage by a new book, about one magistrate who let off an Armenian because she admired anyone who could speak his difficult language!
