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Disturbing news that an officer behind the wheel of a van following two teenagers shortly before they died sparking huge riots in a Cardiff area will not now be prosecuted, highlights inaccurate comments by the controversial former public monitor of South Wales Police (SWP) who has been accused of siding with the police.
The deaths of Harvey Evans, aged 15, and Kyrees Sullivan, aged 16, sparked the riots in May 2023 in the Ely area of Cardiff, but there was concern about the role of the SWP Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) at the time, Alun Michael.
He had said that rumours the deaths of two youngsters before them had come after a police chase, were ‘not true’. However footage later emerged which appeared to contradict this statement.
Heledd Fychan, MS, said in the past: “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.’.
The officer was facing a dangerous driving allegation, but prosecutors decided there was not enough evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.
A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) statement stated: “We fully understand that this will be disappointing news for the families of both boys and will offer a meeting with them to explain our reasoning further”.
Some 27 people were charged with the offence of riot, while a further four were charged with causing or threatening to cause criminal damage.
The footage before the youngsters died showed a police van on a road shortly after two teenagers 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”.
Former Independent Office for Police Conduct (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 …”
Mr Michael said the outrage over his erroneous comments was not a factor in his decision to quit, declaring: “I’ve done three terms as police and crime commissioner. I think it’s time for fresh leadership”.
Yet Mr Michael is no stranger to challenging headlines, despite serving 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 was SWP PCC from 2012 to 2024
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 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, yet 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) (see story soon).
So it has not been an easy time for ‘workaholic’ Mr Michael.
News now that a prosecution has been dropped after the riots in Ely, and his completely false comments following them 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 – how during 23 years with the BBC, and a 41 year journalistic career (when he was trained to use simple language, avoiding jargon), for Phil, it has always been central to see things differently, as well as expose nonsensical ‘facts’ from organisations or officials, and this is now emphasised by new research revealing that thousands of women were raped by allied soldiers during World War Two (WWII), as well as by the incorrect information given out by the World Health Organis(z)ation (WHO)
