Killer had ‘wanted to start a new life’ after jail release
A REPEAT offender who attacked and killed a young woman two weeks after his release from prison had wanted to start a new life, his father has said.
Christopher Williams, whose son Matthew Williams, 34, attacked Cerys Yemm, 22, with the broken shards of a cereal bowl leaving her with such serious injuries that she died, was giving evidence at the inquest into both of their deaths, when he described how he tried to help his son “break the chain”.
Williams, who spent a large part of his adult life in prison, only being released for short periods before committing another offence, died on November 6, 2014 after police officers were called to the Sirhowy Arms Hotel in Argoed, where he was found attacking Miss Yemm, Gwent Coroner’s Court heard.
Williams was tasered four times and placed in handcuffs and leg straps before he died.
Mr Williams said he tried to find accommodation for his son in New- port. He said: “I said to Matthew over the years that when he keeps going back to Blackwood, he just ends up back in prison sooner rather than later.
“I wanted him to break the chain. He wanted to start a new life. He wanted to start a business, he had done painting and decoration in prison. He wanted to get a van, which I would have assisted him with.”
Williams was released from HMP Parc in Bridgend on October 23 and was taken to Newport Council’s housing team by his father but could not prove a local connection and was turned away.
He then went to Caerphilly County Borough Council (CCBC) and was placed at the Sirhowy Arms.
Principal housing officer Sue Cousins said it was an emergency placement while the council considered its duty to provide long-term housing.
She said emergency accommodation providers such as Mandy Miles, proprietor of the Sirhowy Arms Hotel, were not provided with information about the level of risk posed by residents placed with them by CCBC.
Ms Cousins said this incident had changed that approach.
“We are advised now, as a result of the Health Inspectorate Wales (HIW) recommendations, that we are to share more information with those providing accommodation but at the time we were not under a duty to do so and we did not,” she said.
Nicholas Bowen QC, representing the Williams family, asked about the exchange of information relating to released prisoners not on licence between CCBC and various agencies.
Ms Cousins said there was information shared between the council and the probation service and “sometimes” between the council and the police and mental health services, when it was appropriate.
She added she was not aware Oasis risk assessments, compiled by probation, were shared as a matter of course.
Mr Bowen asked: “Is that a weakness in the system?”
Ms Cousins said: “From a personal point of view it could possibly be seen to be one because our first duty is to provide emergency accommodation and it would be best to know more than less.
“If there is no system in place that requires that you share information then that is not helpful.”
The inquest heard other recommendations made in the HIW report, such as training for accommodation providers, had since been put in place.
Ms Cousins agreed Williams “misbehaved” in his placement by turning up “drunk and stoned” on the first day and failing to stay there on October 25.
The inquest heard the Sirhowy Arms Hotel was used for 37% of CCBC’s placements in 2014 but had since closed down.
Ms Cousins said new legislation had changed the authority’s role and said: “We have moved completely away from B&B (accommodation) and it is reducing all the time.”
The inquest continues.