No doubt at all. THE brutal murder of a family of four rocked the close-knit Swansea Valley community of Clydach to its core. University lecturer and journalist Brian Thornton, one of the founders of the Crime and Justice Research Centre at the University of Winchester, has studied the Clydach murders for a decade. Theyre on the road out. South Wales Police commissioned a review in the hope that we could in some way provide closure for those most affected by the murders. "As well as it being an interesting case with extraordinary details, I think there is a legitimate reason for opening this up and looking at it again. Morriss appeal dossier states: As the victims were all female, the presence of male DNA is highly significant. Inexplicably, however, no Y-STR tests were ever done on these items, and the possibility was never discussed in court. Alison has always maintained that she was at home with Stephen and he was beside her in bed all night. Plane carrying message flies over Headingley as Australia trolled during Ashes Test, Love Island movie night first look - girls fume over Tyrique and two stars go to WAR, Everything we know about deadly virus sweeping Europe - experts' verdict on UK arrival, Plane passengers 'stunned' after Lee Ryan 'attacked for putting feet on seat', Jeffrey Epstein 'planned to hire Prince Andrew to be an adviser for new consultancy', Marcus Rashford drops awkward social media gaffe with parting message to David de Gea, Subscribe to Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror newspapers. Credit: Media Wales The tribute came hours after a former student taught by Ms Buckney at Pen-y-Fedw Riding Centre in Morriston reflected on the . He spent 22 years in jail for killing Mandy Power, 34, her daughters Katie, 10, and Emily, aged eight, and her 80-year-old mother Doris Dawson. It made no mention of who made these alleged threats, or why. Yet other items from Mandys house, which did not bear signs of male DNA at all, were put through Y-STR testing. In a storyline worthy of TVs Line of Duty the finger of suspicion fell on Stuart Lewis, his police officer brother Steve and his wife Alison Lewis who was having a secret lesbian affair with Mandy. Murder in the Valleys premieres on Sky Crime and NOW on Sunday, February 6. A forensic review of evidence linked to the brutal murders of a family of four more than 20 years ago has been agreed. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. When he heard about the murders the next day, he says he called the police to tell them. On the advice of the epic subscribers to this sub, I've decided to post this case in full to hear your thoughts. The jury at Morriss trial never saw that HOLMES document. BBC NEWS | In Depth | Wales | 2002 | Clydach murders The former Welsh women's rugby international, and ex-policewoman, had been arrested over the brutal killings of three generations of the same family - and a "baying, screaming" crowd was waiting for her. Now, a new four-part series takes a forensic look at the biggest murder investigation in Welsh history - with Alison agreeing to a TV interview about the case for the first time in more than a decade. You can read here how the shadow of the horrific crime has refused to life from the village. "They took my details and said that person dealing with it, or that team, would be in touch," the driver said. The original is revealed for the first time here. 2023 BBC. 20 August 2021 South Wales Police David Morris killed three generations of the same family The man convicted of the Clydach murders has died in prison, it has been confirmed. Now for the first time in 22 years, Stuart Lewis has spoken about the ordeal that has ruined his life, as The Mirror reports. Hospital nurse Mandy Power had been divorced for two years and was on good terms with her former husband Michael Power. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Clydach: Murder suspect held under Mental Health Act - BBC News The Clydach murders: a full timeline. Superintendent Davies said in his report, issued in 2000, that Inspector Lewis made false statements about his actions at the scene and subsequently I have no doubt that the entries in his statements are lies and designed to deliberately mislead. David Morris, 59, killed three generations of the same family in the Swansea Valley village in 1999. "It's torn the community apart. The trial also heard from teenager Louise Pugh that Police Sergeant Lewis had earlier threatened to kill victim Mandy Power if she did not stay away from his wife. "No family should ever go through what we have and still do.". Cookie Notice "They completely believe he didn't do it and they'll say it's not a question of blind faith," Phillips says of Morris's family. Mysteriously, it transpired the car log which should have recorded Lewiss movements had disappeared. "The girls I think, to use that awful expression, were collateral. He says he is sharing his story now to "get justice for the community and everybody that was involved" and has "no vendetta" against the police despite his own criminal past. Basic level DNA-testing revealed that all these items bore traces of cells from someone with a male, Y chromosome presumably the murderer. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Filmmaker Owen Phillips, who went to school near Clydach at the time of the murders, said the early media focus on Alison was partly because of her "unorthodox" relationship with Mandy and her martial arts training, which included a black belt in karate. Several witnesses said they saw a vehicle matching this description in Clydach at about the time Mandy and her family were killed. Possibly the most bizarre aspect of the case involves Stephen Lewiss identical twin brother another police officer, Inspector Stuart Lewis, also a member of the South Wales police. Morriss family and supporters dismissed the new evidence as nonsense, and said their fight to clear his name will go on. Sky News talks to a maker of the series, Murder In The Valleys, which takes a forensic look at the biggest homicide investigation in Welsh history. Just a month ago Lewis was kicked out of his local gym after a member complained about him being there. Read about our approach to external linking. The campaign to quash Morris's conviction has grown in size and volume over the years but while his family remain convinced he was not capable of the crime, his own actions at the time undermined his claims of innocence. This commitment resulted in a forensic link between the convicted killer David Morris and an item of great significance which was recovered from the murder scene. Ex-police officer Alison said: These people aren't interested in the truth, all they want to do is slam South Wales Police and say it's a conspiracy. Clydach murders: Killer David Morris dies in prison - BBC News She said she loved Mandy. Clydach murders: David Morris died of natural causes, coroner says - BBC "My Brother Was Framed & Died Prison" - The Clydach Murders Deborah Thomas (Dai Morris' Sis) tells her side of the storyIn 1999 in the small Welsh Village of Clydach just outside of Swansea three generations of a family were brutally murderedThe community were shocked and demanded answers and not long after the murder there were 3 prime suspects who looke. Stuart studied for a law degree while suspended and returned to his duties with South Wales Police when all disciplinary matters against him were dropped. Speaking for the first time since the murders, Michael Power, Mandy's former husband and Katie and Emily's father, said time had not healed his pain. "My Brother Was Framed & Died Prison" - The Clydach Murders Can France prevent tensions igniting again? He said there appears to be a "significant volume of material" which was withheld using PII and he cannot see an "obvious reason" to justify it. "She had the trauma of the murder and then she was a suspect.". Morris was serving a 32-year sentence for bludgeoning Mandy, her daughters and her mother to death at their home in Kelvin Road, Clydach in June 1999. "I loved being with her and everything about her made me happy.". However, he found an unexpected champion Brian Thornton, a senior lecturer on the journalism course at Winchester University. South Wales Police said in a statement: "The decision to carry out a forensic review does not constitute a reopening or reinvestigation of the murders, nor does it demonstrate any lack of confidence in the conviction of Morris and the subsequent case reviews. Can France prevent tensions igniting again? Ms Power and her daughters were battered repeatedly with a fibreglass pole, which the children used to play with, and Ms Power's body was sexually assaulted. The Clydach Murders: Directed by John-Pierre Newman. But potential new witnesses, along with the views of experts, have given campaigners calling for his release fresh hope. Moreover, the killers vigil between the first murder and last three pointed to him acting in cold blood, rather than in a drug-fuelled rage. "I feel for Alison. The tight-knit community of Clydach is still divided over who beat the family to death with a metal pole before setting their home on fire in the early hours, despite the conviction of Morris. I'd love to hear your thoughts and theories on the case all. One document in particular had been severely edited, so that in the later, Notepad version, its original, apparently significant, meaning was totally obscured. That is never going to happen. An ex-police officer has claimed his own force botched a murder inquiry leading to unfounded rumours his family was involved in the killings of a mother, her two little girls and their grandmother. In July the Crown Prosecution Service said no information had been provided by the potential new witnesses to undermine the conviction. The development prompted a rare statement from Mandy's family who called on Morris's supporters to accept his guilt. Clydach murders: Forensic review agreed for evidence - BBC News Mandy Powers phone records later showed she spoke to Morris repeatedly for example on Valentines Day four months previously. He was not demoted as a result and both brothers continued in their roles until retiring in recent years. He says those timings, and understanding who was killed first, are critical. You can imagine the fear and paranoia that was happening where people were worried about who could have committed these murders. The Lewis family claims to have received more than 400 threats from supporters of the Free David Morris campaign. He tells Sky News: "The headlines were obsessed with Alison because she was a black belt, she was a Welsh rugby international, she'd been a police officer - all those things were tantalising for journalists. Clydach murders: police review claims sock links Dai Morris to scene Morris was serving a 32-year sentence for bludgeoning Mandy, her daughters and her mother to death at their home in Kelvin Road, Clydach in June 1999. I was remanded in custody for four days, interviewed on 26 occasions and suspended for four years.. The Clydach Murders by John Morris - OverDrive Chief Sub Editor Taxi driver Mike claims he was driving down Vardre Road, a short walk from Kelvin Road, between 02:00 and 02:30 when he noticed two men walking along the pavement. In the early morning hours of June 27 1999, the bodies of Dorris Dawson, 80, her daughter Amanda Power, 34, and her granddaughters Katie, 10, and Emily, 8, were found in their burned out home in Kelvin Road, Clydach which is a village located in the Principality of Swansea in South Wales. Clydach murders: 'Nothing to undermine' David Morris conviction - BBC The killer lit fires around the house in an attempt to hide the crimes. David Morris, 59, killed three generations of the same family in the Swansea Valley village in 1999. The Clydach murder trial defence claims a former suspect for the murders was seen on the night of the killings. "When their pictures appeared in the press I realised that it was them that I'd seen that morning," said the man, who maintains he is "100% convinced" it was the Lewis brothers he saw. However there was no blood from Doris suggesting she was killed first then later use of the bar removed traces of her. The obvious thing to have done would have been simply to print out the various documents direct from HOLMES. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The police investigation was flawed from the outset, which resulted in [Stuart's] reputation and life being destroyed.. The Clydach Murder Mystery | The Independent | The Independent "We have always said we will fight for our family, but we never expected to be fighting 21 years on.". "My Brother Was Framed & Died Prison" - The Clydach Murders I got the files from Morriss former solicitors and started going through them boxes and boxes of them. He later made a statement, which like the HOLMES documents, did not emerge at either trial. He was convicted for the murders a second time in 2006 after an earlier conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal. Alison and Steve were arrested on suspicion of murder, and Stuart on perverting the course of justice but all three were later cleared. A judge has ruled that an appeal on behalf of a man found guilty of murdering four members of the same family, should go ahead. Mandy Power, 34, her daughters Katie, 10, and Emily, eight, and her mother Doris Dawson, 80, were found bludgeoned to death and their house set on fire in 1999. After leaving the force he has been unable to find work because employers Google his name and discover he was linked to the Clydach murder probe. Informant stated 3 weeks ago he overheard conversation Mandy was having with 2 females who stated that her and her kids had been threatened by her current lovers husband who was a police officer., According to a new submission to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the informant was a neighbour of Mandys, David Pancho Powell. They say theyre lying to get released. Professor Mike Berry is a consultant forensic psychologist who has helped police forces in high profile killings - including the murder of Geraldine Palk in Cardiff. The force is also requesting material which has previously been forensically examined by the CCRC as part of the new process. Clydach murders: My hubby & I were wrongly accused of killing my lesbian lover & her kids - it ruined our lives George Harrison Published: 15:58, 29 Jan 2022 Updated: 10:54, 24 Feb 2022 ALISON. Morris, who always maintained his innocence, was jailed for a minimum of 32 years. Two weeks later the driver says he called police again to say not only had he seen the men but he could now identify them - as Stephen and Stuart Lewis. Barrister and civil liberties expert Simon McKay is concerned about the use of PII in the Clydach trials. Police officer breaks 22-year silence after false claims he covered up His trial heard he had a sexual relationship with Ms Power and was fuelled by drink and drugs when he went on a killing spree in June 1999. 'I became the devil': Trauma of woman wrongly suspected of murdering an The timeline of the killings is another angle Morris's defence team want to explore, as it was not something used in his defence at either trial. However, there have been doubts cast over his conviction by those who have studied the case. Not one of them has got one piece of evidence. From the moment he was picked up, David Morris must have appeared an unlikely culprit. Former builder David "Dai" Morris - who claimed he had a fling with Mandy - was eventually convicted of the murders and spent 22 years in jail before his death in August last year. Mr Morris, 40, of Craig Cefn Parc, near Swansea, denies the murders of . However, Superintendent Davies concluded there was little chance of proving this beyond reasonable doubt and Lewis was charged only with disciplinary offences. Just weeks after he died police released fresh forensic DNA evidence linking Morris to a bloodstained sock found at the murder scene. For the past five years, Ive been working on it with my students. Thornton found thousands of pages of records taken from the police HOLMES computer system which had never emerged in court. 4.32 666 ratings57 reviews John Morris's new book is an investigation into the Clydach murders in South Wales in 1999 in which Mandy Power, her mother and two daughters were battered to death. Inevitably, these tests revealed nothing. The juries were also told Morris had previous convictions for violence, and at both trials - the first in 2002 and the second in 2006 - he was found guilty of all four murders. The killer had placed this on her wrist after she was murdered. "Those sort of things don't really happen in those sort of communities - close-knit, industrial communities," he says. Dai Morris' sister vows to clear his name as she speaks out for first Katie and Emily Power, who were murdered alongside their mother and grandmother in Clydach in 1999, Police Inspector Stuart Lewis has broken his 22-year-silence. The murders of Mandy Power, 34, daughters Katie, 10, Emily, eight, and . And, despite a local labourer being later convicted of the murders, they still have to deal with the fact that some locals in Clydach, near Swansea, still believe they are responsible for wiping out three generations of the same family. Clydach murder investigation: Man suspected of killing pensioner - ITVX The man convicted of the Clydach murders has died in prison, it has been confirmed. Mandy Power, 34, her daughters Katie, 10, and Emily, eight and her mother Doris Dawson, 80, were found bludgeoned to death and their house set on fire in 1999. Death in the Welsh Valleys, the Clydach Murders - Reddit Phillips, who has previously worked on the documentaries Barrymore: Body In The Pool and Leaving Neverland, hopes his new series will finally address "what really happened that night in the summer of 1999 in Clydach". Read about our approach to external linking. He later admitted that it was, shortly before his trial. It is not known whether the HOLMES documents were disclosed to the defence or why they did not regard the fuller version of the document as significant. Morris' sister and aunt spoke with WalesOnline in September 2021 you can read the interview here. Then came his big mistake: He lied to the police panicking, he denied the chain was his. He told the TV documentary: "I have no doubt at all that David Morris is the killer. John Allen never came forward at the time of the murders, however he now claims that he saw a man in his headlights in a bomber jacket carrying a bundle as he drove down Gellionnen Road into Clydach between 04:00 and 04:30. Stuart Lewis, questioned on previous occasions, said he did not see Stephen or Alison that night. "He left the pub at half past 11, Mandy and the girls came back just before 12," he said. The taxi driver was never called to give evidence at either trial. The inquiry was the largest and most complex murder investigation ever undertaken by a Welsh police force. After four days of intense questioning on suspicion of the quadruple murder in Clydach, South Wales, Alison was released on bail and hid in the back of a car as she left the station. Just before midnight, Doriss daughter Mandy Power arrived at the house with her children, Katie, ten, and Emily, eight. There may be disagreement over the details, but nobody disputes that an almost unspeakable crime was committed at 9 Kelvin Road in Clydach on the night of Saturday 26 into the morning of Sunday 27 June 1999. A review of issues relating to the conviction of David Morris for the murders of Mandy Power, her two daughters Katie and Emily and her mother Doris Dawson in Clydach in 1999 has led to significant findings as a result of analysing key forensic evidence. In particular, those who lost three generations of the same family and have had to revisit those painful memories time and time again over the last two decades. I took that to mean to beat her and her daughters up. And then he waited. His name had been mentioned in the weeks immediately after the killings and he had given a statement to police but had been put on the back burner. "Katie and Emily were only 10 and eight when they were murdered they were never given the chance to grow up and have their own families, unlike Morris who has the privilege of seeing his children and grandchildren. A bloody handprint found at the scene of the Clydach murders in south Wales was probably not the defendant's an expert tells Swansea Crown Court. WalesOnline. 'Massacre' defence points to ex-suspect - BBC News "Everybody knows everybody, it's gossipy - so when it happened it was like an atom bomb for the whole community and all the surrounding towns and villages because of the brutality and the strangeness. The chain was soon found in Mandys house and, after the killings, Morris told his employer, Eric Williams, that it was his. She was one of only a handful of experts to express an opinion on who was killed first - she believes it was Doris. But not all of that evidence was made available to the defence due to court orders made under Public Interest Immunity or PII. Privacy Policy. Read about our approach to external linking. David Morris | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers Morris's defence team say this sighting needs further investigation. But retired Detective Supt Martin Lloyd Evans, who led the investigation, is 100% sure South Wales Police got the right man. ", Fresh doubts over Clydach murders conviction, Convicted Clydach murderer 'an easy target', MP calls for review of Clydach murders conviction, Professor casts doubt on Clydach murders conviction, Police speak to 'new witnesses' after murder doc, Forensic review agreed for 1999 murders evidence, Urgent talks to be held over BBC star allegations, US allies troubled by cluster bombs to Ukraine, Twitter blue tick accounts fuel Ukraine misinformation, The new normal - why this summer has been so very hot, The fate of a protest that toppled a president, Ghana's batmen hunting for pandemic clues, How TikTok fuels human smuggling at the US border, Delhi's earliest crimes revealed by 1800s police records, The surprising benefits of breaking up. Stephen's wife Alison Lewis, a former officer with South Wales Police, had been in a lesbian affair with Mandy, and suspicion had fallen on Stuart because of events on the night. And, despite a local labourer being later convicted of the murders, some locals in Clydach, Swansea, still believe they are responsible for wiping out three generations of the same family.