A very odd case is, the former Conwy council flood defense manager was jailed for 11 years in 2019 after admitting the offenses.
All of the local papers ignored the story and even the Daily Post stated that it only published stories that the public would be interested in, when questioned why they had not printed any of this story all the way up to Crown Court!
All of the papers have printed far less severe stories on sexual offenses! But not this one.
Dyfed Rowland also worked in the schools and went around giving talks on Flood Defense to the children!
All records of him appear to have been moved offline!
Apparently plans were drawn up for his parole and early release some time ago, sadly it looks like there was a wall of silence from the press again following his release! But when exactly was he released and where? If you do know please drop us a line.
Below is the only thing the council answered on the case a FOI request!
Dear Conwy County Borough Council,
Mr Dyfed Rowlands the former head Manager of Floods and Environment has just been jailed for over 10 years at Caernarfon crown court.see (Plea and Trial Preparation - Case Started 10/04/2019 10:44
Court 1
T20197125
DYFED FON ROWLANDS
For Trial - Case Started 12/08/2019 14:46
For Trial - Case adjourned until 15:25 12/08/2019 15:13
For Trial - Resume 12/08/2019 15:23
For Trial - Jury Sworn In 12/08/2019 15:45
For Trial - Case adjourned until 10:15 12/08/2019 15:59
Trial (Part Heard) - Resume 13/08/2019 11:41
Trial (Part Heard) - Jury Sworn In 13/08/2019 12:00
Trial (Part Heard) - Prosecution Opening 13/08/2019 12:11
Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 13:50 13/08/2019 12:51
Trial (Part Heard) - Prosecution Case 13/08/2019 13:54
Trial (Part Heard) - No Event 13/08/2019 14:43
Trial (Part Heard) - Legal Submissions 13/08/2019 15:40
Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 10:15 13/08/2019 16:16
Trial (Part Heard) - Witness Number 2 Sworn 14/08/2019 10:21
Trial (Part Heard) - Defendant Sworn 14/08/2019 11:29
Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 14:00 14/08/2019 13:08
Trial (Part Heard) - Summing Up 14/08/2019 14:04
Trial (Part Heard) - Case adjourned until 10:00 14/08/2019 14:31
Trial (Part Heard) - Prosecution Closing Speech 15/08/2019 10:05
Trial (Part Heard) - DYFED FON ROWLANDS; Defence Closing Speech 15/08/2019 10:27
Trial (Part Heard) - Jury retire to consider verdict 15/08/2019 12:01
Trial (Part Heard) - Verdict to be taken 15/08/2019 15:32
Trial (Part Heard) - Hearing finished for DYFED FON ROWLANDS 15/08/2019 15:44
For Sentence - Case Started 16/08/2019 10:50)
However in April Mr Rowlands was placed on bail, can the authority please clarify how long he worked until it came to light that he was in fact on bail, and on what date was he dismissed?
As this is a criminal case and has now been settled by a prison sentence, it is in the public interest to know the above facts.
Also can the Authority please clarify why there has been a complete media blackout on reporting the case?
see ref
http://causelist.org/d/b80kv1exkcis/
Thank you kindly, and please answer honestly.
Yours faithfully,
Donald Saunders
Diolch am eich neges e-bost. Os ydych yn gofyn am fynediad at wybodaeth
dan delerau Deddf Rhyddid Gwybodaeth 2000 cewch ymateb o fewn ugain
niwrnod gwaith.
Thank you for your email. If you are requesting access to information
under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 you will receive a
response within twenty working days.
0487-19
Dear Mr Saunders
Thank you for your enquiry below.
It is confirmed that an employee of that name left the Authority on 4 March 2019.
The Authority holds no information regarding media coverage.
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of receipt of this response.
Please ensure all email correspondence is sent to the [Conwy Council request email] email address.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you may appeal to the Information Commissioner’s Office – Wales, 2nd Floor, Churchill House, Churchill Way, Cardiff, CF10 2HH.
Yours sincerely
Derek O'Connor
Rheolwr Llywodraethu Gwybodaeth / Information Governance Manager
Cyngor Bwrdeistef Sirol CONWY County Borough Council
E-Bost / E-Mail: [email address]
From https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/dates_that_former_flood_manager
Conwy Council covered all of this up and all of the local papers kept very quiet
ReplyDeleteI remember him, he was really creepy
ReplyDeleteWhy has this been kept so quiet? Its is odd how the papers did not print the story, especially with him going around primary schools!
ReplyDeleteWhy was all of this hushed up?
ReplyDeleteThe Council wouldn't have the information requested in the FOI request, a 'media blackout' if there was one? would likely be the result of a Court Order to protect the victim/s?
ReplyDeleteThere was no court order, and even if there had of been it would still have been reported but as usual stated that for legal reasons this can not be named, disclosed, and the FOI requested when the criminal worked whilst on bail ,which the information was held and given, so the council did know, but thanks for your comment
DeleteNothing on the National Sex Offenders data base either, yet he is in prison right now! I have sent the database all of the court details so hopefully they might update their system.
ReplyDeleteConwy Council kept this one quiet
ReplyDeleteHow did they manage to keep this from the press?
ReplyDeleteHe worked for the council and the council wanted it kept quiet, and who do you think pays lots of money to the local papers for advertising? So the answer is quite clear really!
DeleteHe has been released from prison. No doubt the there have been payments made with the lack of media coverage. (From a good source)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment, they started looking at release a few years after he was jailed, odd that yet again no media coverage! Shocking
DeleteHe wasn't in prison for long was he, just around three years and nothing in the papers again!
ReplyDeleteOdd his arrest, conviction and imprisonment all bypassed the papers! Conwy Council must have some links with the press, the man is not even listed on https://offenders.org.uk/, all very odd indeed!
ReplyDelete