Cymraeg isod
An investigation by the now Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found no case to answer for misconduct against any Dyfed-Powys Police officer in relation to their interaction with Spencer Beynon, who died following an incident in Llanelli in 2016.
At the end of a two-week inquest held in Llanelli, a jury has today (Friday) returned a conclusion of death by misadventure.
Police arrived at Maes Y Bwlch, Llanelli, at around 7.30 pm on 14 June 2016 following several calls from members of the public reporting a disturbance. Officers arrived to find Mr Beynon, 43, in the street in a distressed state and with a severe neck wound. During the incident a police constable discharged a Taser. Mr Beynon became unresponsive, and an ambulance was called, but sadly he was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 8 pm.
After a referral from Dyfed-Powys Police that evening, investigators from the then IPCC attended the scene and the police post-incident procedure to begin their enquiries. During the course of the independent investigation, investigators examined available CCTV, which did not capture the police interaction with Mr Beynon, and accounts from police officers involved. There was no police body-worn footage of the incident. They also reviewed statements gained from several local residents who witnessed Mr Beynon in the street that evening and traced and interviewed other witnesses.
A post mortem examination was carried out along with toxicology tests. Investigators consulted with a specialist in emergency medicine focussing on the effect of Taser and the first-aid treatment given to Mr Beynon. A cardiologist, and a College of Policing expert in the use of Taser and the tactical options available to officers, were also consulted. Data from the officer’s Taser was downloaded and carefully analysed.
In addition, investigators looked at the handling of a phone call from Mr Beynon’s father to Dyfed-Powys Police that morning which expressed concern for his son’s welfare, an ex-soldier who had been suffering the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder. The investigation considered concerns raised by Mr Beynon’s family about the use of Taser and the police response to this call from his father.
The pathologist who carried out the post mortem found: ‘The most significant pathological finding is of incised wounds to the neck (a 'cut throat'), having the appearance of self-inflicted injury in keeping with having been caused by broken glass. A 'cut throat’ provides an adequate explanation for cardiac arrest and death due to external blood loss.’
The medical expert, consulted for the investigation, stated: ‘I believe that a severed internal jugular vein represents a very severe injury and Spencer Beynon would have died in these circumstances from blood loss regardless of the use of Taser’. He added that he had no concerns about the care offered by police officers to Mr Beynon and that by the time of his collapse ‘his condition was irretrievable’.
The investigation found that officers faced a dynamic situation that evening when responding to calls about a man, later identified as Mr Beynon, having smashed a window, threatened someone with acid, and acting erratically in the street. The police officer who tasered Mr Beynon said he did so for his own safety, and the safety of other officers and members of the public. It was noted that there were varying eye-witness accounts as to whether Mr Beynon was moving and the extent of any movement immediately before the Taser discharge. The investigation found that the officer's stated belief that Mr Beynon was moving towards him was both genuinely held and reasonable in the circumstances. The investigation found that there was insufficient evidence to bring any disciplinary proceedings against the officer.
The investigation found that the call from Mr Beynon’s father could have been given a higher response grading than ‘scheduled’, and that more information could have been logged on police systems. After liaison with Dyfed-Powys Police, it was agreed there was insufficient evidence to bring any disciplinary proceedings against the call handler, who is now retired. It was noted that the call handler had received a detailed debrief from Dyfed-Powys Police regarding their handling of this incident, which had been fully documented.
IOPC Director for Wales, Catrin Evans, said: “I offer my deepest sympathies to Spencer Beynon’s family and friends for their devastating loss. Mr Beynon was sadly suffering from the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder after having served in the army for a number of years. Evidence gathered by the IPCC investigation indicated that Mr Beynon had suffered a self-inflicted catastrophic neck wound by the time police officers arrived. Officers faced a dynamic situation and the investigation found insufficient evidence to justify any disciplinary proceedings against any officer.”
Following the conclusion of the investigation in October 2017, the IPCC shared its investigation report with the Coroner, Dyfed-Powys Police and Mr Beynon’s family. The IPCC suggested an area of learning for Dyfed-Powys Police around the resourcing and availability of the mental health triage team then working with the force, and further consideration of how "out of hours" cases that raise mental health concerns should be handled.
Note – the IOPC came into existence in January 2018, replacing its predecessor body the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
Canfyddiadau yn dilyn ymchwiliad i gysylltiad Heddlu Dyfed-Powys gyda Spencer Beynon
Ni chanfu ymchwiliad gan Swyddfa Annibynnol Swyddfa Ymddygiad yr Heddlu (IOPC) bellach unrhyw achos i’w ateb am gamymddwyn yn erbyn unrhyw swyddog o Heddlu Dyfed-Powys mewn perthynas â’u rhyngweithio â Spencer Beynon, a fu farw yn dilyn digwyddiad yn Llanelli yn 2016.
Ar ddiwedd ymchwiliad pythefnos a gynhaliwyd yn Llanelli, mae rheithgor heddiw (dydd Gwener) wedi dychwelyd casgliad o farwolaeth trwy anffawd.
Cyrhaeddodd yr heddlu Maes y Bwlch, Llanelli, tua 7.30 pm ar 14 Mehefin 2016 yn dilyn sawl galwad gan aelodau o'r cyhoedd yn adrodd am aflonyddwch. Cyrhaeddodd swyddogion i ddod o hyd i Mr Beynon, 43, yn y stryd mewn cyflwr trallodus a gyda chlwyf gwddf difrifol. Yn ystod y digwyddiad rhyddhaodd cwnstabl y Taser. Daeth Mr Beynon yn anymatebol, a cafodd ambiwlans ei alw, ond yn anffodus cyhoeddwyd ei fod wedi marw yn y fan a'r lle yn fyr ar ôl 8 pm.
Ar ôl atgyfeiriad gan Heddlu Dyfed-Powys y noson honno, mynychodd ymchwilwyr o'r IPCC ar y pryd y lleoliad a gweithdrefn ôl-ddigwyddiad yr heddlu i ddechrau eu hymholiadau. Yn ystod yr ymchwiliad annibynnol , archwiliodd ymchwilwyr y CCTV a oedd ar gael, nad oedd yn dal y rhyngweithio rhwng yr heddlu a Mr Beynon, a chyfrifon gan swyddogion heddlu dan sylw. Nid oedd unrhyw luniau o'r digwyddiad wedi'u gwisgo ar gorff yr heddlu. Buont hefyd yn adolygu datganiadau a gafwyd gan nifer o drigolion lleol a welodd Mr Beynon yn y stryd y noson honno ac a fu’n olrhain a chyfweld tystion eraill.
Cafodd archwiliad post mortem ei gynnal ynghyd â phrofion tocsicoleg. Ymgynghorodd ymchwilwyr ag arbenigwr mewn meddygaeth frys gan ganolbwyntio ar effaith Taser a'r driniaeth cymorth cyntaf a roddwyd i Mr Beynon. Ymgynghorwyd hefyd â chardiolegydd, ac arbenigwr o'r Coleg Plismona ar ddefnyddio Taser a'r opsiynau tactegol sydd ar gael i swyddogion. Cafodd data o Taser y swyddog ei lawrlwytho a’i ddadansoddi’n ofalus.
Yn ogystal, edrychodd ymchwilwyr ar y modd yr ymdriniwyd â galwad ffôn gan dad Mr Beynon i Heddlu Dyfed-Powys y bore hwnnw a fynegodd bryder am les ei fab, cyn-filwr a oedd wedi bod yn dioddef effeithiau anhwylder straen wedi trawma. Roedd yr ymchwiliad yn ystyried pryderon a godwyd gan deulu Mr Beynon am y defnydd o Taser ac ymateb yr heddlu i'r alwad hon gan ei dad.
Daeth y patholegydd a gynhaliodd y post mortem i’r casgliad: ‘Y canfyddiad patholegol mwyaf arwyddocaol yw clwyfau endoredig i’r gwddf (‘torriad i'r gwddf’), yr ymddangosiad o anaf hunan-achosedig sy’n cyd-fynd â chael ei achosi gan wydr wedi torri. Mae ‘torriad i'r gwddf’ yn rhoi esboniad digonol am ataliad y galon a marwolaeth o ganlyniad i golli gwaed allanol.’
Dywedodd yr arbenigwr meddygol, yr ymgynghorwyd ag ef ar gyfer yr ymchwiliad: ‘Rwy’n credu bod gwythïen jugular fewnol wedi’i thorri yn cynrychioli anaf difrifol iawn a byddai Spencer Beynon wedi marw o dan yr amgylchiadau hyn o golli gwaed dim gwahaniaeth am ddefnydd o Taser’. Ychwanegodd nad oedd ganddo unrhyw bryderon am y gofal a gynigir gan swyddogion yr heddlu i Mr Beynon ac erbyn iddo gwympo 'roedd ei gyflwr yn anadferadwy'.
Canfu’r ymchwiliad fod swyddogion yn wynebu sefyllfa ddeinamig y noson honno wrth ymateb i alwadau am ddyn, a gafodd ei adnabod yn ddiweddarach fel Mr Beynon, wedi malu ffenest, wedi bygwth rhywun ag asid, ac yn ymddwyn yn afreolaidd yn y stryd. Dywedodd yr heddwas a ddefnyddiodd taser ar Mr Beynon iddo wneud hynny er ei ddiogelwch ei hun, a diogelwch swyddogion eraill ac aelodau'r cyhoedd. Nodwyd bod adroddiadau llygad-dyst yn amrywio o ran os oedd Mr Beynon yn symud a graddau unrhyw symudiad yn union cyn rhyddhau Taser. Canfu'r ymchwiliad fod y gred a ddatganwyd gan y swyddog fod Mr Beynon yn symud tuag ato yn wirioneddol ac yn rhesymol o dan yr amgylchiadau. Canfu'r ymchwiliad nad oedd digon o dystiolaeth i ddwyn unrhyw gamau disgyblu yn erbyn y swyddog.
Canfu’r ymchwiliad y gallai’r alwad gan dad Mr Beynon fod wedi cael gradd ymateb uwch nag ‘a drefnwyd’, ac y gallai mwy o wybodaeth fod wedi’i chofnodi ar systemau’r heddlu. Ar ôl cysylltu â Heddlu Dyfed-Powys, cytunwyd nad oedd digon o dystiolaeth i ddwyn unrhyw gamau disgyblu yn erbyn y sawl sy’n delio â’r alwad, sydd bellach wedi ymddeol. Nodwyd bod y sawl oedd yn delio â'r alwad wedi derbyn ôl-drafodaeth fanwl gan Heddlu Dyfed-Powys ynghylch y modd yr ymdriniodd â'r digwyddiad hwn, a oedd wedi'i ddogfennu'n llawn.
Dywedodd Cyfarwyddwr IOPC Cymru, Catrin Evans: “Rwy’n cydymdeimlo’n ddwys â theulu a ffrindiau Spencer Beynon am eu colled enbyd. Yn anffodus roedd Mr Beynon yn dioddef o effeithiau anhwylder straen yn dilyn trawma ar ôl gwasanaethu yn y fyddin am nifer o flynyddoedd. Roedd tystiolaeth a gasglwyd gan ymchwiliad yr IPCC yn dangos bod Mr Beynon wedi dioddef anaf gwddf trychinebus hunan-achosedig erbyn i swyddogion yr heddlu gyrraedd. Roedd swyddogion yn wynebu sefyllfa ddeinamig a chanfu’r ymchwiliad dystiolaeth annigonol i gyfiawnhau unrhyw gamau disgyblu yn erbyn unrhyw swyddog.”
Yn dilyn cwblhau’r ymchwiliad ym mis Hydref 2017, rhannodd yr IPCC ei adroddiad ymchwiliad gyda’r Crwner, Heddlu Dyfed-Powys a theulu Mr Beynon. Awgrymodd yr IPCC faes dysgu ar gyfer Heddlu Dyfed-Powys ynghylch adnoddau ac argaeledd y tîm brysbennu iechyd meddwl a oedd yn gweithio gyda'r heddlu ar y pryd, ac ystyriaeth bellach o sut y dylid ymdrin ag achosion "y tu allan i oriau" sy'n codi pryderon iechyd meddwl.
Sylwch – daeth yr IOPC i fodolaeth ym mis Ionawr 2018, gan ddisodli’r corff a’i rhagflaenodd, Comisiwn Cwynion Annibynnol yr Heddlu (IPCC).