Matt Murray

Doug Thomas recalls how his 19-year-old brother Gordon drowned from cold water shock in Falmouth harbour in 1972, an event that devastated their family and led Doug to spend decades campaigning for water safety. He is supporting Wales's new Drowning Prevention Strategy, which brings together the Welsh Government, Water Safety Wales, schools, charities, landowners and activity providers. The strategy aims to improve water-safety education, ensure children and young people can swim, and respond to changing weather patterns amid around 600 water-related deaths annually in the UK and a persistently high drowning rate in Wales.

A Cardiff businesswoman received a two‑year, three‑month prison sentence for fraudulently obtaining more than £200,000 in Covid loan funds through inflated business turnover claims and multiple applications across several companies. The court found she transferred most of the funds into personal accounts to pay debts and invest in stocks, while prosecutors detailed repeated false declarations about business activity and prior loans. Her defence cited personal difficulties, but investigators said she systematically abused a scheme intended to support genuine businesses during the pandemic.

A Cardiff businesswoman, Rupali Wagh, was jailed for more than two years after admitting to fraudulently securing over £200,000 in Covid Bounce Back Loans by inflating company turnovers and diverting funds to personal debts and stock investments. Multiple fraudulent applications were made across several companies, with money often moved to her personal accounts or transferred abroad. Prosecutors highlighted deliberate deception, while the defence cited personal difficulties. The Insolvency Service said she systematically exploited a scheme intended to support struggling businesses.