Send my client to jail please – for his own good

Jan 12 2008 by Wendy Horton, South Wales Echo

A SOLICITOR pleaded with magistrates to jail his client for four months for breaking a window.

The unusual request was made by Llyr Williams in a last-ditch attempt to get help for a man with learning difficulties.

Speaking at Caerphilly Magistrates’ Court, he said the “sad” case centred around Paul Woodsford, who although aged 23 had a mental age of much less and who had been let down by a system which was supposed to help the most vulnerable people in the community.

The court heard Woodsford had become homeless after being thrown out of a shelter in Pontypridd where he ended up because his mother had died while he was in prison.

With no family to take him in and no help from the authorities, Woodsford found himself on the street with no money, food or shelter.

In desperation Woodsford, who used to live in Cefn Fforest with his mother, threw a brick through the window of a solicitors’ office in order to get himself arrested.

Mr Williams, defending, said: “It’s a very, very sad and difficult state of affairs. He is in need of support and that support is not there for him.

“This man has committed this offence to have a hot meal and somewhere to sleep. It’s absolutely crazy. I don’t normally stand up and ask for a client to be sent to prison and I feel very uncomfortable about it.”

Mr Williams said he intended to take proceedings against authorities with the aim of getting Woodsford somewhere to live on his release.

He also said Woodsford was one of thousands in the prison system in the same situation.

Magistrates chairman Barrie Owen said: “We are not happy about sending people to prison. It’s not a holiday camp but the system is failing here somewhere.”

After sentencing Woodsford to four months’ prison, Mr Owen added: “You are a very sad case and feel that you are being let down in the system.

“We are disappointed with our system, that this gentleman has to go into custody because we don’t feel as if there is any other way we can deal with it.”

wendy.horton@mediawales.co.uk