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The family of a former policeman is calling for the creation of a new body to help those facing domestic abuse at the hands of serving officers.

The widow and daughter of Ricky Jones – who spent 26 years as an officer at Gwent Police – have said they suffered years of coercive control by him but felt unable to report it to police because of his links to the force.

His death has recently exposed allegations of homophobia, racism and misogyny within Gwent Police, which are now being investigated.

Speaking to Sky News, his widow Sharon and daughter Emma, whose names have been changed, said more needs to be done to help those who feel unable to report domestic abuse.

“I was trapped,” said Sharon.

“Wherever and whenever I went to any organisation, they would just always refer me back to the police.”

She claimed Ricky Jones would dictate what the family ate and where they slept, and controlled them down to minute detail, such as allocating them sheets of toilet roll and insisting skin particles from the children were cleaned off furniture.

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Emma said: “To paint a picture, my father, he had full reign in this house, full control about what food we ate, where we slept.

“My mother was told she didn’t love us, that she was a bad person. And I think over the years mum, I think you’ve believed him”.

“I did believe him,” Sharon said.

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Police officer ‘had full control over us’

‘Rooting out’ a few ‘bad apples isn’t going to do anything’

She explained that she did consider reporting him to the police, but says her husband prevented it.

“On one occasion, I said that if he didn’t stop what he was doing to me and the children, I would go to the police about him.

“Then, maybe that same night or the following day, he came to me and said: ‘I’ve been in work and I’ve sorted it – go in if you want, to the police, but they know you’re coming and they won’t listen to a word that you say’.”

The pair are now calling for a public inquiry and the creation of a new body that can help those facing abuse at the hands of serving officers.

Sharon said: “I believe I’m not the only one.

“There must be lots and lots of women out there that want to do something and are too frightened… it could be a woman in Scotland, it could be a woman in Liverpool, it could be somebody who is suffering the same as me out there.”

Emma explained this is about more than just identifying certain officers.

“Rooting out a couple of bad apples isn’t going to do anything. There needs to be an overhaul. There needs to be public inquiries, there needs to be an external organisation set up for anybody that doesn’t feel safe reporting to the police.

Ricky Jones served as a Gwent Police officer for 26 years
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Ricky Jones

Offensive messages exposed

“Wouldn’t it be nice to say there is somewhere you can go and it will be dealt with appropriately?

“But there’s nothing in place currently like that, so I feel like a public inquiry could contribute to actual real change that will help women across the UK and will help everybody.”

Ricky Jones took his own life in 2020, and it was only while looking on his phone for evidence of abuse for the inquest, that daughter Emma uncovered another horror.

WhatsApp and Facebook messages – first reported by The Sunday Times – between Jones and other serving and retired Gwent Police officers, that were homophobic, misogynistic and racist.

Emma said one message sent between Jones and other officers showed a picture of Grenfell Tower alongside a quote “The Great Muslim Bake-off”.

Another message discussed two officers having sex in a patrol car, with a retired officer saying: “He has been shagging on duty and it’s been recorded on his tetra [police radio] – didn’t he learn anything from me at all?? I thought I taught him well and how not to get caught.”

Emma said she wasn’t surprised by the messages on her father’s phone.

“I know who my father was. Contrary to how he was presenting himself outside this house, I know that he wasn’t a very nice person.

Gwent police

‘If you’re in the boys club – you’re protected’

“I think that this probably rings of these men in the police – and they all look after each other. It’s all a big joke. They all leak this information. They will chat about all this information. No one ever reports it.

“If you’re in that boy’s club, you’re set really – you’re protected.”

An investigation into allegations surrounding Gwent Police was launched earlier this year by Wiltshire Police, which told Sky News it cannot comment on ongoing investigations.

But the Jones family say they have little faith in the inquiry, and have even spent £2,000 making a professional digital copy of the mobile phone, in case the evidence is lost by police.

In response to concerns raised by the family, Gwent Police Chief Constable Pam Kelly said: “The initial complaint raised by the Jones family did not include the conduct matters now emerging, and as new issues come to light we will continue to take swift and robust action.

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There were a recorded 24,856 coercive control offences between 2019-2020.

Police: These behaviours have ‘no place’ in force

“We continue to be horrified by the comments and material shared by retired officers and a small number of serving officers.

“These behaviours and attitudes have no place in Gwent Police and we will continue our ongoing work with our colleagues to set out clear expectations around the standards that both we and the public expect.

“We’ve worked to ensure that anyone, a member of the public or a colleague, bringing issues forward can do so in a safe and supportive way, and remain supported throughout any investigation and subsequent disciplinary process.

“We’re pleased that feedback from victims and witnesses in recent and historic cases is demonstrating that we are getting this right.

Read more:
Sexual abusers will be ‘rooted out’ of South Yorkshire Police
Victim of grooming gang alleges police officer was among abusers

“We’ve worked with victims of crime, including survivors of domestic abuse, who have assisted with the development of our victim care unit.

“We would encourage any person who doesn’t feel confident in reporting to us that they can speak to our partner agencies, with whom we work closely, so that they can receive support and help they need.

“We’ve also set out our aim to become an anti-racist service and will continue to work on the generational change required to ensure that every member of our community can be confident in our commitment to that aim.

“While the independent investigation is underway we’re unable to comment on the individual allegations but we have demonstrated that we do take professional standards of behaviour extremely seriously and will take action against any officer or staff member breaching them regardless of rank.”

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Labour MP Dan Norris arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences

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Labour MP Dan Norris arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences

Labour MP Dan Norris has been arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Dan Norris MP was immediately suspended by the Labour Party upon being informed of his arrest.

“We cannot comment further while the police investigation is ongoing.”

Police said a man in his 60s had been arrested on Friday on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl, rape, child abduction and misconduct in a public office.

Sky News has contacted Mr Norris for comment.

Mr Norris, 65, defeated Jacob Rees-Mogg to win the new seat of North East Somerset and Hanham in last year’s general election.

He has also lost the party whip in the House of Commons and has stepped down from his role as chair of the League Against Cruel Sports.

Avon and Somerset Police said in a statement: “In December 2024, we received a referral from another police force relating to alleged non-recent child sex offences having been committed against a girl.

“Most of the offences are alleged to have occurred in the 2000s, but we’re also investigating an alleged offence of rape from the 2020s.

“An investigation, led by officers within Operation Bluestone, our dedicated rape and serious sexual assault investigation team, remains ongoing and at an early stage.

“The victim is being supported and given access to any specialist help or support she needs.

“A man, aged in his 60s, was arrested on Friday (April 4) on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl (under the Sexual Offences Act 1956), rape (under the Sexual Offences Act 2003), child abduction and misconduct in a public office. He’s been released on conditional bail for enquiries to continue.

“This is an active and sensitive investigation, so we’d respectfully ask people not to speculate on the circumstances so our enquiries can continue unhindered.”

Mr Norris first entered Parliament when Tony Blair came to power in 1997 and served as the Wansdyke MP until 2010.

He was an assistant whip under Mr Blair and served as a junior minister under Gordon Brown.

Mr Norris has also been West of England mayor since 2021 but is due to step down ahead of May’s local elections.

A spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports, a UK-based animal welfare charity which campaigns to end sports such as fox hunting and game bird shooting, confirmed he had stepped down from his role.

“The charity cannot comment further while an investigation is ongoing,” a statement said.

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Jaguar Land Rover to ‘pause’ US shipments over Donald Trump tariffs

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Jaguar Land Rover to 'pause' US shipments over Donald Trump tariffs

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has said it will “pause” shipments to the US as the British car firm works to “address the new trading terms” of Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The US president has introduced a 25% levy on all foreign cars imported into the country, which came into force on Thursday.

JLR, one of the country’s biggest carmakers, exported about 38,000 cars to the US in the third quarter of 2024 – almost equal to the amount sold to the UK and the EU combined.

Follow live updates: Trump’s baseline 10% tariff kicks in

In a statement on Saturday, a spokesperson for the company behind the Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover brands said: “The USA is an important market for JLR’s luxury brands.

“As we work to address the new trading terms with our business partners, we are taking some short-term actions including a shipment pause in April, as we develop our mid- to longer-term plans.”

The company released a statement last week before Mr Trump announced a “baseline” 10% tariff on goods from around the world, which kicked in on Saturday morning, on what he called “liberation day”.

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JLR reassured customers its business was “resilient” and “accustomed to changing market conditions”.

“Our priorities now are delivering for our clients around the world and addressing these new US trading terms,” the firm said.

Trading across the world has been hit by Mr Trump’s tariff announcement at the White House on Wednesday.

All but one stock on the FTSE 100 fell on Friday – with Rolls-Royce, banks and miners among those to suffer the sharpest losses.

Read more: A red wall on Wall Street – but Trump seems to believe it will work out

Cars are the top product exported from the UK to the US, with exports worth £8.3bn in the year to the end of September 2024, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

For UK carmakers, the US is the second largest export market behind the European Union.

Industry groups have previously warned the tariffs will force firms to rethink where they trade, while a report by thinktank the Institute for Public Policy Research said more than 25,000 car manufacturing jobs in the UK could be at risk.

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Two people die after caravan fire at holiday park in Lincolnshire

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Two people die after caravan fire at holiday park in Lincolnshire

Two people have died following a fire at a caravan site near Skegness, Lincolnshire Police have said.

In a statement, officers said they were called at 3.53am on Saturday to a report of a blaze at Golden Beach Holiday Park in the village of Ingoldmells.

Fire and rescue crews attended the scene, and two people were found to have died.

They were reported to be a 10-year-old girl and a 48-year-old man.

The force said the victims’ next of kin have been informed and will be supported by specially trained officers.

Officers are trying to establish the exact cause of the blaze.

“We are at the very early stages of our investigation and as such we are keeping an open mind,” the force said.

Two fire crews remain at the scene.

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