A shocking incident took place during Monday’s Tom Jones concert at Cardiff Castle when a woman, Natalie Wood, alleged that she was pushed, threatened, and subjected to abusive behavior by an off-duty police officer and his partner. Ms. Wood, 32, from Risca, Caerphilly county, described the distressing encounter, stating, “You’ve got people brushing past you, squeezing through, which is fine… then I got shoved so hard I nearly fell over.” She further claimed that the officer and his partner appeared smug and started swearing at her after the incident.
According to Ms. Wood’s account, the situation escalated when the officer’s partner confronted her, slurring and using offensive language. She said, “She turned around and tapped her partner on the shoulder and says ‘sort her out’.” The altercation continued, and the officer even attempted to start a fight with Ms. Wood’s partner, Owain. Fortunately, event stewards intervened and prevented the situation from getting worse.
However, the most alarming part of the incident came when the off-duty officer, seemingly aware of the consequences, allegedly attempted to use his position to evade repercussions. Ms. Wood recalled, “I think they were going to kick him out at this point, but then he pulls out his police badge.” She expressed her shock at this abuse of power and disapproved of his actions, calling it “mind-blowing.”
The presence of the police badge didn’t deter the event stewards, who were unsure how to handle the situation. Ms. Wood said, “The stewards, they were only young lads, they didn’t know what to do.” Onlookers also witnessed the altercation, and some of them asked security to remove the officer and his partner from the event.
Despite being moved to another part of the venue, the off-duty officer reportedly continued to taunt Ms. Wood and her group. However, around 40 minutes later, a large group of security personnel arrived and finally removed the officer and his partner from the premises. The crowd cheered as the duo was escorted out of the venue.
Ms. Wood didn’t stay silent about the incident and reported it to the South Wales Police, demanding appropriate action against the officer. She stated, “His behavior, regardless of what your job is, is totally unacceptable and despicable.” She emphasized that being off-duty provided no justification for his misconduct.
Depot, the event organizer, took the incident seriously and confirmed that they were aware of the situation. A spokesperson for Depot stated, “On Monday evening, members of the public approached our security staff to report an ongoing incident, and in line with our protocols, a man was given a verbal warning.” Later, when another disturbance involving the same person occurred, the decision was made to eject the officer from the premises.
South Wales Police also responded to the incident, stating, “We are aware of a social media post following a recent Tom Jones concert in Cardiff. The matter has been referred to the Professional Standards Department.” The department will conduct an investigation into the officer’s alleged misconduct.
Ms. Wood hopes for a proper disciplinary action against the officer, firmly stating that he is “not fit to be a police officer.” She criticized his sense of invincibility and the display of his badge during the incident, asserting that such behavior must be condemned, regardless of one’s profession. The incident has raised concerns about the behavior of off-duty police officers and the need for accountability even when they are not on duty. The event organizer remains committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all attendees at their events.
