Former Inmate Sentenced for Sharing Prison Video and False Accusations

An individual who previously served time at Wales’ sole privately operated correctional facility has been incarcerated again following his distribution of a video on a Facebook group, which depicted a staff member subduing an inmate. Zachery Griffiths, 32, residing in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, had previously confessed to both disseminating the video and making unfounded online allegations that a staff member at Parc Prison, Bridgend, along with her family, were involved with drugs. Cardiff Crown Court handed down a 12-month sentence, with half of that term to be served in prison. Additionally, a restraining order was issued, prohibiting Griffiths—who has a record of 50 prior convictions for 107 offenses—from making contact with or writing about the aforementioned staff member. Griffiths, who acted as his own legal counsel, stated that he uploaded the video to the Facebook group HMP Prisons Justice Group earlier this year with the intention of drawing attention to what he characterized as “the toxic culture in the prison”. He asserted that his motivation for posting the video was in the public interest, further stating: “This video caused no harm to anybody. It showed violence in the prison.”No-one wants to hear the truth.” However, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke informed him: “You are not making a speech for your campaign.” The court heard that a family support worker at the prison had been subjected to false allegations published on the page by Griffiths. He alleged that she used drugs, asserted that her brother was a drug dealer, and also claimed the worker’s mother was implicated in drug activities. Pamela Kaiga, prosecuting, read a statement to the court from the worker, who detailed the severe impact the allegations had on her and her family. She reported being absent from work for nine weeks due to anxiety, marking her first period of sick leave in her nine-and-a-half years of employment at the G4S-operated prison. She expressed concerns for her own safety and that of her young daughter, leading her to avoid leaving her home. Furthermore, she stated that she and her family were confronted in public by individuals who had seen the allegations. Griffiths conceded that he had “crossed the line” but noted that the campaign group he belonged to had garnered significant publicity, and he expressed satisfaction that an inquiry into the prison was underway. In the previous month, Prisons Minister James Timpson confirmed that the prison service’s corruption unit was investigating HMP Parc. Judge Lloyd-Clarke characterized Griffiths’s actions as an “intentional… and a deliberate decision” to disseminate the video, adding that his failure to substantiate his claims “suited your cause”. As he departed the dock, Griffiths waved to friends seated in the public gallery.