TREVETHIN MAN AND WOMAN LISA BROOKS AND TOMAS LEWIS FROM GRIFFYSTOWN PONTYPOOL HELD CHILD IN HORRIFIC CONDITIONS

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Trevethin, a three-year-old boy was found to be on the brink of death after enduring severe abuse at the hands of his mother, Lisa Brooks, aged 25, of Beeches Road, Trevethin, and her partner, Tomas Rhys Lewis, aged 22, of Commercial Street, Griffithstown. The horrifying details emerged during a court hearing at Cardiff Crown Court, where the judge described the actions of the defendants as “abusive and sadistic behaviour.”

According to court reports, the young boy was confined in a stark, cell-like room within a council-owned semi-detached property. The room was devoid of any comfort, with no lights or heating, and was described as a “bare cell-like environment.” The child was kept there for hours on end, with the only furnishings being a potty, a bowl, and a fork. The walls of the room were covered in faeces, and the boy was found in a state of extreme neglect, with injuries covering his body. Evidence presented in court revealed that the boy had ripped out and eaten his own hair due to intense hunger, and he was suffering from hypothermia and dehydration, which brought him perilously close to death.

The police rescue operation took place on December 3, 2010, amidst snowfall in Pontypool, South Wales. Social worker Emma Lawler, after receiving multiple anonymous tips and receiving no response from the couple at their Trevethin address, contacted law enforcement authorities. When police officers arrived, they discovered the boy in a dire state. PC James Periam recounted finding the child “flopping on her shoulder,” with his eyes rolled back, shallow breathing, and a body covered in bruises, cuts, and ligature marks from being tied to a bed. The child was described as “ice cold” and appeared “lifeless,” prompting immediate hospitalization at Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny.

Medical staff, including ward manager Ann Beard, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “If he was not brought in when he was, he would have died in hours. The weather was so cold outside.” Dr. Paul Davies detailed the child's condition, noting extensive cuts, bruises, patchy hair loss, and the fact that he had eaten his own hair due to starvation and dehydration. The child's condition was so severe that he was barely able to eat, having been subjected to neglect and physical abuse.

The court heard that the defendants claimed the boy was placed in the room because he had harmed himself and out of fear that he might harm their infant child. Mobile phone footage introduced as evidence showed the boy, naked and crying, hitting himself in the room. The footage also depicted the defendants ordering him to face the wall, threatening to withhold breakfast if he did not comply. These images underscored the extent of the abuse inflicted upon the young child.

During the proceedings, the court was informed that both Brooks and Lewis had pleaded guilty to charges of wilful neglect of a child. Prosecutor Hywel Hughes described police officers as being moved to tears upon discovering the boy’s condition. The court also heard that the boy has since been adopted and is showing no signs of psychological damage, a fact that was acknowledged by Judge John Curran.

Judge Curran condemned the defendants’ actions, stating, “All children are entitled to a secure and happy childhood. Depriving them of this is very serious. It was abusive and sadistic behaviour.”

As a result of their guilty pleas, Tomas Lewis was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, while Lisa Brooks received a three-year sentence. Both defendants are required to serve half of their sentences before being eligible for parole, reflecting the gravity of their crimes and the impact on the vulnerable young victim.