MATTHEW AND JOANNE BRYER FROM BLAENAU FFESTINIOG AND RHYL SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC CHILD NEGLECT IN DENBIGHSHIRE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community, Matthew and Joanne Bryer, residents of Blaenau Ffestiniog and Rhyl respectively, have been sentenced to prison for their gross neglect of their young children. The case was heard at Mold Crown Court, where the severity of the conditions in which the children were kept was laid bare.

According to court reports, the couple, aged 37 and 41, were responsible for the care of a three-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy. Instead of providing a safe and hygienic environment, they subjected their children to living conditions described as "squalor almost beyond imagination." The home, located in Rhyl, Denbighshire, was found to be infested with animals and strewn with filth, including dead animals and human and animal excrement. The police investigation revealed a scene of utter neglect, with conditions so appalling that officers found it difficult to comprehend how anyone could reside there, let alone expose vulnerable young children to such hazards.

Judge Merfyn Hughes QC condemned the couple’s actions, emphasizing that their neglect was "gross" and "serious." He detailed the findings of the police, who discovered walls and doors smeared with animal and human waste, and a home filled with the stench of decay. The police found dead animals, including a fish in a tank and a bird in a cage, as well as rabbit hutches in the hall with litter scattered across the floors. The living spaces lacked basic furniture, and the walls bore dirt and excrement, creating an environment that posed a high risk of infection and disease.

The children, who were suffering from lice and flea bites, had been scratching themselves incessantly. Their hair was matted and infested, and they showed signs of neglect that had persisted over time. The police reports indicated that the children’s living conditions had been so dire that they could not be kept in the home safely, leading to their placement in foster care. The couple admitted to two charges of child neglect each during an earlier hearing.

Matthew Bryer was sentenced to a total of 16 months in prison, with 12 months served concurrently for neglecting each child, and an additional four months for breaching a previous suspended sentence related to an assault on his wife. It was also revealed that he had been convicted of child neglect as recently as October of the previous year. Joanne Bryer received a nine-month prison sentence for neglect, along with an extra month for breaching a community order after biting a police officer on Christmas Day. Her sentence was suspended for two years, allowing her to avoid immediate incarceration but under strict conditions.

Both individuals now face further legal action concerning animal suffering, as authorities have indicated ongoing investigations into the treatment of the animals kept at the property. The court was informed that the children were on the "at risk" register, yet social services often struggled to access the home, raising concerns about oversight and intervention. Mr. Bryer was also under probation supervision for previous offenses, but the court noted with regret that this did not prevent the continuation of such deplorable conditions.

The case was further compounded by reports from neighbors, who described the unbearable smell and noise emanating from the property. Police were called in August after a neighbor reported a live chicken being thrown to the dogs. Upon inspection, officers found a scene of utter neglect: animal excrement in nearly every room, including the children’s bedroom, a dead fish in a tank, a dead bird in a cage, and rabbit hutches in the hall with litter strewn across the floors. The bedrooms contained limited, dirty bedding, and excrement was smeared on walls and doors. An officer present at the scene described feeling almost sick from the stench and filth.

The young girl was found with hair matted and infested with lice and nits, with fleas also present on her skin. Her condition highlighted the extent of neglect and the high risk of infection she faced. The couple, now residing in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, are under supervised contact arrangements with their children, pending further legal proceedings. A spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council stated that the authority takes child protection very seriously and is reviewing the case to learn any lessons necessary to prevent similar incidents in the future.