London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jan 03, 2026

South Wales Police: Banwen rave organisers fined £10,000

The organisers of a rural rave which attracted 3,000 people from around the UK have been fined £10,000 - days after tougher penalties came into force.

Police criticised the "irresponsible" actions of those at the unlicensed and illegal rave in south Wales at Banwen, on the edge of the Brecon Beacons.

About 1,000 people remain on the site and police, who have removed some music equipment, will stay through the night.

South Wales Police has given two organisers £10,000 fixed penalty fines.

It comes two days after tougher penalties come into force in Wales, with illegal rave organisers facing unlimited fines or fixed penalties of up to £10,000.

The Welsh Government's coronavirus restrictions allow for up to 30 people to meet outdoors.

"Those gathering know that their actions are irresponsible," said Supt Jason James.

"Events of this kind are illegal and have a significant impact on the community. A number of people have left the site but there are still around a thousand people in attendance and we will continue to have resources at the location throughout the night."

The force said it had deployed "significant resources at the site throughout the day" and was using new Covid-19 legislation, although Supt James said: "We need to ensure that any action taken is done so safely."

As well as fining two of the organisers £10,000 each, officers have also penalised people for "using their vehicles in an antisocial manner" near the site of the rave in Neath Port Talbot.

"After everyone's sacrifices during Covid it's totally unacceptable," Chief Constable Matt Jukes wrote on Twitter.

"Those gathering in large numbers and engaging in antisocial behaviour will know that their actions are irresponsible," said the force.

"To the parents or guardians of young people, we would ask you ensure that you know where your children are and what they are doing."

Jill Molen, from Banwen, called the party "horrendous".

"We couldn't sleep at all; people peeing in the street and taking drugs - screaming and shouting.

"The noise was there all the time. It was a constant beat and banging.

"We've all been really good with social distancing and Covid and this just wrecks it."


'Constant thudding'


Jamie Bowen lives in Resolven, in the Neath Valley, about 14 miles from the rave.

He said he could hear "really loud music" from 03:00 BST.

"There must have been loads of complaints, as it is up in the mountain area, so the sound travels down," he said.

"It wasn't in your face sort of music, but you could still hear it from a great distance, like this constant thudding noise."

Chief Supt Simon Belcher from South Wales Police said: "This type of illegal gathering is totally unacceptable and we are aware of the concerns it is causing for the local community.

"It has been estimated there are up to 3,000 people at the gathering who have apparently travelled from across the UK and we are looking at all pieces of legislation as to what action can be undertaken safely.

"Unlawfully parked cars will be dealt with and people who continue, despite our advice, to try and attend this illegal event area being turned away."

Police also warned drivers on the nearby Neath to Glynneath A4109 road to "be vigilant" as people have been seen near the road.

On Wednesday, Dyfed-Powys Police used legal powers to disperse a group of about 200 young people gathering in Burry Port, near Llanelli.

The force said it had intelligence to suggest a further gathering was being planned over the bank holiday weekend.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Europe’s Luxury Sanctions Punish Russian Consumers While a Sanctions-Circumvention Industry Thrives
Berkshire’s Buffett-to-Abel Transition Tests Whether a One-Man Trust Model Can Survive as a System
Fraud in European Central Bank: Lagarde’s Hidden Pay Premium Exposes a Transparency Crisis at the European Central Bank
Trump Announces U.S. Large-Scale Strike on Venezuela, Declares President Maduro and Wife Captured
Tesla Loses EV Crown to China’s BYD After Annual Deliveries Decline in 2025
UK Manufacturing Growth Reaches 15-Month Peak as Output and Orders Improve in December
Beijing Threatened to Scrap UK–China Trade Talks After British Minister’s Taiwan Visit
Newly Released Files Reveal Tony Blair Pressured Officials Over Iraq Death Case Involving UK Soldiers
Top Stocks and Themes to Watch in 2026 as Markets Enter New Year with Fresh Momentum
No UK Curfew Ordered as Deepfake TikTok Falsely Attributes Decree to Prime Minister Starmer
Europe’s Largest Defence Groups Set to Return Nearly Five Billion Dollars to Shareholders in Twenty Twenty-Five
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Apple Escalates Legal Fight by Appealing £1.5 Billion UK Ruling Over App Store Fees
UK Debt Levels Sit Mid-Range Among Advanced Economies Despite Rising Pressures
UK Plans Royal Diplomacy with King Charles and Prince William to Reinvigorate Trade Talks with US
King Charles and Prince William Poised for Separate 2026 US Visits to Reinforce UK-US Trade and Diplomatic Ties
Apple Moves to Appeal UK Ruling Ordering £1.5 Billion in Customer Overcharge Damages
King Charles’s 2025 Christmas Message Tops UK Television Ratings on Christmas Day
The Battle Over the Internet Explodes: The United States Bars European Officials and Ignites a Diplomatic Crisis
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Join Royal Family at Sandringham Christmas Service
Fine Wine Investors Find Little Cheer in Third Year of Falls
UK Mortgage Rates Edge Lower as Bank of England Base Rate Cut Filters Through Lending Market
U.S. Supermarket Gives Customers Free Groceries for Christmas After Computer Glitch
Air India ‘Finds’ a Plane That Vanished 13 Years Ago
Caviar and Foie Gras? China Is Becoming a Luxury Food Powerhouse
Hong Kong Climbs to Second Globally in 2025 Tourism Rankings Behind Bangkok
From Sunniest Year on Record to Terror Plots and Sports Triumphs: The UK’s Defining Stories of 2025
Greta Thunberg Released on Bail After Arrest at London Pro-Palestinian Demonstration
Banksy Unveils New Winter Mural in London Amid Festive Season Excitement
UK Households Face Rising Financial Strain as Tax Increases Bite and Growth Loses Momentum
UK Government Approves Universal Studios Theme Park in Bedford Poised to Rival Disneyland Paris
UK Gambling Shares Slide as Traders Respond to Steep Tax Rises and Sector Uncertainty
Starmer and Trump Coordinate on Ukraine Peace Efforts in Latest Diplomatic Call
The Pilot Barricaded Himself in the Cockpit and Refused to Take Off: "We Are Not Leaving Until I Receive My Salary"
UK Fashion Label LK Bennett Pursues Accelerated Sale Amid Financial Struggles
U.S. Government Warns UK Over Free Speech in Pro-Life Campaigner Prosecution
Newly Released Files Shed Light on Jeffrey Epstein’s Extensive Links to the United Kingdom
Prince William and Prince George Volunteer Together at UK Homelessness Charity
UK Police Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’ as Authorities Recalibrate Free Speech Enforcement
Scambodia: The World Owes Thailand’s Military a Profound Debt of Gratitude
Women in Partial Nudity — and Bill Clinton in a Dress and Heels: The Images Revealed in the “Epstein Files”
US Envoy Witkoff to Convene Security Advisers from Ukraine, UK, France and Germany in Miami as Peace Efforts Intensify
UK Retailers Report Sharp Pre-Christmas Sales Decline and Weak Outlook, CBI Survey Shows
UK Government Rejects Use of Frozen Russian Assets to Fund Aid for Ukraine
UK Financial Conduct Authority Opens Formal Investigation into WH Smith After Accounting Errors
UK Issues Final Ultimatum to Roman Abramovich Over £2.5bn Chelsea Sale Funds for Ukraine
Rare Pink Fog Sweeps Across Parts of the UK as Met Office Warns of Poor Visibility
UK Police Pledge ‘More Assertive’ Enforcement to Tackle Antisemitism at Protests
×