London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 08, 2025

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
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
OpenAI Launches GPT‑5, Its Most Advanced AI Model Yet
Embarrassment in Britain: Homelessness Minister Evicted Tenants and Forced to Resign
President Trump nominated Stephen Miran, his top economic adviser and a critic of the Federal Reserve, to temporarily fill an open Fed seat
The AI-Powered Education Revolution: Market Potential and Transformative Impact
Chikungunya Virus Outbreak in Southern China: Over 7,000 Hospitalized
French wine makers have seen catastrophic damage to vines that were almost ready to be harvested after the worst fires in more than 70 years burned through the south of the country
US Lawmaker Probes Intel CEO’s China Ties Amid National Security Concerns
Brazilian President Lula says he’ll contact the leaders of BRICS states to propose a unified response to U.S. tariffs
Trump Open to Meeting Putin as Soon as Next Week, with Possible Trilateral Summit Including Zelenskiy
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau spark dating rumors, joining high stakes world of celeb-politician romances
US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to seek a breakthrough in the Ukraine war ahead of President Trump’s peace deadline
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Karol Nawrocki Inaugurated as Poland’s President, Setting Stage for Clash with Tusk Government
Trump Signals JD Vance as ‘Most Likely’ MAGA Successor for 2028
US Charges Two Chinese Nationals for Illegal Nvidia AI Chip Exports
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
U.S. Tariff Policy Triggers Market Volatility Amid Growing Global Trade Tensions
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
Representative Greene Urges H-1B Visa Cuts Amid U.S.-India Trade Tensions
U.S. House Committee Subpoenas Clintons and Senior Officials in Epstein Investigation
Sydney Sweeney Registered as Republican as Controversial American Eagle Ad Sparks Debate
Trump Accuses Major Banks of Politically Motivated Account Denials and Prepares Executive Order
TikTok Removes Huda Kattan Video Over Anti-Israel Conspiracy Claims
Trump Threatens Tariffs on India Over Russian Oil Imports
German Finance Minister Criticizes Trump’s Attacks on Institutions
U.S. Proposes Visa Bond of Up to $15,000 for Some Applicants
U.S. Farmers Increase Lobbying Amid Immigration Crackdown
Elon Musk Receives $23.7 Billion Tesla Stock Award
Texas House Paralyzed After Democrats Walk Out Over Redistricting
Mexican Cartels Complicate Sheinbaum’s U.S. Security Talks
Mark Zuckerberg Declares War on the iPhone
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
×