ALWYN EVANS FROM PONTYGWAITH DIES OF COVID-19 AFTER SEX OFFENDER'S CRIMES IN USK

In June 2020, the tragic death of Alwyn Evans, a convicted sex offender from Pontygwaith, was confirmed after he contracted and succumbed to the coronavirus. Evans, who had a long history of heinous crimes against young girls, was serving an indefinite sentence at HMP Usk, located on Maryport Street in Usk, when he began to show symptoms of COVID-19.

Evans' criminal record is marked by multiple convictions related to sexual offenses involving minors. In 2005, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found guilty of five counts of indecent assault on a female under the age of 14. His criminal activities did not end there; five years later, he was incarcerated again for a series of serious offenses, including five counts of assault by penetration, rape, 16 counts of indecent assault, and five counts of indecency with a child. These crimes spanned from 1998 to 2003 and involved two young girls, one aged between eight and 11, and the other between seven and 12, both subjected to a disturbing campaign of sexual abuse by Evans.

On the Monday of the inquest opening hearing, the court was informed that Evans, aged 75, had tested positive for COVID-19. He was transferred to Neville Hall Hospital on April 14, 2020, after his condition worsened. According to coroner’s court officer Paul Richardson, Evans refused to undergo ventilation treatment and passed away on April 17. The official cause of death was recorded as COVID-19, with contributory factors including pneumoconiosis, a lung disease often associated with long-term exposure to dust or other harmful particles.

The case highlights the ongoing risks faced by vulnerable populations in detention facilities during the pandemic, and the tragic end of a man whose criminal actions left a lasting scar on his victims and the community of Pontygwaith.