DANIEL BISHOP'S HORRIFIC CRIMES IN CAERPHILLY AND CWMBRAN REVEALED

In a series of disturbing events spanning over a decade, Daniel Bishop, a man with a long history of violence and drug abuse, has been linked to some of the most heinous crimes in Caerphilly and Cwmbran. His criminal activities include child cruelty, manslaughter, and an attempted robbery, each revealing a pattern of brutality and neglect that has shocked the local community and prompted serious concerns about child protection and social services.

Back in October 2014, Bishop was at the center of a tragic case involving the death of a two-year-old girl named Lois Lazenby. The young child suffered unimaginable abuse at the hands of Bishop and her mother, Sarah Bishop. The court heard that Lois was subjected to systematic torture, which included 13 fractures to various parts of her body, a cigarette burn, crushing injuries to her hands, and numerous bruises across her head, body, and limbs. Medical examinations revealed that she endured intense pain and was left with significant disabilities. Tragically, Lois died on November 8, 2004, after suffering a brain hemorrhage caused by a violent shaking incident inflicted by Daniel Bishop.

Details of the abuse are harrowing. During one incident, Bishop lifted Lois's leg onto a red-hot gas hob, estimated to be at 150 degrees Celsius, causing severe burns to her left foot. Both Bishop and Lois's mother claimed that the burns resulted from an accidental spill of boiling water from a kettle, but evidence suggested otherwise. The court also heard that Bishop, a known drug user, began torturing Lois almost immediately after moving in with her mother, Sarah, in the summer of 2004. Lois was just two years and three months old when her life was tragically cut short at their home on the Lansbury Park housing estate in Caerphilly.

In a separate report from September 2008, it was revealed that social workers failed to recognize the warning signs of abuse that could have prevented Lois's death. The Serious Case Review highlighted that professionals involved in her case did not act swiftly enough, despite her being placed on the Child Protection Register in October 2004 for emotional abuse. The report, authored by Peter Maddocks, criticized the ineffective sharing of information and delayed responses that contributed to the tragic outcome. Maddocks pointed out that Bishop's prior convictions for drug abuse and serious offenses should have signaled a high risk of violence, yet no clear indicators of imminent harm to Lois were identified at the time.

Further emphasizing the severity of Bishop's criminal record, in May 2017, he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison after attempting to rob a Travelodge hotel armed with a water pistol. This incident took place in Caerphilly, where Bishop, also known as Danny Jones, was living in the blue flats near ASDA in Cwmbran. His criminal behavior extended beyond child abuse, demonstrating a pattern of reckless and violent conduct.

In addition to his violent acts, Bishop's history includes a notorious case from 2007, when he was jailed for 12 years after admitting to child cruelty, manslaughter, and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The court described his treatment of Lois as sadistic, with the abuse occurring over a period of six weeks leading up to her death. The prosecution detailed how Lois was subjected to excruciating pain, including being held over a hot cooker hob and shaken violently, resulting in her death from brain damage. His partner, Sarah Bishop, also received a six-year prison sentence for her role in the abuse, having admitted to child cruelty.

Throughout these proceedings, authorities and social services faced criticism for their failure to intervene effectively. The 2008 report underscored that professionals did not recognize the early warning signs of abuse or act decisively, despite Lois being identified as a child in need of protection. The report concluded that, although better procedures might have improved the situation, the tragic outcome might still have been unavoidable given the severity of Bishop's violent tendencies and the deception employed by both parents to hide the abuse.

Daniel Bishop's criminal history, combined with his ongoing drug addiction and violent behavior, paints a disturbing picture of a man who repeatedly posed a danger to vulnerable children. His case has prompted calls for improved child protection measures, better inter-agency communication, and more rigorous risk assessments to prevent future tragedies. The community in Caerphilly and Cwmbran continues to mourn the loss of Lois and hopes that her story will serve as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and proactive intervention in safeguarding children from harm.