Mum whose teenage son was murdered by ex-offender 'proud' after change in probation services
Video report by ITV Wales correspondent Richard Morgan
The mother of a teenager who was murdered by an ex-offender on probation said she is "frustrated" but "proud" that her campaign will help families like hers get better support in the future.
Nadine Marshall has campaigned for bereaved families to have better access to probation service information, after her own son was murdered by a convict five years ago.
Conner Marshall was 18 years old when he was attacked and beaten to death in a case of mistaken identity at Trecco Bay in Porthcawl in 2015.
The attacker, David Braddon, was under probation supervision but had missed six rehabilitation appointments and had several previous convictions for drug domestic violence offences that the service was unaware of.
Conner was described by Nadine as a "sweet, polite little boy" who was "inquisitive and had a wicked sense of humour".
Braddon pleaded guilty to the murder and is now serving a life sentence.
Speaking of how she is dealing with the death of her son five years on, Nadine said that she still struggles on a personal level to deal with her grief.
"Outwardly I am strong but inwardly, I haven’t Moved on from the 8th of March in 2015," Nadine said.
"As a mum the biggest pain is to know your children are hurting and I can’t switch that off. I can’t stop that. To see my children still suffering six years in horrible. You can’t stop that grief."
Nadine has successfully fought for changes to the probation service's practices, meaning that there will be greater access to information for bereaved families when an offender subject to a supervision order goes on to kill.
Speaking of her own experiences, Nadine said that the situation her and her family were in could have been made better if there was more support available.
"It has taken years for us to get to this point," Nadine continued.
"I think it would have been easier to handle and it would have meant we would have found pieces to the jigsaw to understand what happened a lot sooner which would have helped us. It would have made a huge difference."
"I want to make sure that the criminal justice system itself is looked at and there is more accountability," Nadine said.
"It has been unimaginably upsetting and harrowing and the fallout of it will always be there. It has dominated the last five years of our lives.
"When it comes to murder the ripple effect is long-term and it doesn’t just affect the immediate family, It affects everyone.
"It is hugely frustrating and it makes me angry, things went wrong and Conner paid the ultimate price, but I want to use the horrible experience in a positive way."
The probation service said it acknowledged the work of Nadine Marshall, adding that she had provided "invaluable insights into victim's needs and feelings".
In a statement, the probation service said: "In revising this Probation Instruction, Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service would like to acknowledge the work of Nadine Marshall in memory of her son Conner, who was eighteen years old, when he was brutally murdered in March 2015 by an offender subject to probation supervision in the community.
"Mrs Marshall has campaigned tirelessly for greater access to information and transparency for victims...dedicating her time and energy to ensure that bereaved families are given timely and transparent information, in a sensitive manner, when an offender subject to supervision goes on to kill.
"HMPPS have worked with Mrs Marshall to revise the guidance on victim engagement, and she has provided invaluable insights into victims' needs and feelings, arising from her own experience since Conner's tragic death."