Tom Jones: Woman claims off-duty South Wales Police officer threatened her at gig

A woman has claimed an off-duty South Wales Police officer threatened her at a Tom Jones concert in Cardiff on Monday evening.

Natalie Wood, 32 from Risca, was with three other people when a man and his partner became verbally abusive towards them, she told ITV News.

It's alleged that when security intervened and were about to remove them from the venue, the man flashed his warrant card and told staff he was a police officer.

Ms Wood then said he was moved to a different part of the venue but remained close enough for her to see him, before he was kicked out from the event after getting into another argument.

Video from the gig shows a man and a woman being escorted out of Cardiff Castle, where the gig was being held, while a number of people heckle the pair.

One member of the crowd can be heard shouting "nee-naw nee-naw", a reference to the sound of a police car's siren.

Ms Wood said: "It's not something that you expect to happen.

"Everybody else there seemed really nice. It was a family friendly concert and even after the altercation there was nothing else.

"No fighting, no arguments, nothing and then obviously he had another altercation with someone and they got kicked out.

"But after they got kicked out everything else was pretty sound."

According to the Home Office's own guidance from 2020, by presenting a warrant card for any reason other than identification, a police officer places themselves on duty.

It reads: "They are demonstrating that they are exercising their authority and have therefore put themselves on duty and will act in a way which conforms to these standards."

Ms Wood claims the officer was drunk at the time of the incident.

She said in a social media post: "Obviously we aren't happy, this man is clearly drunk and riled up and now using his badge to get out of an abusive situation he's just created.

"This is abuse of power. He now clearly thinks he's untouchable. He isn't on duty. He isn't working. He has no need to have his badge on him.

"It's 7:30pm and him and his [partner] are already half cut and looking for a fight. Their behaviour, regardless of what your job is, is totally unacceptable and despicable."

In response to the allegations, South Wales Police said they are "investigating an incident at the Tom Jones concert in Cardiff on Monday 24 July".

The statement continued: "A criminal investigation is ongoing and the force's Professional Standards Department is aware of the allegations."

A spokesperson for the Independent Office for Police Conduct said: “We have not yet received a referral in relation to this matter. If we do receive a referral, we will assess it to determine what further action may be required by us.”

Depot, who ran the event at Cardiff Castle, have been approached for comment.

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