Latest news with #MartinEvans
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Making of a Fugitive – brand new true crime podcast launched on BBC Sounds
Narrated by Welsh actor Richard Harrington (The One That Got Away, Hinterland), the nine-part podcast Making of a Fugitive follows the stories of international fugitives who go to great lengths to try and stay hidden from the authorities. We'll hear stories of stolen identities, drastic plastic surgery and hair transplants, and the families who get left behind. The podcast starts with Martin Evans, a small town conman turned international fraudster and drug dealer who has been in and out of the headlines for nearly 30 years, named by police as one of the UK's 'most wanted' in 2012. Evans – aka the ostrich man – swindled investors out of almost a million pounds in an ostrich farm fraud in south Wales before going on to run an international drugs and money laundering operation. He fled from justice and even prison for five years until finally being captured. From one most wanted list to another, American conman Matt Cox came face to face with his own most wanted poster in a police station before making one of his many getaways. Cox evaded capture for almost a decade, committing bank fraud, identity theft and passport fraud, topping the FBI's most wanted list in the early 2000s. Describing his time on the run as 'awesome', self-proclaimed narcissist Matt Cox provides a first-hand account of his story, giving a unique insight into the extraordinary lengths he went to in order to stay one step ahead of the FBI. Cox said: 'I became infamous by committing bank fraud, I stole identities and created synthetic identities in order to borrow money from dozens of US banks. Ultimately the FBI came to arrest me and I went on the run. What I decided to do was start a much larger scam, I convinced the social security administration in the US to start issuing me social security numbers to children who don't exist. I would then order credit cards and build a false credit profile in those names. I think the amount ended up at $11.5 million.' And we discover what led to a businessman, Mohammed Ali Ege, becoming an international fugitive following the mistaken identity murder of a teenager in Cardiff 15 years ago. In an exclusive new interview, the podcast speaks to the family of murdered Aamir Siddiqi, who are still waiting for Wales' most wanted man to be brought to justice. Across nine episodes, Making of a Fugitive hears from the people involved and asks what happens when a fugitive is finally cornered? Are they sorry for what they've done, or just for getting caught? Series writer and producer for BBC Cymru Wales, Jayne Morgan, said: 'We thought we knew these stories having worked on them over the years but this podcast gives new insights and reveals the extraordinary lengths some go to in order to stay hidden.' Making of a Fugitive is a BBC Cymru Wales production for BBC Sounds. The first two episodes are available now, with the remaining seven episodes launching weekly. Listen to Making a Fugitive on BBC Sounds EWL Follow for more
Wales Online
12-05-2025
- Wales Online
Welsh beach like 'carmageddon' as tourists swamp seaside village
Welsh beach like 'carmageddon' as tourists swamp seaside village Local residents have said the beach becomes "a nightmare" in the warm weather Visitors flocked to the beach over the early May bank holiday weekend (Image: Martin Evans ) Residents in the Gwynedd seaside village of Dinas Dinlle are up in arms after a chaotic Easter and early May bank holiday period. The frustration follows a £400,000 revamp of the local car park near Caernarfon, which critics say has less capacity than its predecessor. The influx of visitors resulted in traffic being reduced to single file, with cars overflowing from the car park onto a residential road along the beachfront. This caused significant disruption for local farmers' tractors and forced pedestrians to walk in the road due to vehicles parked on pavements. North Wales has seen a recent increase in tourism thanks to the warm weather, with beaches experiencing higher footfall than usual for this time of year. Dinas Dinlle, known for its breathtaking sunsets, has also attracted crowds following the reopening of the beloved seaside chippy, The Surfer, after a year-long renovation. The presence of TikTok star Spudman further boosted visitor numbers last Saturday. Local resident and vocal critic of local beach management, Martin Evans, described the recent weekend as "mayhem". He commented: "Another bank Holiday weekend and it was carmageddon again. It was a nightmare for residents with the beach road becoming one lane and traffic flowing one way.", reports North Wales Live. "In the event of an emergency, vehicles would not be able to get through. Cars were parking on footpaths and verges, forcing pedestrians including young children to shuffle along the road itself. These issues need to be resolved before we have a tragedy here." Article continues below Visitors flocked to the beach over the early May bank holiday weekend (Image: Martin Evans ) Sunset over Dinas Dinlle hillfort and beach (Image: Tony Harnett ) Cyngor Gwynedd has advised visitors to plan their trips to popular spots carefully and respect local communities. The beach at Dinas Dinlle previously had an unsurfaced car park which was free to use, and currently, the upgraded parking facilities remain complimentary. Following a six-week trial period for parking charges last autumn, the council sought the public's opinion on future plans, though the outcome of the consultation has not yet been announced. The introduction of permanent charges is one of the measures currently being considered. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . Last year saw significant seafront improvements, including a refreshed picnic area, new bicycle parking, repairs to the seawall and a new bus stop and shelter. Beach parking has been consolidated from three separate car parks into a single facility, where a one-way system now manages traffic flow. The car park also received a grasscrete makeover and expanded disabled parking provisions. Critics have voiced their concerns over the redesign of a car park which they believe has seen its capacity slashed by more than one third due to slanted parking spaces. They said the poor design has led to an overflow of vehicles onto the adjacent narrow beach road during peak times. This issue could yet rise if parking charges are made permanent, prompting drivers to dodge fees. Mr Evans said double yellow lines were supposed to be introduced on the beach road to mitigate congestion risks for residents, but they have not yet appeared. "These were promised when the car park upgrades were completed," he stated. "Gwynedd Council highways department now needs to resolve this issue as a matter of urgency." A council spokesperson said there are currently seasonal "No Waiting" restrictions in effect from 10am-7pm on the beach road, operating from June 1 to September 30 andmarked by a single yellow line. The council is also working on a permanent management plan for the area, with long-term proposals set to undergo further formal consultations in 2025. The spokesperson concluded: "Following last year's experimental period, the council is intending to develop a long-term management plan for the site. This may include applying for a formal parking order, which would involve a statutory process, including a public consultation period. Further information will be shared in due course. "The council, along with other stakeholders, regularly share communications that are intended to have a positive influence on the behaviours of those who visit popular locations in Gwynedd. This includes encouraging visitors to plan ahead, consider how they travel to and from these locations, and that they act responsibly and are respectful to the local communities when visiting." Article continues below
North Wales Live
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- North Wales Live
Sunset beach like 'carmageddon' as tourists swamp Gwynedd village
Fed-up residents have demanded action after their Gwynedd seaside village was swamped over Easter and the early May Bank holiday. It follows the £400,000 revamp of car park in Dinas Dinlle, near Caernarfon, that is said to have a smaller capacity than the one it replaced. Traffic through the village was reduced to single file as visiting vehicles over-spilled from the car park onto a residential road that runs along the beach front. Tractors from local farms struggled to navigate the congestion and residents claimed they had to walk on the road to avoid cars parked up on pavements. Fine weather has brought an early-season boost to tourism operators in North Wales and some beaches have been much busier than normal for the time of year. Dinas Dinlle is renowned for its stunning sunsets and visitors have also been lured there by last month's reopening of the village's popular seaside chippy, The Surfer, after a year-long revamp. The crowds were also swollen on Saturday by the visit of TikTok sensation Spudman at the resort, near Caernarfon. Local resident Martin Evans, a vocal critic of local beach management, said last weekend was 'mayhem'. He said: 'Another Bank Holiday weekend and it was carmageddon again. It was a nightmare for residents with the beach road becoming one lane and traffic flowing one way. 'In the event of an emergency, vehicles would not be able to get through. Cars were parking on footpaths and verges, forcing pedestrians including young children to shuffle along the road itself. These issues need to be resolved before we have a tragedy here.' Cyngor Gwynedd said it's been encouraging visitors to plan ahead before heading to popular locations. Its messaging also asks people to be respectful to local communities. Dinas Dinlle's previous, unsurfaced beach car park was free and, at present, so too are the revamped parking facilities. After a six-week charging trial last autumn, the local authority ran a public consultation on future plans, the results of which have yet to be published. These may include the introduction of permanent charging. Last year's upgrade improved the look of the seafront with a revamped picnic area, bicycle parking and seawall repairs. In addition, a new bus stop and shelter was installed by the BRAF cafe. The beach's three car parks were combined into one, and a one-way system was introduced within it. A grasscrete surface was added to the parking area, along with an with extra disabled parking spaces. But critics claimed the use of slanted parking spaces, to enable easier turning, removed more than a third of its capacity. As a result, vehicles unable to find spaces are spilling out onto the narrow beach road at busy times. Residents fear this will only increase if charging becomes permanent and people try to avoid the fees. According to Mr Evans, double yellow lines were earmarked for the beach road in recognition of the potential congestion threat to homeowners. He said they have yet to materialise. 'These were promised when the car park upgrades were completed,' he said. ' Gwynedd Council highways department now needs to resolve this issue as a matter of urgency.' Instead, seasonal 'No Waiting' restrictions are in place on the beach road between 10am-7pm. However these are effective only between June 1 and September 30. 'These restrictions are marked by a single yellow line, which was repainted in 2023,' said a council spokesperson. Get all the latest Gwynedd news by signing up to our newsletter - sent every Tuesday The local authority is developing a permanent management plan for the site. Long-term proposals will be subject to further formal consultations during 2025. The spokesperson added: 'Following last year's experimental period, the council is intending to develop a long-term management plan for the site. "This may include applying for a formal parking order, which would involve a statutory process, including a public consultation period. Further information will be shared in due course. 'The council, along with other stakeholders, regularly share communications that are intended to have a positive influence on the behaviours of those who visit popular locations in Gwynedd. 'This includes encouraging visitors to plan ahead, consider how they travel to and from these locations, and that they act responsibly and are respectful to the local communities when visiting.'
