ON the third anniversary of establishing Operation Hallam, Clebran calls for a re-opening of inquest to establish the innocence of Gruff Thomas.

As a result of pressure brought by Clebran, the Preseli papur bro, Heddlu Dyfed-Powys set up ‘Operation Hallam’ in October 2022 to re-investigate the deaths of elderly brother and sister, Gruff and Patti Thomas, 73 and 70 years of age respectively, at their Llangolman farmhouse, Ffynnon Samson, in December 1976.

Whilst appreciating such an investigation requires time and expertise, Clebran had, by now, expected a conclusion and a statement to the effect that the coroner’s verdict that Gruff Thomas, and he alone, had murdered his sister was unsafe.

Unfortunately, due to negligence, it is understood that hardly any artefacts from the scene of the crime have been kept. Hence no meaningful modern day DNA tests could have been carried out.

However, following a detailed examination of the police report and advice received from two criminal forensic experts, it is abundantly clear the investigation was seriously flawed.

No motive was established for Gruff’s alleged brutal attack on his sister bar a highly unlikely brainstorm. Local opinion has always maintained that Gruff did not possess either the physical strength or a singular motive to carry out such a horrendous crime. Both had lived harmoniously under the same roof all their lives.

Furthermore, forensic fire experts who have studied the report, along with scene of crime photographs, state it is highly unlikely Gruff would have set himself on fire purposely without the use of accelerants.

The coroner gave an open verdict in his case as it could not be proved beyond any doubt it was his intention to commit suicide. Hence the assumption a third party was involved.

Though the police investigation could not find any distinct fingerprints other than those of the siblings, or any other evidence of an intruder, it remains that it was probably the case another person was involved.

Clebran therefore calls upon Operation Hallam to order a re-opening of the inquest in order to establish Gruff Thomas’s innocence.

The above concerns have already been voiced in a special S4C current affairs programme, ‘Y Byd ar Bedwar’, and in a series of six podcasts titled ‘Death on the Farm’ on BBC Sounds, as well as several print outlets.