Hermon chip shop death: No review into case to be held

Mavis Bran died six days after being scalded with hot oil at her chip shop business

A decision not to hold a review into the death of a woman who claimed her husband had thrown boiling chip fat over her has been upheld.

Mavis Bran died six days after suffering burns to half her body in October 2018 at the Chipoteria in Hermon, Carmarthenshire.

A multi-agency group confirmed it would not hold a domestic homicide review into the events surrounding her death.

Geoffrey Bran was acquitted of his wife's murder in 2019.

The reviews can be held even if there is no murder conviction but to examine deaths where domestic abuse has been alleged.

An initial decision by Carmarthenshire Safer Communities Partnership not to hold one was looked at again following concerns from the domestic abuse campaign charity SafeLives.

Its chairwoman, councillor Ann Davies, said members had reconsidered and fully discussed the circumstances of the case.

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Mavis and Geoffrey Bran were married for 30 years

"As chair of the partnership, I have reviewed these discussions and decision made previously and have decided that a domestic homicide review will not be undertaken in this case," she said.

"This decision is based on considerations as to whether lessons could be learned or service responses improved within and between agencies, and has been discussed with Mrs Bran's family."

A task-and-finish group will instead respond to "several key themes where there may be some opportunities for us to improve and strengthen practice across the region."

At the trial, friends of Mrs Bran told the court she had expressed fears her husband would kill her, and had described a volatile relationship between the two.

Mr Bran was cleared of murder after telling police his wife slipped and pulled a deep fat fryer over herself.

He was cleared after five hours of jury deliberations at Swansea Crown Court.

Welsh Women's Aid said domestic homicide reviews offered opportunities outside the judicial process to see how domestic abuse could be prevented.

A spokeswoman said it was "disappointing and short-sighted" that Carmarthenshire council, Hywel Dda health board, and Dyfed-Powys Police had decided not to conduct a review.