LESSONS need to be learnt to ensure the Argoed murder never happens again, according to the chairman of an action group set up in the village after the murder of Cerys Yemm.

Ben Gibbs, 62, chairman of the Argoed Residents for a Safer Community group, was speaking to the Argus after the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales found the murder at the Sirhowy Arms would have been ‘difficult to predict or be prevented’ by the health services in 2014.

The report made 10 recommendations in respect of the care and treatment provided to murderer Matthew Williams, but added they did not believe that the ‘presence of these issues contributed to this tragic incident’.

Mr Gibbs says that that newly-released offenders like Williams need to be housed in a more suitable environment upon release to prevent such tragedies happening.

He said: “It’s not just putting people into a bed and breakfast and the staff not having any form of experience in dealing with that person.

“We’re looking at the whole picture for hosing offenders or the homeless when they come out of a prison or a situation where they have nowhere to live.

“As far as we’re concerned, a bed and breakfast is not suitable for housing that kind of person. They’ve got to go somewhere and that should be somewhere that’s supervised properly.”

On November 6, 2014, police were called to the Sirhowy Arms Hotel, in Argoed’s High Street, at 1.23am to reports of a man attacking a woman.

On arrival, they found Williams, 34, an ex-offender attacking 22-year-old Miss Yemm, who was from Oakdale.

He was tasered by a police officer and was later pronounced dead.

The inquest opened into the death of Miss Yemm which was held in November 2014 heard the provisional findings showed she had died as a result of "sharp force trauma to the face and neck".

The residents’ group have met regularly since that tragic night on November 6 and have been working closely with Caerphilly County Borough Council.

Mr Gibbs says they are in contact with Ms Yemm’s family, who are awaiting for the resumption of her inquest after it was adjourned.

He said: “We do have contact from time to time with them but I think, as you can expect, what they’re waiting for is the inquest.

“Whatever way that inquest goes, lessons will have to be learnt from that.”

Commenting on the findings,Chris Evans, MP for Islwyn, added: "My thoughts are with Cerys Yemm and her family who have to live day to day with the fact Cerys, with her life ahead of her, suffered such a horrible death. For them, nothing will bring her back.

"The one thing we should learn from this report is that each person sentenced to a prison term should undergo a mental health assessment. If they have mental health problems they should be treated throughout their time in prison. When that sentence comes to an end then they should undergo continuing treatment."