My son was beaten to death by ‘evil to the core’ criminal on probation – broken system ignored string of red flags

“TICKING time-bomb” David Braddon was on a cocktail of drugs and alcohol when he savagely beat Nadine Marshall’s son to death in an unprovoked and avoidable attack. The convicted criminal – who was on probation at the time – kicked, punched and beat innocent victim Conner, 18, – and now his mum tells The Sun why she’s terrified more innocent people will die unless something changes. Conner Marshall, 18, was beaten to death in Porthcawl, Wales Credit: Richard Marshall Conner’s mum Nadine has blasted the probation service and called for an inquiry Credit: Wales News Service Braddon, now 38, murdered Conner in Porthcawl, South Wales, in March 2015 after mistaking him for his estranged girlfriend’s former partner. Braddon had a history of domestic violence, cruelty to animals and assaulting a police officer – and had well-documented problems with drugs and alcohol. The “low risk” killer – who was being monitored by probation services for drug offences and assaulting a police officer – had missed eight meetings with his officers in a nine-month period before launching a frenzied attack on “sweet and polite” Conner. He beat him with his fists and a metal bar, stamped on his head and left him naked – before realising he had never seen Conner before when he flashed his phone torch in the youngster’s face afterwards. Conner, from Barry, died from horrific head injuries four days after the attack. His mum Nadine, 52, was only told that “evil to the core” Braddon had been on probation at the time of the attack five months after her son died and is worried more convicted criminals will go on to kill if nothing changes. Now, Nadine is calling for an inquiry into the probation service to stop this happening again. She says: “It’s not something that we want lightly. We know the emotional impact that an inquiry will have. Conner was punched, kicked and beaten with a metal pole Credit: Wales News Service Braddon, from Caerphilly, had missed eight rehabilitation appointments when he killed Conner Credit: Wales News Service “We’re prepared to do that for the sake of our loved ones and also for the future of every other. It’s just not right.” Her plea comes as the justice system is yet again under scrutiny, with figures revealing more than 70,000 prisoners have been let out of jail under Labour’s early release scheme to tackle overcrowding – and reoffending is at a record high. The new PM has paused the controversial plans and ordered a review amid a backlash after it emerged vile lags such as two who killed PC Andrew Harper could go free. For Nadine, it took eight months of pleading to get the details of Braddon’s case, and even then she was refused full access to his report. The mum-of-three is working with other families of victims killed by people on probation to demand reform and prevent further tragedies. Nadine told The Sun “families simply aren’t being told” when their loved ones are killed by criminals on probation. “The whole criminal justice system is broken. Everybody knows that. It’s not working. Nothing has been learned. “In 2020, I worked with the probation service to try and change the whole process. I thought I’d secured that in Conner’s name, that families would get full disclosure, full access, in a trauma-informed, timely manner. That isn’t happening.” Braddon mistook Conner for his girlfriend’s ex when he attacked him Credit: Wales News Service Nadine is determined to fight until the system is changed Credit: Wales News Service Braddon, from Caerphilly, was given a paltry two-year community order in 2014 after being convicted of assaulting a police officer, and was being monitored by a private probation company. He had missed eight rehabilitation appointments when he killed Conner – but he should have been called back to court after missing two. Probation officer Katherine Oakley also said she was “overwhelmed” with work as lots of staff had called in sick, so she hadn’t carried out a risk assessment on the crook. A coroner blasted the probation service’s management of the case, describing it as “woefully inadequate”. Conner was killed a year after widely-criticised reforms were carried out on the probation system in 2014. Nadine founded an organisation called VOICE last year – backed by Andy Burnham – who call for reform and also offer help to victims’ families, who she says have no support. She teamed up with the family of Michael Hoolickin, 27, who was murdered by “feral and animalistic” Timothy Deakin while he was on probation. The mum said: “These are seriously traumatised families that are having to live through this absolute living hell of a nightmare without any additional support. “We’ve already experienced the worst thing that any parent can ever, ever experience. It is the murder of your loved one. “So any other answers that you’re given after… that is never, ever going to hurt as much as having that visit, that knock at the door or that hospital visit. Andy Burnham pictured with Nadine and the other families of VOICE Credit: Supplied A murder is committed by a criminal on probation every three days Data shows that criminals on probation have committed more than 750 murders and sex attacks in the past five years. More than 40 per cent of serious further offences are committed by people who were mistakenly classified as “medium risk” right before the crime happened, a probation report found. In 2023-2024 there were 56 offenders convicted of murder while under probation supervision. The report found a “consistent and concerning trend” with probation-led reviews as public protection issues are being driven by underlying system failings, including massive backlogs and understaffing. Families also reported a lack of support, engagement and “limited compassion”. FOI data shows 622 alleged murders were committed by a lag on probation between 2014 and 2020 – one every three days. “But we’re just being literally lied to and overlooked.” Nadine says she’s had to raise money to pay for a legal team to fight for answers. She says: “Literally every other day there’s another case. “Every time I put the news on, the first thing I always do is I always think, oh, I wonder if probation were involved.” Braddon had taken a cocktail of drugs and alcohol, including cocaine when a “red mist” descended and he viciously beat Conner after mistaking him for his girlfriend’s ex. The criminal left Conner for dead and fled to Scotland where he was tracked down by police. He was jailed for life after pleading guilty to murder. But Nadine says court documents show Braddon is “involved in a personal relationship with a staff member” at Parc Prison, Bridgend. On Friday, he was back in court after re-offending from behind bars. He admitted having a mobile phone in prison which he used to tell three women to move £50,000 between bank accounts, Cardiff Crown Court heard. Some 32 of the accounts belonged to relatives of his fellow prisoners. He appeared alongside his mum Karen Graham, 57, his former partner Gemma Phillips, 41, and former probationary prison officer Claire Jones, 38. Braddon shouted “I truly am sorry” from the dock as he was sentenced to a further three years and seven months. Jones and Phillips were both sentenced to two years and nine months, and Graham was given one year and six months suspended for two years. Nadine said: “We have to carry on with this continued life sentence. And it’s not just for us. It’s a ripple effect to the families. “We’ve each got other children. My children were only 11 and 15 at the time. So we’ve had to support them through school, through college. “They’re now adults. They now have their own re-traumatisation, understanding as an adult what was told to them as a child. “It doesn’t stop for us. We have the life sentence.” The MOJ told The Sun it is “strengthening probation services with a record extra £700m investment” and are updating the Victims Code to improve treatment of victims’ families. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with the family of Conner Marshall, whose murder was a tragedy. “David Braddon is rightly serving a life sentence for this crime and will serve his full custodial sentence behind bars. “While rare, we know it’s devastating for victims and their loved ones when people supervised by probation go on to commit serious offences. “The perpetrators responsible face the full force of the law, and we carry out a thorough review of their supervision. “We are strengthening probation services with a record extra £700m investment and are updating our Victims Code to clearly set out the support and treatment victims should expect. “We have paused the wider sentencing reforms that were due to start in September to carry out an urgent review and make sure we get this right for victims.”