A pool in Wales was forced to shut after repeated incidents of contamination – now a teenager has admitted deliberately doing his business in the water
A swimming pool “poodunnit” mystery has been solved after a teenager admitted fouling the water at least 18 times. Cops launched a probe after the Newcastle Emlyn Swimming Pool in West Wales reported the incidents as criminal damage.
The pool was forced to close multiple times over the last six months because of human waste being found in the water, leaving bosses stumped. Each incident forced the pool to close while cleaning and safety procedures were undertaken.
Now detectives say a 19-year-old man has admitted “deliberately defecating in a public swimming pool on multiple occasions”. Workers at the pool say there were 18 contamination incidents between February 2 and May 21, 2026.
The community-run charitable organisation – run separately from Newcastle Emlyn Leisure Centre – suffered a “significant financial blow” due to the closures and cancelled bookings, reports Wales Online.
The closures resulted in refunds being issued, lost income from bookings and a reduction in footfall, while swimming lesson programmes were also severely disrupted.
Alongside additional measures introduced to tackle the problem, senior staff painstakingly reviewed hours of CCTV footage before successfully identifying the culprit. This information and evidence was subsequently passed on to the police.
Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that a 19 year old man from the Cardigan area was identified and interviewed by officers and fully admitted to the offences.
The matter was resolved through an adult community resolution, an alternative form of justice designed for first-time offenders, which aims to reduce re-offending by encouraging those responsible to acknowledge the impact of their actions.
A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesman said the force “received a report concerning a series of alleged criminal damage incidents” at the pool. They added: “The incidents occurred between November 2025 and May 2026.
“They involved waste material being deliberately placed in the swimming pool, leading to its subsequent closure and cleaning. A 19-year-old man, from the Cardigan area, was identified and interviewed by officers.
“They fully admitted the offences and the matter was resolved through an adult community resolution. The investigation is now closed.”
Newcastle Emlyn Swimming Pool confirmed that there have been no further contamination incidents or pool closures since the individual responsible was identified.
They thanked customers for their support, adding: “The majority of our customers were supportive and understanding that we took the water safety measures seriously and closed albeit also frustrated at the frequency.”