Police probe report blood ‘smeared’ on councillor’s car amid death threats

South Wales Police are investigating reports blood was smeared on a councillor’s car while it was parked outside her home in Cardiff.

Councillor Jayne Cowan, whose late father was a member of Cardiff United shul, reported the incident to police on Wednesday – days after allegedly getting a death threat by telephone.

Officers are looking into determining whether it was deliberate and whether it was linked to other incidents previously reported by Cowan.

The councillor, who is receiving support from the Community Security Trust, expects to receive a panic alarm from the police in the coming weeks.

Cowan, who has been representing her ward for two decades, estimates she has been targeted by abusers for around 12 years.

She said she has had fish thrown in her garden and dog faeces smeared on her windows. While she was running in 2016, swastikas were daubed on campaign boards stuck in a friend and family members’ gardens, she said.

“With the increase of the swastikas and things, it does look as though it is motivated towards me because I have Jewish family,” she told JN. “I thought we had moved on from that but obviously we haven’t.”

Cowan said she will not be intimidated by abusers. “It’s made me stronger, more determined to work harder and not having these individuals stopping me representing people and to doing what I am going to do,” she said.

Mark Gardner, from the CST, said: “This is a campaign of hatred and we are anxious to understand who and what lies behind it.”

Police urge anyone with information to contact 101 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111, with the reference *327175.