Abercrave wellness retreat owner throws liquid at guest's face and flees country

Abercrave wellness retreat owner throws liquid at guest's face and flees country

Dean Mayze, aged 38, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after admitting to throwing a corrosive substance at the face of a guest at a spiritual retreat. The incident occurred in December 2022 at Hafan y Coed, the wellness retreat Mayze operated in Abercrave, Powys. Following a disagreement with the guest, Keifer Price, Mayze fled the country, prompting a manhunt by South Wales Police.

The altercation began when Price expressed dissatisfaction with his accommodation, citing a lack of washing facilities and heating in his lodge. After cancelling his stay and attempting to move his belongings out, an argument broke out between Mayze and Price. During the confrontation, Mayze grabbed a blue container and hurled the liquid in an upwards motion at Price’s face. The substance, which had an ammonia-like smell, entered Price’s nose and eyes, causing severe pain and difficulty breathing. Mayze’s girlfriend later told the victim the liquid was intended to “ward off intruders” and suggested the effects would subside within a couple of hours.

Price required extensive medical treatment to prevent permanent damage to his sight. Doctors described his injuries as “consistent with a chemical injury to both eyes,” noting a corneal defect, abrasions, and a complete loss of the outer corneal layer in one eye. Fortunately, Price currently has no lasting injuries. Meanwhile, Mayze’s flight from the UK involved movements through several European countries, including Dublin, France, Italy, Croatia, and Greece, before he was apprehended in Romania in July 2025. Despite being on the run, Mayze maintained frequent communication with police via emails and texts. His girlfriend, who had met with him during this period, later surrendered to the police and received a suspended sentence for perverting the course of justice after initially claiming responsibility for the offence.

At Swansea Crown Court, prosecutor Georgia Donohue outlined the details of the attack, while Mayze’s defence barrister, Andrew Taylor, highlighted the harsh conditions Mayze endured during his detention in Romania, including an untreated scabies infection. Taylor described the time spent in foreign custody as “far worse than anything he can receive in His Majesty’s Prison” and portrayed Mayze as “an industrious and hard-working person” who regrets his actions. Judge Geraint Walters remarked that it was “luck” Price avoided permanent injury and condemned the attack as “a particularly wicked way of inflicting violence upon another.” Alongside the prison sentence, Mayze received a three-year restraining order. Previously, he had denied a second charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent

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