A deep-ground scan has taken place in Carmarthenshire County Hall car park in the search for the bodies of five convicted criminals hanged in the 1800s, when a prison building stood on the site.

Using a digital radar scanner, Shane Gwilt from Leica Geosystems carried out the scans on Sunday 15 February to try and find the four convicted murderers and one convicted forger who were executed between 1818 – 1894 and may lie under the Council-owned car park, previously the prison gardens.

Facilitated by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, Cllr Alun Lenny and former Mayor of Carmarthen Town, Richard Goodridge, the findings of the scan have been sent to Italy for analysis, with the results expected in a week.

County Hall stands on the original site of the former Carmarthen prison which was closed in 1922. However, despite the demolition of the buildings in the 1930s, Richard Goodridge believes that bodies remain where they were originally buried.

Carmarthenshire County Council does not intend to disturb or remove the remains, if discovered.

Richard Goodridge said: “I strongly believe, based on the evidence and research I have carried out over the last two years, that the remains of these five convicted felons, hanged for their crimes, still remain where they were buried after their execution.”

“It is the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle, that if confirmed will lay to rest a great mystery that has fascinated Carmarthen residents for over a hundred years. It is unbelievable that the bodies were not exhumed then the prison was demolished.”

“Finding them will at least bring to an and a mystery worthy of a Sherlock Holmes novel!”

Cllr Alun Lenny, said: “The work carried out on Sunday in an attempt to discover the remains of the five executed criminals didn’t disturb the car park surface in any way, and was at no cost to the county council. But it may add another chapter to the colourful history of Carmarthen as Wales’ oldest town, so we await the results with anticipation!”