Latest Offenders Aberdare

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Andrew Glyn Passmore, 41, from Hirwaun, has been sentenced to nine years in prison after being found guilty of attempt rape of a girl under 16, assault by penetration and sexual assault. 

In addition to the jail term, he will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life; will be the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for 15 years; and has a 10-year restraining order placed on him.

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A paedophile believed he was making arrangements to have sex with a seven-year-old girl in messages with her father but was speaking to an undercover officer. He told the "father" he had previously had sexual activity with an eight-year-old girl, and told him "I really hope it's not a fantasy mate, I'm really up for it".

Jamie Bartlett, 46, of Aberdare, spoke to the undercover officer over the course of two days in October 2021. The officer told the defendant, who used the name "LoveTeenCuties", he was a father of a seven-year-old girl named "Lolly".

A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Tuesday heard the "father" was offering the fictional Lolly as a sexual object and became involved in a conversation with Bartlett. When asked what he was looking for, the defendant said he was interested in prepubescent children. When told that Lolly was "seven-years-old", he responded "Mate, that's perfect to be honest, tell me more about her".

When asked what he was into, Bartlett said: "Sniffing, perving, a bit of touching". The "father" said he would make an arrangement for "a play date" with Lolly, to which the defendant responded "Oh yes, oh my God. What are the rules". The officer told him he would need to pay in cash, drive to his flat and would need to bring "a toy, condoms and lube".

The defendant was asked what he wanted to do, and he said: "Touching her bum and p****, kissing her." When asked if he had done anything like this before, he said: "Yeah but she was eight LOL". He added: "I really hope it's not a fantasy mate, I'm really up for it." Bartlett also asked: "Is she ok taking c*** in her p**** because I'm not small".

Prosecutor Paul Hewitt said a date was arranged to meet and the defendant asked if Lolly could wear her school uniform. But when the officer tried to contact Bartlett to arrange a meeting place, he stopped communication and didn't respond to messages.

Police attended the defendant's home on January 18, 2022, but he wasn't there. Officers spoke to his then partner and attended his work place where he was arrested. His mobile phone was seized, on which indecent images of children and extreme pornography was discovered.

During his police interview, he admitted he had a sexual interest in children, but claimed he had no intention of acting on this interest. He claimed he believed the conversation with the undercover officer was "a fantasy" and he had ended the conversation when he believed the other person was serious.

Bartlett, of Monk Street, was found guilty of attempting to arrange or facilitate sexual activity with a child, following a trial. He had already pleaded guilty to possession of indecent and extreme images. The court heard he was of previous good character.

In mitigation, defence barrister John Ryan described his client as a "lonely and inadequate person" who had "given in to fantasy". He said the defendant had been described as "kind and loving" by his family and provided help to his mother who had suffered strokes and seizures. Since his arrest, he has been engaging with Stop It Now which was said to have given him insight into the damage his offences cause.

Sentencing, Judge Lucy Crowther said: "You admitted this conversation took place and said it was all fantasy. You admitted you had an interest in children but had no intention of carrying it out. The jury rejected your explanation."

Bartlett was sentenced to a total of three years and three months imprisonment. He was made subject to sex offender notification requirements indefinitely. A hearing to determine the details of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order will be held at a later date.

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Mark Thompson, from Aberdare, sexually abused a boy over the course of two years, beginning when the boy was just eight years old.

The boy knew it was wrong, but he was too scared and frightened to tell anyone. He kept what had happened to him a secret for over ten years- until 2021, when he bravely disclosed the abuse he had suffered at Thompson’s hands.

An investigation was launched and Thompson was arrested and charged.
The matter went to trial and Thompson was subsequently found guilty for a number of sexual offences.

On Friday 28 April, the 39-year-old was jailed for 16 years for rape, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual assault.

Detective Constable Emma Songhurst, who led the case, said:

“I would like to commend the victim and their family for the courage they have shown throughout this investigation.

“Every child has a right to grow up free from fear and abuse and I hope this case demonstrates our dedication and determination to pursue justice for anyone who has suffered like this.

“I would encourage anyone who has been the victim of a similar crime to report it to us, regardless of how much time has passed, as the crime will be fully investigated, and they will get our full support.”

Description

A former policeman has escaped a prison sentence after he admitted possessing more than 8,000 indecent images of children.

PC Stephen McGoldrick, 50, quit Gloucestershire Police after he was charged with five counts of making indecent images of children.

He appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday to be sentenced after previously admitting the offences.

McGoldrick, of Gadlys Street, Aberdare , was sentenced to an 18-month community order with 40 days of rehabilitation and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Peter Blair QC, the Recorder of Bristol, also placed McGoldrick on the sex offenders register for five years and made him the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.

Passing sentence the judge said: “These were abhorrent images which I believe you now acknowledge and understand have real victims.

“You have fallen from grace in a massive way due to your former employment as a police officer. You have shown considerable remorse.

“You must understand that I impose this sentence because I have concluded there is a good prospect of rehabilitation which can be best achieved through a community order rather than a custodial sentence.

“You fall into a category where the public will be better served by this type of sentence.”

The court heard indecent images were recovered from a mobile phone belonging to McGoldrick when police were investigating a separate matter in April this year.

Further inquiries were carried out and search warrants were executed at addresses in Stroud, Gloucestershire, and in Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf , in June.

Several electronic devices were recovered and when they were examined, experts found a total of 8,519 indecent images – five at category A, eight at category B, and the remainder at category C.

McGoldrick, who had joined Gloucestershire Police in 2008, resigned before he was charged in July and pleaded guilty at the magistrates’ court last month.

James Haskell, defending, said: “The convictions have already had significant consequences for him. He knows he has forever lost his good character and is ashamed to have put his family through what he has.”

Mr Haskell explained McGoldrick had gone through significant personal difficulties in recent years, supporting his partner financially through a protracted custody battle, leading to him accruing debts of £36,000.

The court heard McGoldrick also struggled to deal with his partner developing cancer, the death of his elder brother, and his mother’s ill health.

“All of this left him at almost breaking point and led him to accessing illegal pornography,” Mr Haskell said.

“He knows it was wrong but was clearly in a very bad way and, in his own words, he was on a path to self-destruction.”