Latest Offenders Cardiff

Description

A woman attempted suicide twice, visiting a bridge with intent to end her life, after being sexually assaulted by David Walsh, 41, of Cardiff. She described her life in "turmoil" and feeling "sick to her stomach" when Walsh denied the offenses.

Walsh assaulted the victim by performing oral sex on her after she passed out from alcohol and penetrating her with his fingers on two occasions.

At Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, the victim reported the assault, leading to Walsh's arrest. He denied the claims, alleging she made up or "exaggerated" them. A jury convicted him of two counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault.

In her victim personal statement, read by prosecutor Thomas Stanway, she said: "The impact on my family and I has been huge." A decade-long degree pursuit derailed, she can no longer chase her dream career, facing massive financial strain: "I am unable to hold a job down... I have been signed off from work due to anxiety. The incident has taken my independence away. Having my dream career taken away from me and not being able to work is heartbreaking."

She undergoes therapy but battles insomnia, flashbacks, severe depression, and shaking like Parkinson's: "I suffer with shaking as if I have Parkinson's. It happens when I'm watching TV at home and anxiety washes all over me... Some days I feel like I need to be cared for like a child." She added: "I am regularly severely depressed, on two occasions I ended up on (a roundabout) and my husband had to call me off to stop me from jumping... Standing on that bridge would never have happened if the defendant hadn't assaulted me that night... It sickens me down to my stomach (the defendant) thought what he had done was acceptable and for him to deny what he did while my life has been in turmoil really hurts."

Walsh has prior convictions for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, battery, and dangerous driving. In mitigation, Christopher Evans claimed no "severe psychological harm," noting Walsh's two children and support for his sister's family bills.

Judge Greg Bull deemed the offenses "pretty serious" with aggravating factors, sentencing Walsh to six years and six months in prison, indefinite sex offender registration, and a 20-year restraining order.

Description

A man from Butetown has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for sexual offences against children.

Liton Ahmed, 47, denied six counts of sexually assaulting a girl by touching and one count of attempting to sexually assault a girl by touching.

But he was found guilty following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court in April 2025.

Ahmed was sentenced at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on August 26, 2025, to 18 years in prison.

Officer in the case Dc Steven Taylor said:  

“I want to commend the victims for their courage in coming forward- thanks to their reports and support, justice has been served.

"It has been a traumatic time for everyone involved and I am hopeful the outcome at court brings the victims and families some comfort which they deserve.”

Ahmed is also on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely, is subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and has a Restraining Order in respect of the victims until further notice.

Description

A sex offender has been locked up thanks to determined police work – and help from facial recognition technology.

Alexander Dale, 31, grabbed the 11-year-old girl and pushed her to the floor while she was walking her dog in Cyncoed, Cardiff, last year.

Two days earlier, on October 23, 2024, Dale approached a 15-year-old girl on a bus travelling from Barry and showed her explicit messages on his phone.

Detectives sourced CCTV from the bus and, using Retrospective Facial Recognition, Dale was quickly identified as the suspect.

He was arrested, charged and remanded within a week.

Retrospective Facial Recognition technology compares still images of faces of unknown subjects against a reference image database.

Further enquires confirmed Dale had used a mobile phone app, linked to his e-mail address, to buy his bus ticket.

He pleaded guilty to sexual assault and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Today, he was sentenced at Newport Crown Court to 23 months in prison and is also subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Officer in the case, Detective Constable Emma Partridge said:

“Both victims have been incredibly brave to share what happened to them and support the investigation.

“Dale’s actions continue to have a huge impact on their day to day lives including feeling vulnerable on public transport and walking alone.

“I hope today’s sentencing brings the girls some comfort and allows them to regain their confidence to move forward.

“Everyone has the right to feel safe, wherever they are, and South Wales Police does everything possible to keep communities safe and ensure people feel safe when going about their everyday business.

“Stranger incidents like that are very unusual, but when they do happen, we use all available technology and traditional policing methods to bring offenders to justice."

Description

A man who sexually abused and raped a woman then tried to claim she dreamt his attack has been jailed.

Justin Saliba, 50, of Llanishen, was jailed for 11 years at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, August 18.

The offence dates back to 2021 and happened at his flat – Saliba had preyed on his victim while she was asleep.

The victim woke to find him raping her and fleed after the attack.

She told family who then contacted South Wales Police, and a South Wales Police investigation was launched.

Saliba was arrested and charged with rape and sexual abuse, but he pleaded not guilty, claiming the victim had confused a dream with reality.

But a jury saw through his lies he was found guilty and remanded in custody following a trial.

Saliba was jailed for 11 years and will serve a minimum of two thirds of that sentence before being released on license. He will also be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Detective Constable Charlotte Watkins said:

“Justin Saliba’s actions that night did irreparable damage to his victim. He denied the offence and in doing so dragged his victim through the trauma of a trial and years of waiting for justice.

“He is a dangerous predator who is now serving many years behind bars where he is no longer a threat to others.

“I do hope his victim finds some comfort knowing that and is able to begin the difficult process of rebuilding her life.”

Description

A Cardiff couple who committed numerous child sex offences have been jailed.

Tracy Turner from Roath, and Stuart Compton of Cathays, sent messages to each other discussing their sex lives and arranging to sexually abuse three named children.

As part of the investigation, detectives reviewed 96,000 messages between the defendants who were discussing what they wanted to do to the child victims.

Turner, 51, admitted six charges of arranging the commission of child sex offences, and two charges of making indecent images of a child.

Compton, 45, also pleaded guilty to six charges of arranging the commission of child sex offences.

The investigation began in June 2025, when information was received of concerning conversations, involving Compton, on a dating app. As a result, his phone was seized revealing thousands of messages between him and Turner.

Today (Monday, July 28) they were jailed at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.

Turner was sentenced to 12-year custodial sentence with an extended two-year licence.

Compton was sentenced to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of six years and 131 days before being considered for parole.

They are also subject to Restraining Orders and Sexual Harm Prevention Orders.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector David Butt from South Wales Police, said:

“Today’s sentencing concludes a 12-month investigation, during which time a small team of detectives reviewed approximately 96,000 messages which Tracy Turner and Stuart Compton sent to each other.

“The volume and nature of the content was disturbing – the worst of the worst – but the officers demonstrated resilience and determination to get justice.

“Thankfully, the victims had no knowledge of what was taking place. In statements provided to the court, some family members of the victims have described the devastating impact of the crimes, and we hope today’s sentencing brings them some comfort.

“Offenders like Turner and Compton believe they can hide behind phone screens, but this is clearly not the case.

“It is our absolute priority to protect children, and I am grateful to colleagues for their meticulous investigation into this appalling case, and the co-operation of the Crown Prosecution Service.

"The successful prosecution and conviction of these two dangerous sexual predators, will ensure that children are protected."

Description

A 39-year-old man has been jailed for 19-years with an extra eight years on extended licence after admitting multiple sexual offences committed against two girls in Bristol.

Mark Manship, of Cardiff, raped, sexually assaulted and shared indecent images of a “very young” girl online. He was also convicted of taking an indecent picture of a teenage girl in 2011.

He was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court today (27 June) where he was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, a restraining order and added to the Sex Offenders’ Register.

The court heard Manship was caught after exchanging sexually-explicit messages describing child abuse, as well as indecent images of children, with an undercover FBI agent in December 2020 who then informed police in the UK.

He was arrested by Avon and Somerset Police and a search of his devices uncovered hundreds of indecent images of children.

He was charged with the following offences:

• One count of rape of a child under 13
• Four counts of sexual assault of a child under 13
• Two counts of taking indecent photographs of a child
• Two counts of distributing indecent photographs of a child
• One count of making indecent photographs of a child

He pleaded guilty to each offence when he appeared at Bristol Crown Court last month.

In a victim personal statement, the court was told of the significant impact of his crimes and that it “continues to echo through every part” of their lives.

It said they “no longer feel safe in their own world,” and that there is now “fear where there used to be comfort; suspicion where there used to be ease”.

Sentencing Manship, the judge said: “The facts of this case are extremely distressing. They are nothing short of revolting or horrific.”

He handed him a 19-year prison sentence with an extend licence period of eight years. He also granted lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention and Restraining orders and added Manship to the sex offenders’ register.

DC Elizabeth Howell, the investigating officer, said: 

“Mark Manship is a manipulative man who committed truly abhorrent crimes to fuel his own grotesque sexual desires.

“He took advantage of very young girls and shared his horrific abuse of one of them online – giving absolutely no thought to their wellbeing or the devastating long-term effects his crimes will have on them and their families.

“The impact of his offending has been immense and I don’t underestimate how horrendous these last few years have been for them.

“They deserve enormous credit for their dedication in helping us bring Mark Manship to justice and for the bravery and strength they have shown.

“I’m very pleased they have been able to see him handed a significant prison sentence today.”

Description

A convicted paedophile who attempted to engage in sexual activity with a child has been jailed after he failed to disclose a mobile phone and his address to the authorities. He also tried to prevent his phone from being accessed by failing to properly use his thumb on a scanner.

Lewis Ware, 20, was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements in 2023, following his conviction of speaking to a decoy pretending to be a 14-year-old girl. He also has convictions for assault by penetration, sexual assault and engaging in sexual communication with a child, as well as multiple breaches of the orders he is subjected to.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday heard Ware was prohibited from possessing a mobile phone unless he makes his offender manager aware.

He was also prohibited from concealing passwords or codes for his mobile phone.

Following his release from custody on February 17 this year, he failed to attend a police station within three days to make the authorities aware of his address.

On February 25, the defendant was visited by his offender manager and he was arrested for failing to comply with his notification requirements.

Prosecutor Abigail Jackson said the officer saw a Samsung phone which Ware admitted to owning and he was asked to unlock the device with his thumbprint.

He didn't comply with this and and failed to put his phone fully on the scanner.

A brief review of the phone revealed it had access to social media apps including Instagram and Snapchat, which he was prohibited from using.

Ware, of Broadway, Cardiff, later pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements.

In mitigation, defence barrister David Pinnell the defendant had the reading age of a six-year-old and had been diagnosed with ADHD.

Judge Eugene Egan sentenced Ware to a total of 40 weeks imprisonment.

Description

Perry Allen McCarthy, from Penarth, has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for 18 child sex offences committed over a four-year period.

The 65-year-old was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, May 2.

McCarthy had denied the offences but was found guilty of 18 offences including:

• 6 counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity
• 4 counts of voyeurism
• 3 counts of oral rape of a child
• 1 count of engaging in sexual activity with a child
• 1 count of digital penetration
• 1 count of sexual assault by touching

McCarthy was told at court that he must serve a minimum of 14 years before being considered for parole.

Description

A "dangerous offender" with a series of sexual offences sent two young girls sexual content on WhatsApp whilst asking them to do the same. Ethan Owen, 30, was at the time a registered sex offender for life and under a sexual harm prevention order.

Prosecutor Martha Smith-Higgins told Cardiff Crown Court Owen had been on a Fortnite game with two primary school-aged girls after they were added to the game. He subsequently added them both to a WhatsApp group named "bad" where he could see they were clearly children from their profile pictures.

On the group Owen sent horrible messages inciting sexual activities and one of the victims described the pictures and videos as being "disturbing" and featuring naked men and women. The court heard the girls initially thought he was a "normal person" but this quickly changed when he sent various pictures and videos which showed his genitals, him and a woman having sex and him performing sexual acts alone.

He asked one of the girls to send a picture of her genitals and told her to perform sexual activities. The court heard one of his messages said he was "going to come to her house and do something to her" and after he was blocked he tried contacting one of the girls through his girlfriend's phone.

Ms Smith-Higgins said Owen has "a number of relevant previous convictions" with seven convictions for 31 offences. His offending began in 2009 when he was 15 years old and he is currently serving a 50-month recalled prison sentence.

He has breached a sexual harm prevention order on several occasions and has also been charged with threatening behaviour and failing to comply with a community order. John Ryan, representing Owen, told the court his client is now receiving one-on-one psychological intervention which he is finding very helpful and stressed that although his client has a string of previous convictions none of them were hands-on offences.

When sentencing, Judge Francis was keen to point out that "none of this behaviour occurred in a vacuum." She continued: "During the time you were involved, and knowing what both girls looked like, you nonetheless indulged in sexual conversation with them. You sent them images, sexual images and asked one to send you intimate photos.

"This offending did not happen in a vacuum. You have a significant history of sexual offending. You have been appearing before the courts for it since you were a teenager. The fact of the matter is your offending has gone on for so long and been so similar."

The judge listed Owen's previous convictions and said he was classed as a dangerous offender in 2013 when he was given an extended sentence. She added: "You were a dangerous offender then and you are a dangerous offender now."

Owen had pleaded guilty to all six offences at a plea and trial preparation hearing. He was charged with causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, two counts of engaging in sexual communications with a child, two counts of causing a child to watch an explicit act and the breach of a sexual harm prevention order.

Owen, of Vale of Glamorgan, was sentenced to an extended sentence of five years, 40 months custodial and five years on licence with the lead offence of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. He will continue to be under a sexual harm prevention order for life and will be on the sex offenders' register for life.

Description

A man who sexually assaulted two women on the London Underground has been jailed following a British Transport Police investigation.

Mansoor Ahmed, 30, was jailed for 26 months and handed a 10-year signature of the sex offenders register after he pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault.

The court heard how, on 6 September 2020, the victim walked up the stairs at Gloucester Road underground station when she was sexually assaulted by Ahmed. The victim screamed and Ahmed ran from the scene, and she reported it the following day.

Following an appeal to the public Ahmed was identified and circulated as wanted for questioning.

On 20 November 2020 a second woman was sexually assaulted by Ahmed while she travelled down the steps at Charing Cross Station. Ahmed then walked away, however the victim spotted to British Transport Police officers at the station and reported the incident to them.

Ahmed was subsequently detained and arrested at the station. Ahmed was released under investigation while enquiries continued.

The two incidents were linked and attempts were made to locate Ahmed, however his whereabouts were unknown.

On 27 May 2021, Ahmed was located on board a ferry arriving at Holyhead from Ireland and was arrested at the scene. He was subsequently charged with these offences.

Ahmed, of Stephenson Street, Riverside, Cardiff, admitted two counts of sexual assault and was sentenced on Tuesday 21 January at Cardiff Crown Court.

Description

A teenager has been locked up under a nine-year extended sentence after preying on children over the internet to gather vile images and share them with other paedophiles. Self-professed "online predator" Alexander Davies, 18, admitted to police he found images of child abuse "therapeutic" and dubbed himself a "father figure" to a 12-year-old victim, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

Police learned of the Pontcanna teen's sick obsession when they received information indicating he was behind an anonymous Discord account that had uploaded three indecent images of a child. Officers attended his home on May 7 last year and seized devices which contained hundreds of images of child abuse. Davies told police he was "addicted" to pornography and found it "therapeutic" to watch child abuse. He added that he got excitement from "breaking the rules".

Davies had been communicating online with a 12-year-old girl whom he groomed into sending sexual images of herself. He was released on bail under the condition he stopped contacting her. But three months later police examined the girl's phone and discovered Davies had continued the contact using a different username. He had also been cyber-grooming another 12-year-old girl.

Davies was arrested again and in his police interview described himself as an "online predator". He accepted he had chatted with paedophiles about drugging and raping children, which he described as a "fantasy". As Judge Paul Hopkins KC detailed the crimes, Davies closed his eyes in the dock, shook his head and muttered inaudibly, at times putting his head in his hands.

The judge noted Davies had vowed to one of the girls he would leave her "bleeding" after intercourse. He had ordered her to send him a video of her spanking herself with a hairbrush — footage which he later submitted to gain access to a chat site for paedophiles — and manipulated the girl into sending images of her penetrating herself with "foreign objects", the court heard.

Davies acknowledged he had been "brutal and domineering" but claimed it was "what she wanted". Judge Hopkins said: "She was, of course, 12 years of age. You were an adult. You described yourself as a father figure to her."

The teenager sent both girls images of himself performing solo sex acts. He initiated conversations with them about rape and ordered them to send him images of themselves which he then swapped with other predators in exchange for horrifying material. His devices contained 478 indecent images of children in Category A — the most serious — 247 in Category B and 757 in Category C as well as 58 classed as 'prohibited' or 'extreme', which included images of a dog being sexually abused.

In a victim impact statement, one of the 12-year-old girls said Davies had "pretended to be someone else" and had made her feel like she was in a relationship with him. She now struggles to trust anyone and feels angry at herself and "very confused".

Davies, of Kings Road in Pontcanna, pleaded guilty to 16 offences including engaging in sexual communication with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, distributing and possessing indecent images, and causing a child to watch an image of sexual activity. He had one previous conviction, from 2022, for three offences involving indecent images. Judge Hopkins said: "In that case the court imposed upon you an absolute discharge, which appears very lenient. No doubt this can be attributed to the age you were at the time of the court appearance."

The judge noted that Davies' latest crimes had seen him use "a degree of planning" by adopting a new username after his release on bail. Judge Hopkins took into account that Davies had been 17 when the offending began. "In many ways you were young for your age," he added. "The references from family members and friends say there is another side to you. You are a bright young man and have been using your time on remand constructively."

But the judge described Davies as posing a "high risk of harm" to children. He imposed an extended sentence of nine years including a custodial period of six years. "You will serve two thirds of the custodial period in prison, if safe to be released, and you will then be subject to the extended licence period." As security guards led Davies to the cells he looked back at a visibly distressed middle-aged woman and man sitting in the public gallery. The tearful woman blew a kiss to Davies as he was taken down. The judge also imposed a lifelong sexual harm prevention order on Davies.

Description

A 58-year-old man has appeared at Swansea Crown Court today (Wednesday December 11) charged with child sex offences including attempting to arrange or facilitate the commission of a child sex offence, an adult attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and breaching a sexual harm prevention order

David Parton from Penarth was arrested in October after arranging to meet a child under 13 following conversations held on-line.  He has been sent to prison for six years.

He will then have to serve a further four years on license as he has been classed as a dangerous offender bringing the total sentence to 10 years. He also has a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be classed as a sex offender for life. 

The investigation, which was carried out by Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit for southern Wales, identified Parton as targeting children in southern Wales and enticing a child to commit sexual acts. 

Description

A man has been jailed for 24 years for sexual offences dating back to the 1970s.

Peter David Long, 66, pleaded guilty on August 21, 2024, to six counts of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 years and 13 counts of indecent assault. The 19 offences were against four girls who were all aged between seven and 14 at the time of the offending.

On Friday, October 25, Long was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court to 24 years' imprisonment with one year on licence, a life-time restraining order for all complainants.

Long was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

Description

Andrew Burke, from Cardiff, has been jailed for rape and other sexual offences.

The 60-year-old was found guilty of rape, violence against a child, indecent assault, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, taking an indecent photo of a child, and assaulting a girl under 13 by touching.

Burke was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday, October 3, to 15 years in prison. He is also subject to a 30-year restraining order and Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Description

A "controlling, manipulative and physically abusive" man subjected a woman to a "sexual mauling" after luring her to a secluded area. The victim told a court the incident had left her feeling "helpless" and on medication.

Grant Young, 33, was convicted of sexual assault following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court. During the incident, he pinned down his victim and attempted to kiss and hug her.

A sentencing hearing on Tuesday heard the defendant was heavily intoxicated at the time of the sexual assault, and had thrown a bottle of Desperados he had been drinking. Sentencing, Judge Simon Mills Esq said: "The incident concluded with you mauling her in a sexual way. That part of the incident was short lived but you manipulated her into being in your company... She was scared of you."

In a victim personal statement read to the court by prosecutor Ieuan Bennett, the victim said: "My anxiety is still through the roof... I struggle with sleeping and sweat through the night which is linked to my PTSD. I constantly feel I have to fight when I am sleeping. I get scared in the dark.

"I feel tense and my back will spasm and I won't be able to move, I feel helpless. I am on medication because I suffer tremors and panic attacks. I still feel the effect of the abuse from him to this day."

Young, of HMP Cardiff, has 32 previous convictions of offences related violence and drugs. He was reprimanded by Judge Mills after shaking his head in the dock, and was told: "You need to stop living for yourself and listen to what somebody else has to say about you." In mitigation, Peter Donnison said his client had not committed "the most serious sexual offence" and had not touched the victim's breasts or naked skin.

Concluding his sentencing remarks, Judge Mills said: "You are controlling, manipulative and physically abusive towards women.... You are a devious and thoroughly manipulative individual with a quick temper and not without a level of intelligence which can give you a faade of plausibility."

Young was sentenced to one year's imprisonment. He was made subject to a restraining order for 10 years and sex offender notification requirements for 10 years.