Latest Offenders Carmarthenshire

Description

A 33-YEAR-OLD man “showed predatory behaviour” as he attempted to groom who he thought was a 12-year-old girl on social media, a court heard.

Simon Howard, from Llanybydder, appeared at Swansea Crown Court charged with engaging in sexual communication with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.

The court heard that Howard was talking to who he thought was a 12-year-old girl on social media. The profile was actually being run by an undercover officer from Tarian - the Regional Organised Crime Unit for southern Wales.

The content of the conversations showed that Howard acknowledged he was talking to a child, and he went on to graphically describe numerous sexual acts and plan to meet with the child.

Howard pleaded guilty to the offences, and was jailed for six years on October 9.

He must register as a sex offender for a period of 10 years, and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same period of time.

The investigation was led by Tarian officers with support from Dyfed-Powys Police.

Detective Inspector Mathew Davies, of Tarian, said: “This is excellent joint working between Tarian and Dyfed Powys Police.

“The focus of the operation was to target high harm offenders, whilst safeguarding and protecting children.”

Detective Inspector Leon Lewis, from Dyfed Powys CID, said: “Simon Howard displayed predatory behaviour and groomed who he believed was a 12-year-old child.

“It is our absolute priority to protect and keep children safe in our communities.

“The work carried out by Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit and Dyfed Powys Police has helped to ensure that vulnerable children are protected from the risk Howard poses to them.

Description

A man has been jailed for sexually assaulting a young girl. Gary Blount appeared at Swansea Crown Court for sentencing having been found guilty by a jury after trial of two counts of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13.

Defence barrister Ian Ibrahim, representing Blount, said: "He had a number of successful businesses and was the main income for his family. He was a sound technician, he would do lighting and events, security, and a number of other things. That's all gone now. He is in custody, and was reduced to living with his parents.

"His relationships have gone, his businesses have gone. These offences were seven or eight years ago and there has been no offending since. He suffers from anxiety and depression and is on suicide watch now."

Sentencing Blount, his honour judge Geraint Walters said: "You had denied all guilt but were convicted by a jury. The pre-sentence report indicates that you deny your guilt, something you are entitled to do. You have a relevant previous conviction in the way of two sexual offences which you were sentenced to 18 months imprisonment in 2018.

You were at that time required to register as a sex offender for 10 years and sign a sexual harm prevention order for a similar period of time. The date span of the offending in 2018 is such that it overlaps the date span of the offending in this particular case. You have shown no remorse in relation to the offending the jury found proved. It has had a significant affect upon the victim."

Blount, 44, of Cwmfelin Boeth, Whitland, was sentenced to five years in prison, and an indefinite restraining order was made preventing him from coming into contact with the victim.

Description

A convicted sex offender removed a secure messaging application from his phone before police could access it or check its use, a court has heard. It is the third time Shaun Smith has breached a sexual harm prevention order which is designed to control his use of the internet and his contact with children.

The first saw him acquire a mobile phone which he kept secret from the police and the second saw him buy an internet-enabled computer games console which he again did not disclose. The sexual harm prevention order order was imposed in December 2018 after Smith sent "demanding and controlling" Facebook messages to someone he believed to be a schoolgirl, asked for intimate photos, and then tried to meet up with her at a local McDonald's.

In reality the Facebook account was being operated by a member of a so-called paedophile hunter group. Sending the 57-year-old defendant back to prison a judge told him his breaches of the court order were escalating.

Swansea Crown Court heard that on morning of June 23 this year police responsible for monitoring the defendant in the community visited Smith at his home address to carry out a risk assessment. Harry Dickens, prosecuting, said the officers asked the defendant a series of questions about his lifestyle and circumstances and asked to see his phone. The detectives asked Smith if he had deleted anything from the device and the 57-year-old replied that he had deleted the Telegram messaging app a few days earlier.

The defendant was arrested on suspicion of breaching his sexual harm prevention order and taken to a police station for questioning. In his subsequent interview Smith said he had used Telegram to chat to a woman he had met on a website called Xhamster – a pornography and social networking site. The prosecutor said in deleting the app and its data – something which is prohibited by the terms of the sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) – Smith had also deleted the online history associated with it.

Shaun Alan Smith, of Glanafon, Ammanford, had previously pleaded guilty to breaching a SHPO when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has two previous convictions for breaching the order – in 2020 he was given a community order for possessing a mobile phone which he had not disclosed to the authorities and then in 2022 he was jailed for owning an internet-enabled PlayStation games console which he again had not declared.

The SHPO itself was imposed in December 2018 after Smith was convicted of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. The offending saw him sending "demanding and controlling" Facebook messages to someone he believed to be a schoolgirl and then triying to meet up with her at a local McDonald's. During their online conversations Smith told what he thought was a 14-year-old girl that he was the same age as her father and "she was the sort of girl who could get a man into trouble". He also asked her whether she had lost her virginity and whether she was wearing knickers and he asked her to send intimate photographs. Smith also talked about meeting the girl and on one occasion went to a McDonald's restaurant and told his victim he was waiting for her. In fact Smith had been conversing with a member of a so-called paedophile hunter group. Sending the defendant to prison for 15 months on that occasion the judge told him he had no doubt his aim had been to "take this girl's virginity".

Rhiannon Lee-Meredith, for Smith, said to the defendant's credit he had not sought to hide the fact he had deleted the Telegram app. She said Smith was in "extreme ill-health" with spinal issues, arthritis in his hands, heart problems, and post-traumatic stress disorder and she said he was keen to maintain his relationship with his older children and to maintain his accommodation.

Recorder David Harris told Smith that deleting the app was his third breach of the order and marked, in his view, an escalation of his breaches. He said he was not persuaded there was any basis for suspending the custodial sentence that was due.

The judge said the appropriate sentence on the guidelines after trial allowing for the aggravating and mitigating factors was 18 months in prison. With a one third discount for his guilty plea Smith was sentenced to 12 months in prison. The defendant will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. The SHPO remains in force.

Description

AN evil thug dragged a schoolgirl into a field and repeatedly raped her as he held a screwdriver to her neck, a court heard.

Phillip Williams planned the attack which came after forcing his victim to take cocaine and alcohol.

After raping the child, the defendant - who was also armed with a length of rope - forced the muddy and half-naked girl into his car.

He took her on a lengthy journey to secluded woodlands in Port Talbot, Wales, where he beat her up and repeatedly demanded oral sex.

Sentencing Williams to 22 years in prison, followed by an eight-year licence period, a judge told him he was so deceptive and manipulative that friends and family had no idea what he was really capable of.

Swansea Crown Court heard the incident took place in the summer of last year when Williams put into action his plan to commit child rape.

The defendant forced his victim into a muddy field in the Llandovery area and beat her before stripping her, forcing her to consume alcohol and cocaine.

He tied her hands and then repeatedly raped her while holding a screwdriver to her neck.

The court heard the child was crying and resisting Williams during the ordeal and when she asked the defendant why he was doing what he was doing he replied: "Because I can."

After attacking the girl Williams – under the influence of cannabis and alcohol – took her phone and dragged her into a car taking her to woods near Margam Park.

Once in the woods he beat up the girl and again demanded oral sex, which was refused.

The court heard the girl eventually managed to retrieve her phone from Williams and flee the woods and she then called 999.

Police were soon on the scene and found the girl – muddy, half-dressed, shoeless, and in an extremely distressed state – and took her to safety.

An investigation was launched – which included looking for evidence at the site of the rapes where the child's underwear was recovered – and 48-year-old Williams was identified.

The defendant tried to evade capture but a manhunt by Dyfed-Powys Police and South Wales Police located him and he was arrested.

He denied all the allegations against him.

In a victim impact statement read to the court by barrister Helen Randall the teenager described the devastating impact of her ordeal.

She said she used to be an outgoing girl who would talk to anyone but now feels paranoid and untrusting of strangers and is constantly worrying about people's intentions.

She struggles to sleep, has lost weight, feels isolated at school, and keeps having nightmares that Williams will find her again no matter where she is.

The teenager said "it feels like he took control of my life" and "nothing will ever be the same again".

She said she feels like she wants to change her appearance, change her name, and move away to start a new life.

Judge Catherine Richards told Williams he had subjected his young victim to a "brutal" ordeal which had caused "severe psychological harm and has affected every aspect of her life".

The defendant can apply for release after serving two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be released and on what conditions.

Williams will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Speaking after the sentencing, Dyfed-Powys Police detective inspector Dale Thomas said the defendant had thought he could get away with his crimes.

But thanks to the bravery of the victim and the efforts of the investigating team he had been brought to justice, with the jury in the case taking just 40 minutes to reach its verdicts.

Description

Police found the defendant had downloaded 1,000 images of children being sexually abused and had joined an online dating site using a false name.

A convicted sex offender borrowed his mother's mobile to search for images of underage children after police had seized his own phone following the discovery he had been in communication with 12-year-old girls. Kris Maisey was on a suspended sentence at the time having previously been caught with a haul of child sex abuse images and was also the subject of a sexual harm prevention order designed to control is online activities.

Swansea Crown Court heard that in August last year 32-year-old Maisey was sentenced to 10 months in prison suspended for 24 months after pleading guilty to making – that is possessing – more than 1,700 indecent images of children. He was also put on the sex offenders' register for 10 years and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) for the same length of time.

Ian Wright, prosecuting, said in August this year police officers carrying out a routine check on Maisey in the community examined the defendant's phone and found evidence he had been communicating with two 12-year-old girls. Though the nature of the contact was not sexual the discovery raised concerns and the Samsung phone was seized for further checks.

The court heard a detailed search of the phone found around 1,000 indecent images – including Category A images which show the most serious kinds of rape and sexual abuse – and also that Maisey had joined the Tinder-style dating website Wink using a false name. As part of his SHPO the defendant is prohibited from creating social media and other online accounts using anything other than his real name.

The prosecutor said when police returned a week after the original visit to arrest Maisey for possession of the indecent images they found him using a phone he had not told them about, a mobile which it turned out he had borrowed from his mother. An examination of this second phone found the defendant had been making internet searches for material about underage girls. He subsequently gave a "no comment" interview to officers

Kris Maisey, of Norton Road, Penygroes, Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire, had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of indecent images and two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. Matt Murphy, for Maisey, said while being held on remand awaiting sentence his client had used his time productively and was taking qualifications and educational courses, and had also established a "society" in prison. Though the advocate did not give details of the nature of the group he stressed it was unconnected with the offences before the court.

Judge Paul Thomas KC told Maisey that in August last year a judge had given him a chance, but instead of taking that chance he had continued to access images of child sex abuse and had "blatantly" breached the terms of his sexual harm prevention order. With a 20% discount for his guilty pleas Maisey was sentenced to 20 months in prison for the new offences and the judge activated eight months of the previously-imposed suspended sentence to run consecutively making an overall sentence of 28 months. He will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence. The judge also made Maisey subject of a new 10-year SHPO.

Description

A MAN who recorded himself raping a sleeping woman has been sentenced to ten years in prison. Cameron Hassan changed his plea to guilty on the second day of his trial after the jury had watched the horrific footage. Hassan recorded his victims private parts before recording himself anally raping her, coupled with a running commentary of insults and foul language. The rape, which took place in Ammanford on August 21, 2021, had been recorded on his victims phone. The court heard that in police interview after his arrest Hassan claimed that the sex had been part of a role play and that his victim wasnt sleeping at the time. However, Hassan, 32, of no fixed abode, changed his plea before his victim had to take to the witness stand last May. His Honour Judge Geraint Walters heard that Hassan had a lengthy antecedent history and had appeared in court 39 times in relation to 92 criminal offences. Although none of these involved sexual offences some of the charges had involved violence and threats of violence towards women. In a victim impact statement read out to the court Hassans victim said that she had difficulty sleeping, waking up in the night sweating and having disturbing dreams. She was depressed and had been prescribed medication for this. The attack had caused massive trust issues and she had become distant from friends. She didnt want to see anybody and didnt trust people. She was worried about the effect of the attack on future relationships and had difficulty with intimacy, feeling uneasy if somebody tried to hug her. She added that the trial had caused her months of distress. I wish that he had pleaded guilty from the start, she said. I have had ten months of hell worried that I would have to talk about what happened in a court full of people. I have been physically unwell with worry. In mitigation the court heard that Hassan had expressed remorse for what he had done and was disgusted about his behaviour and the hurt that was caused. The court also heard that Hassan had indicated that he would engage with the support available in prison. At the moment at least you have no respect for women, said judge Walters. It is hard to imagine an act of greater degradation to a woman than that which I both saw and heard on that film. Hassan was sentenced to ten years in prison for the rape offence at Swansea Crown Court on, Thursday, June 23. The court heard that he will serve three quarters of his sentence. He was also sentenced to three months in prison, to run concurrently, for the offence of sending a threatening message. The court heard that he had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity to this offence, which involved a different victim. Senior Investigating Officer DI Melanie Havard said the victim had shown great strength and determination throughout the investigation and trial. I must commend her tremendous courage in coming forward and the tenacity shown throughout the investigation, she said. We appreciate this is not easy for anyone to do but the victim has expressed her gratitude to the officer in the case for her support and empathy throughout this process. We hope this case demonstrates that Dyfed-Powys Police acts on serious allegations such as rape and sexual assault with officers working tirelessly to secure justice for victims. If you are suffering because of similar abuse, please contact the police, or if you would rather speak to someone in confidence, New Pathways are an independent charity that will support you through every step of the investigation.

Description

A man carried out sexual acts with a schoolgirl and made her sent him indecent images of herself.

Christopher John Austin appeared at Swansea Crown Court for sentencing for six counts of sexual activity with a girl under the age of 16, another count of sexual communication with a child, and two counts of possessing indecent photographs of a child.

The court heard how the 37-year-old had conversations with his victim which he sexualised, discussing pornography and telling her he was "horny a lot".

On one occasion he hugged her and kissed her, sticking his tongue into her mouth. He also told her to send him indecent images, which she did. At Austin's instruction they performed sex acts on each other and he also had intercourse with her.

The court heard his victim had to go into a pharmacy to obtain the morning after pill. She made a disclosure to a member of staff at her school. She then went to the police station with her mother to report what happened.

The court was told how the police investigation discovered internet searches made by Austin for pornography, 'real rape videos', 'real incest videos', 'son gets mom pregnant', and 'real rape sex'.

There were two Category A indecent images of his victim, the most serious, as well as three Category A videos, and eight Category C images.

The court heard how he initially tried to claim that he suffered from blackouts when questioned by police and he also claimed that he had been hacked by a third party.

A victim impact statement was read out on behalf of his victim which heard she "replays moments in her head" and goes "day to day with a strong feeling of regret". She also described how her mental health has deteriorated since, suffering with panic attacks, low moods and anxiety, and that she struggled to concentrate on her school work and lessons as a consequence.

Austin,of Teglan Park in Ammanford, was jailed for five years.

Following the sentencing Dyfed-Powys Police detective sergeant Carl Pocock said:

"This man has been convicted and sentenced for serious sexual offences and it is very difficult to summarise the impact of his crimes upon his victim.

“I wish to thank the victim in this case for their courage in coming forward which has led to the conviction of a dangerous offender and I hope from the sentence they will be able to move on with their life.”

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A pervert from Llandovery has appeared for sentence at Swansea Crown Court after admitting to making and distributing indecent images of children.
Rhys Long, of Cynghordy, Llandovery, had previously indicated a guilty plea.

The 19-year-old admitted making almost 200 images with 40 of them falling into Category A the most extreme category showing the rape or torture of young children
25 extreme pornographic images depicting bestiality were also found.

Long also admitted distributing the above images to other like minded perverts online.

Allegations of child grooming were also made by several young victims. However, no charges were made.

Long was not jailed but instead received a suspended sentence.

A sexual harm prevention order was put in place and he was told to register as a sex offender immediately.

2022 Update

Rhys Long, 22, of Cynghordy, Llandovery, is due to by sentenced by Swansea Crown Court next month for breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

Long was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order on May 21, 2021, and appeared at Llanelli Magistrates Court on August 25 where he pleaded guilty to breaching the order.

The breach occurred on May 11 this year when he failed to inform police officers that he had created a username on Discord and had an unregistered email address.

He will be sentenced by Swansea Crown Court who made the initial order on 8 September 2022.

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Michael Powell also downloaded so-called "paedophile manuals" from the web containing illustrated guides on how obtain, hide, and sexually abuse young children

A former worker at a Welsh college has been revealed as a "committed paedophile" who downloaded sickening images of children and babies being sexually abused.

Some of the youngsters being sexually tortured for Michael Ian Powell's perverted pleasure were as young as just one month old, a court heard.

Former Llandovery College staff member Powell also downloaded so-called "paedophile manuals" from the dark web containing instructions on how to sexually abuse children.

Swansea Crown Court heard 59-year-old Powell was arrested after police raided his home shortly before 8am on October 24 last year.

Sophie Hill, prosecuting, said officers seized a number of electronic devices, and on them found almost 3,500 indecent pictures of videos of children from categories A - the most extreme kind - B and C.

Police also found Powell had downloaded so-called "paedophile manuals" from the internet - one was a guide on how to "obtain and hide a little girl for the purposes of exploitation", and one was an illustrated guide on how to sexually abuse girls aged between three and six.

Further examination of the devices found Powell had also taken part in sick online group chats, and shared an image of a child being abused with other paedophiles.

The prosecutor said the defendant, who has two grown-up children, made "full and frank admissions" to officers about what he had been doing.

Powell, of High Street, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images of children, one of distributing an indecent category A image, and one of possessing a paedophile manual, a relatively new offence created under the Serious Crime Act 2015.

He has no previous convictions.

Tom Scapens, for Powell, said unlike many other offenders who came before the courts for similar offending, Powell had been "refreshingly honest" in interviews with police and probation officers about gaining sexual gratification from viewing the indecent images, and the need to get help.

He said the defendant had been working in the alumni department of Llandovery College until his arrest, though had now lost that employment.

The barrister added that though Powell had been divorced from his wife for many years she had attended court - though not come into the courtroom itself - to support her former husband in a "personal capacity" in what he described as a demonstration of "remarkable generosity of spirit".

Judge Geraint Walters described the images Powell had downloaded as "unspeakably appalling", and said they were "amongst the most disturbing I have personally had to deal with".

He said: "How a father of two children can possibly not see the damage which looking at images like these causes children is something I find hard to fathom.

"You were committed to viewing for sexual pleasure other people's children being gravely sexually abused.

"You can properly be described as a committed paedophile. The reality is you are going to have to battle that condition for the rest of your life."

Giving the defendant the required one-third discount for his guilty pleas the judge sentenced him to a total of two years in prison. Powell will serve up to a half of that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

The defendant will be a registered sex offender for the next 10 years and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same length of time to control his access to the internet.