Latest Offenders Merthyr Tydfil

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The man who shared indecent images of children with ex-BBC presenter Huw Edwards was 25-year-old convicted paedophile Alex Williams, the Metropolitan Police said.

The force said Williams pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing category A, B and C images as well as possessing prohibited images of children. He was sentenced to a suspended 12-month jail sentence at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on March 15.

Police said an investigation into Edwards began after a phone seized by officers as part of an unrelated probe revealed the broadcaster’s participation in a WhatsApp conversation.

Earlier today the former BBC presenter pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children at Westminster Magistrates' Court this morning (July 31). The veteran broadcaster admitted to having 41 of the images on WhatsApp, including seven of the most serious type.

The court was told how Edwards had seven category A images on his WhatsApp - the most severe. The estimated age of most of the children in these pictures was between 13 and 15, but one was aged between seven and nine, the court was told.

He had 12 category B images and 22 category C. The final indecent image was sent to Edwards in August 2021, a category A film featuring a young boy.

The court heard how the presenter had been involved in online chat with an adult man on WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021, who sent him 377 sexual images. 41 of these were the indecent images of children.

As the final category A film was sent, the man told Edwards that the boy was quite young looking, and that he had more images which were illegal. Edwards told him not to send any illegal images, the court heard.

No more were sent, and the pair continued to exchange legal pornographic images until April 2022. Edwards appeared at court today wearing a dark suit, blue tie and sunglasses.

The 62-year-old spoke to confirm his name, date of birth, address and his guilty pleas at the start of the hearing on Wednesday. After entering his pleas, Edwards sat staring into the distance, with his head tilted slightly upwards, and adjusted his tie as Ian Hope, prosecuting, laid out the case against him.

Speaking in Edwards’ defence, his barrister Philip Evans KC said: "There’s no suggestion in this case that Mr Edwards has… in the traditional sense of the word, created any image of any sort. It is important also to remember for context that devices, Mr Edwards’ devices, have been seized, have been searched, and there’s nothing in those devices.

"It is only the images that are the subject of the charges that came via a WhatsApp chat. Mr Edwards did not keep any images, did not send any to anyone else and did not and has not sought similar images from anywhere else.”

Edwards was bailed. He will be sentenced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on September 16.

A BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC is shocked to hear the details which have emerged in court today. There can be no place for such abhorrent behaviour and our thoughts are with all those affected.

“The police have confirmed that the charges are not connected to the original complaint raised with the BBC in the summer of 2023, nevertheless in the interests of transparency we think it important to set out some points about events of the last year.

“In November 2023, whilst Mr Edwards was suspended, the BBC as his employer at the time was made aware in confidence that he had been arrested on suspicion of serious offences and released on bail whilst the police continued their investigation. At the time, no charges had been brought against Mr Edwards and the BBC had also been made aware of significant risk to his health.

“Today we have learnt of the conclusion of the police process in the details as presented to the court. If at any point during the period Mr Edwards was employed by the BBC he had been charged, the BBC had determined it would act immediately to dismiss him. In the end, at the point of charge he was no longer an employee of the BBC.

“During this period, in the usual way, the BBC has kept its corporate management of these issues separate from its independent editorial functions. We want to reiterate our shock at Mr Edwards’ actions and our thoughts remain with all those affected.”

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A British paedophile sexually assaulted a toddler and filmed himself performing sex acts in front of them – which he then swapped with other paedos online.

Jonathan Walker, who sexually assaulted a young boy, both downloaded and distributed the disgusting video of babies and children being raped and abused.

According to reports the youngest victim is believed to be an infant, who was only a few months old.

The 33-year-old was apprehended by South Wales Police in a pub car park following a tip-off from the FBI in the US.

As plain-clothed officers attempted to detain Walker, the predator smashed his phone in the hope of destroying any evidence.

According to Wales Online, a judge handed the 33-year-old an extended sentence and said she had "serious concerns" about the risk he posed to children – categorising him as a dangerous offender.

Back in March of this year, Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard the force received information from UK's National Crime Agency about Walker's online activity.

Walker was identified as part of an ongoing FBI investigation into images shared on the Kik messaging app.

After his arrest, the prosecutor said Walker answered "no comment" to all questions while interviewed.

His attempts to destroy the contents of his iPhone were futile, and officers managed to uncover more than 160 indecent images and videos – 112 of which were Category A.

Category A is given to the most extreme kinds of sexual abuse – including the "violent rape" of babies in images the prosecutor described as "vile and difficult to comprehend".

Also on the phone were 178 images of extreme pornography involving bestiality.

The court heard officers also found videos Walker had filmed of himself masturbating in front of a young child. Police identified the child in the clips and it then emerged Walker had sexually assaulted the youngster on a number of occasions.

The investigation of the phone also showed Walker had been sharing images and videos with other "like-minded people" on messaging apps Kik, Telegram and Signal.

Jonathan David Walker, of Pontsticill, Merthyr, had previously pleaded guilty to multiple counts of sexual assault by touching, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, possession of indecent images, distribution of indecent images and to the possession of extreme pornography when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

He has a previous conviction for harassing a former partner – an offence for which he was previously given a community order.

Judge Catherine Richards said it was clear from the online chatlogs police had recovered that Walker's abuse and filming of his young victim had been "calculated and planned".

She said she was "seriously concerned" about the risk he posed to children and was sure an extended sentence was necessary to manage that risk.

Walker was made the subject of an extended 13-year sentence comprising seven and a half years in custody followed by a five-and-a-half-year extended licence period.

He can apply to be released 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 let out.

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

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A care worker was caught abusing a vulnerable patient after colleagues set up a hidden camera.

Former Merthyr Tydfil FC footballer Peter Jones alerted suspicion among work pals after locking himself in the elderly woman's room on a number of occasions.

So, one of the staff members hid a GoPro camera in a vase before the Jones came on shift.

Care staff were then horrified when they watched back the footage and saw him groping the woman.

South Wales Police said 63-year-old Jones carried out "the most sickening of acts".

Detective Constable Bethan Porter, who lead the investigation, said: "I am in no doubt that he chose his victim because of her vulnerability, knowing that she would not be able to speak out and report him.

"His actions have devastated and traumatised the victim’s family and also those who work at the care home who now have to deal with the effects of his crime."

Jones was arrested in June and suspended from his job while the allegations were investigated.

He later appeared at Merthyr Crown Court on Tuesday, October 13. Court officials confirmed that he pleaded guilty to four counts of committing sexual offences against a vulnerable woman.

Jones, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison. He will also have to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

The ex-semi professional footballer used to play as a full back for Merthyr Tydfil in the 1980s. He played in the non league club's biggest game - their shock 2-1 win over Italian Serie A side Atlanta in 1987.

He later became an official ambassador for Merthyr Town FC - the phoenix club formed after Merthyr Tydfil FC was liquidated.

Police said Jones previously good reputation was now in tatters.

DC Porter added: "We welcome (the court's) sentence which reflects the severity and nature of the offence and hope that it brings some closure for all those affected by Peter Jones’ actions.”