Latest Offenders Port Talbot

Description

A man sexually groomed a young girl and made her watch a homemade pornographic film of himself, a court has heard. Robert Johnson also sexually abused the child then told her not to tell anyone about what he had done.

The 45-year-old from Port Talbot denied the offences saying the allegations against him were made up but he was convicted at trial at Swansea Crown Court. In a statement read to the court the victim described the devastating emotional and psychological impact of the abuse. Police have praised the bravery of the female in coming forward.

Robert Johnson, aged 45, Fairways, Sandfields, Port Talbot, had previously been convicted by a jury of multiple child sex offences including sexual activity by penetration, causing or inciting a child to watch sexual activity, and inciting sexual activity with a child when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. The defendant was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order. Johnson will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Description

A man from Neath Port Talbot has been jailed after he was found guilty of multiple child sex offences.

32-year-old Craig Botterill, from Baglan, was found guilty of sexual assault, sexual assault by penetration and rape of a child.

Botterill has been sentenced to 10 years in prison at Swansea Crown Court this week. He will be on the sex offenders register for life.

Description

A paedophile tricked a 13-year-old girl into getting into his car before driving her to a hospital car park and raping her. After the horrifying attack he laughed at her and said: "I bet you won't meet up with anyone else anytime soon".

Rhodri Llyr Griffiths, 28, raped and sexually assaulted his young victim after driving her to Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, last year. The attack left the victim traumatised and she attempted to take her own life just months afterwards.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard the victim was contacted on Snapchat by an account in the name of 'James Davies' while she was at home alone. She did not know the person but accepted the friend request. Upon doing so she received sexualised messages with the person offering her up to £750 to perform oral sex on her, which she refused.

The man behind the account asked her to send a picture of herself. She did so and told him she was 13 years old. When she asked the man: "How do I know you're not a serial killer?" he sent a video of a man which he purported was himself. He asked the victim if she wanted anything and she told him she wanted a bottle of vodka to take to a party.

Prosecutor Owen Williams said the victim arranged to meet up with the man that night after he attended an Asda store to purchase the vodka and she gave him her address. Upon arriving at a grassy area near her home the man sent a photo of his car to the victim who came out in her pyjamas to meet him.

She got into the passenger-side door of his car and seconds later realised the man in the driver's seat was not the man she had seen in the video but the defendant. She was confused at first and asked if she had got into the wrong car but Griffiths responded: "It's fine, it's fine". She told him to stop the car and let her out but he responded by passing her the vodka bottle and said: "Have this". The car doors were locked and when asked by the victim where they were going he said: "We're going for a drive."

Upon arriving at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr Griffiths parked up and told the victim to get into the back seat. She didn't want to but feared the defendant would kill her if she didn't. As he got into the back seat Griffths was smiling and began using his tongue to kiss the victim who tried to resist but she became frozen with fear. He then told her to turn around on her knees and he sexually assaulted her with his fingers causing her pain and discomfort.

The victim began to cry and Griffiths moved her onto her back before performing oral sex upon her. He then undid his trousers and put a condom on. The victim told him: "No" and tried to turn around but he screamed at her to turn back. He then raped her as she repeatedly told him to stop and get off her. He also touched her breasts with his hands and mouth. Once he had finished he got into the driver's seat and drove off leaving the victim on the back seat.

As he drove her back to her house Griffiths laughed and said: "I bet you won't meet up with anyone else anytime soon." He dropped her off outside her home and passed her the bottle of vodka. The victim ran into her home, deleted the James Davies account from Snapchat, and spoke to her friend about what had happened. Days later she broke down in tears and told her mother what had happened.

The police were called and Griffiths, of Highland Gardens, Neath Abbey, Neath  Port Talbot, was arrested the next day. In his interview the defendant claimed the sexual contact between him and the victim was consensual and denied having sexual intercourse with her. The defendant later pleaded guilty to rape, assault by penetration, sexual assault, and sexual communication with a child. The court heard he was of previous good character.

In a victim personal statement the victim's mother said: "It's a parent's worst nightmare. Lying in bed that night feeling sick to my stomach hoping what she had told me was not true. It was like my brain couldn't process that happening. How can someone do something so awful and how could it happen to my daughter? Our whole lives have changed and I'm heartbroken for my daughter. I feel massive guilt I didn't protect her or keep her safe. The thought of her going through that and I wasn't there to help her eats away at me every day."

The victim's mother said the effect on her daughter has been "horrific" with her scrubbing her skin red raw in the shower and refusing to eat or drink. She said she was no longer able to work as her daughter felt unable to attend school and her daughter had taken an overdose months after the incident in an attempt to take her own life.

The mother added: "I keep wishing it happened to me so I could take her pain away... I keep thinking: 'What if she does something one day to end her life like she's been suggesting and I'm not there to stop her?' Her mental health has been awful and she's asked when she's going to feel her normal self again and can't take the pain she feels every day. I'm constantly worried about her and what she's going to do.

"I've had an emotional breakdown myself constantly worrying and watching over her and to make sure she doesn't succeed in her plan. No mother should have on their mind their child wants to die and the thought of what would happen if she did succeed. My life would be over as well as hers."

In her statement the victim said: "I feel like my life and childhood has been destroyed. I have never hated my body as much as I do now. I have spent hours in the shower scrubbing my skin until it's red raw. When I look in the mirror or close my eyes I see him laughing.... All I want to do is sleep the day away. I will never feel happy again. Even school is too much for me...

"I can't look at another male without feeling uncomfortable, I will never trust another male again. When I see a man with glasses or a red car I panic. I don't feel safe leaving home. I wake up with gut-wrenching fear and terror. All I can think is: 'Why did I wake up? Why can't this all be a dream? Why did this happen to me?' No matter how much counselling and therapy I'll have when I am ready I'll never be the same girl again....

"I thought it would have been easier if he killed me as I wouldn't have to live every day and feel this way. I feel crippled with guilt.... He's ruined my life. My life has changed completely. I don't want to do anything anymore. I want to stay in my bedroom by myself. Life will always be a constant battle but I pray I will find some peace in my head and feel myself again but I know it will take a long time."

In mitigation Nigel Fryer said his client was remorseful for his behaviour but this was rejected by Judge Daniel Williams. He referred to the defendant's guilty pleas and of his previous good character.

Sentencing, Judge Williams said: "You were clearly enjoying what you were putting her through... I don't accept for a moment you have any regret or remorse for what you did. You have a mild form of autism but that doesn't impact your culpability with what you did. You said you had never had any sexual experience until your now-pregnant partner with whom you formed a relationship and you felt as though you'd missed out.

"You pose a high risk of serious harm to female children in the form of sexual violence... You planned this and intended to use alcohol to facilitate the offence. You have caused severe psychological harm in a prolonged incident."

Griffiths was sentenced to 10 years and six months imprisonment with an extended licence period of five years. He will serve two-thirds of the custodial sentence before he will be considered for parole. He was made subject to sex offender notification requirements indefinitely and to a sexual harm prevention order and restraining order for 15 years.

Following the hearing Gwent Police detective constable Georgia Dunne, the officer in the case, said: “We’d like to thank the victim and witnesses for coming forward and reporting the incident to the police. They have shown tremendous bravery and resilience throughout the investigation and the subsequent court process. Rhodri Griffiths is a dangerous man, and we welcome the sentence provided by the courts and hope that he uses this time to reflect on his actions.”

Detective chief inspector Matthew Sedgebeer, the senior investigating officer, said: “The behaviour displayed by Rhodri Griffiths suggests that there could be more victims who may not have come forward. We hope this outcome shows anyone who is a victim of sexual assault that they will be listened to, believed, and respected. We take all allegations very seriously and if a report is made to us we investigate it thoroughly. We want to reassure anyone considering doing so that there is a whole range of support out there not only from Gwent Police but from partner agencies who can help you through the entire process.”

Description

Ryan Ceri Whitefoot, aged 25 from Baglan, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to a series of sexual offences against a child.

He has been placed on the sex offenders register for life and will have a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SOPO) placed on him for life.

Detective Inspector Sharon Gill-Lewis said:

"I welcome the significant custodial sentence handed to Ryan Whitefoot.

“His behaviour towards his young victim, who was only 13 years old when the abuse started, has been disgraceful. I would like to pay tribute to the victim, as they have shown incredible strength and courage throughout this case. We are robust in our stance against sexual offences, and this conviction sends a clear message that we will bring to justice those who sexually abuse and exploit children.

"South Wales Police remains committed to tackling all forms of Violence Against Women and Girls. We have specially trained officers who are assigned to each case, and we work alongside partner agencies to support those affected by this type of abuse.

“I would encourage anyone to report abuse in any form. All reports will be thoroughly investigated.”

Description

A man gave a schoolgirl lager before having sex with her, a court has heard. David Morgan denies having a sexual interest in children but sending him to prison a judge told him there was a word for people like him and that word was "paedophile".

After abusing the child the 35-year-old defendant went on engage in a controlling relationship with a woman in which he cut her off from her friends, repeatedly accused her of infidelity, and forced her to abandon the business she had set up.

Swansea Crown Court heard the sexual offending happened in 2019 and saw the defendant having sex with a child on multiple occasions. On one occasion he gave the girl a can of Stella lager to drink before abusing her and on another occasion, after he had had unprotected sex with her, told his victim she didn't need to worry about getting pregnant as he was infertile due to his drug use. Helen Randall, prosecuting, said the mother of the girl reported that the offending had led to a deterioration in her daughter's her mental health. The court heard Morgan went on to engage in controlling behaviour with a partner during which he cut her off from family and friends, repeatedly accused her of cheating on him, made her delete her email account, and effectively forced her to give up the small business she ran.

David Morgan, of Brynglas Avenue, Cwmavon, Afan Valley, had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child and to engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has six previous convictions for 10 offences including assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Robin Rouch, for Morgan, said the sexual offending had occurred over a fairly limited period and there had been no similar offending before or after. He said the defendant was willing to engage with any courses that were available to him.

Judge Paul Thomas KC said the defendant had, on at least one occasion, given a child alcohol before having sex with her. He it was disturbing to read in the pre-sentence report that Morgan claimed to have no sexual interest in children and told him: "There is a word for people like you Mr Morgan – that is 'paedophile'. The quicker you come to terms with that fact the better for you and for everyone you come into contact with." With a one-quarter discount for his guilty pleas Morgan was sentenced to five years and seven months in prison comprising five years and three months for the sexual offending and four months for the coercive control to run consecutively. He will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Description

A teacher groomed a child and started a sexual relationship with her, a court has heard. Edward Curtis, was charged with sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust, and appeared at Swansea Crown Court on Monday, July 3, 2023.

He was charged with seven counts of the offence, all of which he pleaded not guilty to. He was convicted by a jury on June 12, 2023 of three counts upon one victim. He was found not guilty in regards to four counts relating to another girl. Both children have the right to lifelong anonymity.

Regarding the counts he was convicted on, the court heard how 30-year-old Curtis built a "one to one" relationship with the victim before committing the offences. A statement from the victim detailed the stress and worry caused to her by his actions and the court case, and her "overriding concern that if he could do that to me, he could do that to someone else."

His defence barrister Nicola Powell disputed the degree to which the offences were planned and constituted "grooming," and in mitigation said: "This is a man who has not only lost his job, he has lost his whole career and his reputation," noting that he "has to accept this."

Miss Powell continued, saying he was "needed at home" to care for his mother after his father died in an accident, and quoted his mother who said he was a "thoughtful," and her "rock."

Curtis, of Darwin Road, Port Talbot, had no previous convictions. Judge Catherine Richards sentenced Curtis to one year in prison. He will also be put on the sex offender register for 10 years and will have to obey a restraining order in relation to the victim for three years.

Description

A man shared images of children being sexually abused with "like minded people" during the Covid lockdowns. Leigh Davies also engaged in sexual conversations about children with contacts on the Kik messenger app. Swansea Crown Court heard that some of the indecent images which the 66-year-old defendant collected showed young girls who were clearly "in pain and distress".

Craig Jones, prosecuting, said on November 24, 2021, police officers executed a search warrant at the defendant's home address in Port Talbot in relation to an investigation into the possession and distribution of indecent images. The court heard a significant number of electronic devices were seized, and Davies said to the officers: "I'm on Kik and Snapchat and get sent all sorts of stuff".

The prosecutor said a forensic examination of the devices found 244 indecent images on an iPhone, including 166 of Category A showing the most extreme kind of sexual abuse. A number of the Category A images showed young females who were clearly "in pain and distress". Officers also found Davies had shared 20 images with people on the Kik messenger application and engaged in sexual conversations with contacts, while an examination of his internet history showed he had been making searches using the term "young boys". The court heard the ages of the children shown in the child abuse photographs ranged from around three to early teens. More than 220 images of extreme pornography were also found.

Mr Jones said it should be noted that a total of 1,214 illegal media files related to the Kik application were not visible during a manual examination of the iPhone, indicating that either the individual images or entire chat threads had been deleted.

Leigh Davies, of Fenbrook Close, Baglan, Port Talbot, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of indecent images of Categories A, B, and C, distributing indecent images of Categories A, B, and C, and possession of extreme pornography when he appeared in the dock for for sentencing. He has no previous convictions.

Giles Hayes, for Davies, said though the defendant had been married for a long time he was "emotionally separate" from his wife, and he said his "coping mechanism" had been viewing pornography which had "foolishly" developed into looking at images which were unlawful. The advocate said Davies had always been a hard-working family man, and the offending took place during the Covid lockdown when his client was concerned about his job. He added that there was a reference before the court from the church which the defendant had attended for "many, many years", though he said that since his arrest his client had withdrawn from attending the place of worship.

Judge Catherine Richards said the defendant's offending lasted for a period of some 16 months and included distributing images of child sexual abuse as well as engaging in sexual conversations with "like minded people". With a one-third discount for his guilty pleas Davies was sentenced to 26 months in prison - he will serve up to half 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 to manage his access to the internet for the same length of time.

Description

A convicted sex offender disguised his car with fake number plates before going out and masturbating in front of a jogger on a busy main road, a court has heard. Darryl Price opened the door of the parked car and pleasured himself as the lone female passed by on the pavement before getting out of the vehicle and following her. He then jumped back into the car and sped off, and became involved in a high-speed chase with police as he tried to get away.

Swansea Crown Court heard Price has a previous conviction for exposure in similar circumstances when he masturbated in front of a group of teenager girls from a van. Dean Pulling, prosecuting, said on the evening of March 18 this year a female jogger on Margam Road in Port Talbot saw a black Ford Fiesta parked at the side of the road a little way in the distance - the car was facing her, and the passenger door was open

As the jogger approached the vehicle she saw a "smirking" man sat in the passenger seat with his trousers pulled down and his penis in his hand. The court heard Price gestured towards his penis and told her to "put your hand on this" - the woman responded by telling him to f*** ***. The woman continued on her way but Price got out of the Fiesta and began to follow her before turning around, getting back into the car, and speeding off - almost colliding with a passing car as he did so. The incident was reported to police, and the woman was able to give a partial number plate.

The court heard that a short time later an officer on vehicle patrol in Port Talbot spotted a car matching the description of the suspected Ford, and signalled for it to stop. Price responded by speeding away, and the officer gave chase. The prosecutor said the defendant raced through the town at speeds touching 80mph, overtaking numerous cars as he did so and at one point speeding over a zebra crossing on the wrong side of the road. The officer ended the pursuit as Price sped along the A48 dual carriageway towards the M4 junction.

The court heard the PC had been able to note the full number plate of the fleeing car, and checks showed the registration number displayed on the Fiesta actually belonged to a Peugeot registered to a woman living in Bridgend. Officers then set about checking the details of local sex offenders, and the offender manager in charge of Price said the defendant had mentioned to him in passing a few months earlier that he had access to cloned plates.

The Fiesta was subsequently found outside a garage in Cefn Cribwr, and when officers searched it they found a receipt for a McDonald's meal which had been purchased shortly before the Margam exposure - when CCTV from the burger joint's drive-thru was checked it showed Price at the wheel of the car. The fake number plates were found a few days later on farmland near South Cornelly, and tests found the defendant's fingerprints on them. The prosecutor said an examination of automatic number plate recognition cameras from around Port Talbot showed the Fiesta - which actually belonged to Price's mother - was displaying its correct plates shortly before the offence, and it was reasonable to assume Price had fitted the plates that evening in order to carry out the offence and avoid detection.

The court heard Price was arrested on March 25 after police spotted him walking through Pyle - he ran away from the officers through nearby gardens but was chased and caught. Darryl Ashley Price, 29, of no fixed abode, had previously pleaded guilty to exposure, dangerous driving, and fraudulent use of a car registration mark when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

He has previous convictions including for inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent - for which he was sentenced to six years in prison in 2017 - drug-driving, and drugs and weapons offences. In 2018 he was sentenced to 28 weeks in prison for exposure after he had masturbated in front of a group of teenage girls from the driver's seat of a van in Port Talbot, and had asked them if they "wanted any". He was out of prison on licence for the GBH at the time of the Margam offence, and has since been recalled to prison to serve the rest of that sentence.

Rhodri Chudleigh, for Price, said the defendant had been living with his mother at the time of the incident, and had been using her car. He said his client had three children with three different partners, and was a plasterer by trade. He said Price recognised that his daily use of cannabis was a contributory factor in his offending, and said while in prison he had completed a number of courses including one on thinking skills

Judge Huw Rees described what happened on Margam Road as a "disgraceful incident" which had caused distress to the woman, and he told Price that in doing what he had done he had demeaned his victim and demeaned himself. With a one third discount for his guilty plea to exposure the defendant was sentenced to six months in prison and with a one quarter discount for the plea to the dangerous driving offence to nine months in prison to run consecutively.

He was also sentenced to six months for the number plate offence to run concurrently with the other matters making an overall sentence of 15 months in prison. Price will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. The defendant was also banned from driving for a total of 31 months. Price will be on the sex offenders register for the next seven years.

Description

A paedophile subjected a young boy to years of sickening sexual abuse. The victim suffered in silence for more than two decades until he heard that his abuser had been convicted of online child sex offences, and he decided to go to the police to report what had happened to him as a youngster.

Gary Fisher has now been handed a 20-year extended sentence as a dangerous offender for the abuse his carried out on his young victim in the 1990s, abuse which the victim said had stolen his innocence.

Matthew Cobbe, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that Fisher carried out a campaign of sexual offending on his victim which began when the boy was aged under 10, and which continued for years. The offending included the attempted rape of the child. The court heard the boy would cry and say "no" while being abused but the defendant continued anyway, often placing a piece of material over the child's head during the attacks.

The prosecutor said the offending went unreported until earlier this year when the victim learned that Fisher had been convicted of attempted sexual communication with a child, an offence which had seen the 62-year-old asking what he believed to be a 12-year-old boy he met online for pictures of his penis. The boy was actually a decoy account being run by the the police. The court heard Fisher has already been given a suspended sentence for the communication offence.

In an impact statement, which was read to court, the victim said the years of abuse had destroyed his life. He said he had lived with the secret of what had happened for 20 years, shutting out the world around him and battling to keep the demons at bay. He said he had not sought counselling because he did not want to relive the memories of the abuse, and he said it was impossible to know what kind of person he would have been had the defendant not done what he did to him.

Gary Fisher, whose address in court was given as the Twelve Knights pub and hotel in Margam, Port Talbot, had previously pleaded guilty to 11 counts of indecent assault of a child, attempted buggery of a child and attempted rape of a child when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. Stewart John, for Fisher, said the defendant had indicated his willingness to seek help while serving the inevitable lengthy custodial sentence he was facing.

Judge Geraint Walters told Fisher that effects of abuse on the scale he subjected his victim to lasted a lifetime, and said his victim "Will take those memories with him to his last breath". The judge said he could not better the three words the victim had used in his statement to the court of "stole my innocence" to describe what happened.

The judge said as a matter of law he could not exceed the maximum sentence which would have been applicable for the offences at the time they were committed, even if the modern equivalent of those offences carried a greater maximum. He said the conviction from earlier this year showed that more than 20 years after the sexual abuse of his victim, Fisher was still seeking to engage with children in sexual way - he said in those circumstances he could come to no other conclusion than that the defendant posed a risk of causing serious harm by the commission of further specified offending.

With a one-quarter discount for his guilty pleas, Fisher was sentenced to a 20-year extended sentence as a dangerous offender comprising 15 years in custody following by an extended five-year licence period. The defendant can apply for release after serving two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence but it will be up to the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be released.

Description

The abuse has left the girl suffering with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

A paedophile manipulated and threatened a young girl who he was subjecting to sex acts. Scott Banks abused the child over a prolonged period before claiming that he loved her.

Swansea Crown Court heard the offending has had a significant impact on the child, leaving her suffering with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, and leading her to struggle at school as well as to self-harm.

Helen Randall, prosecuting, said that after meeting the child, Banks acquired her mobile phone number and began communicating with her. He then started asking the girl - who he knew was under 16 - for sex, requests the youngster "did not think she could say no to" as she did not want to make him angry.

The barrister said the sex acts went on for a prolonged period and when, on occasions, the girl would refuse to do what the defendant wanted he would threaten to smash her possessions and tell people what was going on. The prosecutor said the girl would later describe how she was felt "disgusted" at what Banks was doing.

In a statement which was read to the court by the prosecutor, the girl said the offending had left her suffering with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. She said her experiences at the hands of Banks had changed her as a person, had impacted her education, and caused her to self-harm.

Scott Banks, aged 25, of Southville Road, Sandfields, Port Talbot, had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has two previous convictions for four offences including criminal damage and assaults by beating.

Nicola Powell, for Banks, said it was clear from reports into the defendant that he was "immature" and that there were "concerns about his cognitive abilities". She told the court it was perhaps a sign of his "immaturity" that he had said he was in love with the girl. The barrister said the defendant had witnessed domestic violence as a child, experiences which had had a "marked effect" on him.

Judge Geraint Walters told Banks he appeared to be a "somewhat manipulative, maybe domineering" individual who effectively threatened the girl "if she did not yield to your demands". With a 20 per cent discount for his guilty pleas Banks was sentenced to four years in prison. He will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. The defendant will be on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life, and was made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order to control his access to girls.

As a victim of a sexual offence, Banks' victim has life-long legal anonymity.

Description

A man has been jailed for a series of sickening sex attacks he carried out on a boy in the 1980s.

Neil Thomas was himself just a teenager when he subjected a victim half his age to repeated abuse after grooming him with pornographic magazines and the offer of playing computer games.

Swansea Crown Court heard the 45-year-old has had "zero consensual sexual experiences" in his life, a situation which had led him to become addicted to ever more extreme pornography.

John Hipkin QC, prosecuting, said the offending took place in the late 1980s.

He said Thomas, who was around 15 at the time, showed his young victim pornographic magazines, and offered him the chance to play computer games before going on perform a series of sex acts on the boy, as well as getting the boy to perform sex acts on him.

The barrister said as the victim - who was half Thomas' age - grew up, he came to realise what had happened to him but it wasn't until 2017 that he confided in his partner.

The police were subsequently told, and in 2018 officers executed a search warrant at the defendant's home - in his bedroom they uncovered "a large amount of pornographic material" while on a computer they found more than 130 indecent images and movies featuring children, as well as images showing women "being physically assaulted for the purposes of sex".

The court heard police also found the computer had been used to search online for indecent images of youngsters using terms such as "toddler incest".

Mr Hipkin read details of an impact statement from Thomas' victim in which he said his life had "gone off the rails" after the abuse, and he had been left battling the "demons". He said he felt Thomas had stolen his childhood, and the abuse had impacted every aspect of his life.

Thomas, of Greenfield Avenue, Taibach, Port Talbot, had previously pleaded guilty to six counts of indecent assault and gross indecency with a child, and to five counts of possessing indecent images and extreme pornography when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

James Hartson, for Thomas, said there was only limited mitigation he could put forward on the defendant's behalf but that his guilty pleas - albeit ones entered on the first day of his trial - had spared his victim from being publicly cross-examined.

He said there had been an "element of opportunism as well as grooming" in the offending, and Thomas was deeply ashamed of what he had done.

The barrister said though not an excuse for his behaviour, as a teenager the defendant had "left out" while his school friends had been talking about sexual experiences as he is "a man with zero consensual sexual experiences - and that applies to this day as a 45-year-old".

He said Thomas had been "somewhat depressed and repressed" through his life, and had developed a "compulsive addiction" to pornography, something which had led him to seek out ever-more extreme material.

Judge Keith Thomas said it was not an easy case to sentence because of the age of the defendant at the material time, and also different charges and sentences which were in place in the 1980s.

For the assault charges the defendant as sentenced to four-and-a-half years prison, and for the indecent images charges to eight months - the sentences will run consecutively making an overall sentence of five years and two months. Thomas will serve up to a half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

The defendant was made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order to control his internet use and contact with children, and will be a registered sex offender for the same length of time.