Latest Offenders Swansea

Description

A "depraved sex offender" from Swansea who targeted scores of young children online has been sent to prison.

Police discovered more than 2,000 indecent images and videos of children on devices belonging to 20-year-old Caleb Courtman, some of which he had sourced directly from child victims he had groomed.

Courtman had engaged in sexually explicit conversations with them after approaching them on social media platforms, and then bullied and blackmailed them into sending explicit images and into performing sex acts on camera.

Some of the children were as young as nine.

142 have been identified and safeguarded by South Wales Police but work is ongoing to identify all the children that Courtman contacted.

The court heard the police investigation showed that over the course of many months Courtman sent the children explicit photographs of himself and talked about them coming to his home in Swansea for sex.

He was given an extended 24-year sentence in a young offenders institution and will be a registered sex offender for life.

Dyfed Thomas, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court the offending came to light in December last year after police received information that indecent images had been uploaded to the internet via accounts linked to Courtman.

He was arrested and his phones and laptops were seized. He was released on bail.

The prosecutor said while on bail Courtman continued to offend, with his offending becoming "ever more insidious". He was arrested again in February this year.

Judge Paul Thomas KC said it was clear Courtman was a "deeply entrenched paedophile" who posed a "quite exceptionally high risk of serious harm" to young girls in the future.

Caleb Courtman, aged 20, of Davies Row, Treboeth, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to 35 offences of engaging in sexual communications with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, possession of indecent images of categories A, B, and C, distribution of an indecent image, voyeurism, and blackmail when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. Another 98 offences were taken into consideration.
Jon Tarrant, for Courtman, said there was little mitigation he could put forward other than the age of the defendant and his guilty pleas, and he said he accepted an extended sentence was inevitable in the case.

Detective Constable Natalie Revers from South Wales Police said: "This has been a shocking and disturbing investigation and I would like to thank the families and children who have supported the police investigation and commend their bravery in speaking out.

"I would also like to thank others involved in the wider investigation for their hard work and assistance over the past seven months, and for their ongoing support.

“We urge anyone who believes they may have been victim of online sexual abuse to report it to police. They will be treated with dignity and compassion by our officers and the support services with whom we work closely.”

Description

A 25-year-old former primary school teaching assistant has been sentenced to over 18 years in prison for possession of indecent images of children and the sexual assault of a child under 13.

Tommy Lee Allington was arrested at his home in Penlan, Swansea, on April 28 and pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges at his pretrial hearing in Swansea Crown Court.

Today (Friday, September 1) he was jailed for 18 years and eight months, with six years on licence, and ordered to be on the sex offenders' register for life.

Detective Constable Amanda Jenkins, who investigated, said:

“Offences of this kind will always be shocking and disturbing, particularly when that person is in a position of trust.

“This will undoubtedly be difficult news for the local community but please be assured that our teams and partners have safeguarded and supported all those involved in the investigation.

“The victim’s family has shown incredible strength and courage throughout this case.”

Detective Inspector Sharon Gill-Lewis added:

“I would like to take this opportunity to encourage anyone who believes they may have been a victim of any form of sexual abuse to report it to us.

Please be assured that we will always treat you with the utmost sensitivity and respect.”

Description

A man sexually assaulted a young woman after following her home and entering her flat. Adem Mohammed had encountered his victim on the street and began talking to her as if he knew her.

He then followed her back to the flats where she lived in Swansea and stopped her from shutting him outside by holding the external door open. The 20-year-old followed the woman to her room and there began kissing her against her will, hugging her, and grabbing her bottom. The attacker left when his victim suffered a panic attack.

Swansea Crown Court heard the young woman was shaken up by the incident and, concerned for the safety of others in the block, alerted her neighbours to what had happened via WhatsApp before contacting police. Carina Hughes, for the prosecution, said the woman did not want to make a victim impact statement for the court to consider.

Detectives launched an investigation into the incident and CCTV was recovered that showed Mohammed's interaction with the woman on the street. Other footage showed him subsequently leaving the area on his cycle. The defendant was identified and arrested, and in interview said he had been looking for girlfriend and had approached the young woman asking for her help. He claimed the woman had invited him back to her flat so he could use the internet, and said she began kissing him - kisses he said he rejected.

Adem Mohammed, of no fixed abode, had previously been convicted at trial of sexual assault when he returned to the dock for sentencing.

Hilary Roberts, for Mohammed, said his client was disappointed at the conclusions of the pre-sentence report and said it may be that some of the meaning of what he had said had been in lost in translation as the interpreter present had spoken a different dialect to the defendant. He said his client had apologised for the upset he had caused and admitted he had "made a great mistake". The barrister claimed that cultural differences between the woman and the defendant - who he said was granted refugee status in the UK in 2021 - may have played its part. Mr Roberts invited the court to find there was little planning to the incident, and it was opportunistic in nature.

Judge Catherine Richards said Mohammed had engaged the woman in conversation and had attempted to persuade her that they knew each other before following her home. She said he had then entered her accommodation despite the woman telling him he was not welcome. Mohammed was sentenced to 21 months detention in a young offenders institution - 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.

Description

A man who pretended he had post-traumatic stress disorder punched a woman to the face and sexually assaulted her in a Swansea hotel. James Davies attended the Grand Hotel with a woman on August 19, 2022, and they had consensual sex together, however the victim fell asleep, and woke to see Davies, who had taken cocaine that evening, pacing the floor in an aggressive state.

Swansea Crown Court heard how his face changed and and he began to talk in an Irish accent, something she believed was a result of his account that he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder. The court heard he told the victim how he had served in the RAF and had witnessed a friend being blown up in front of him, resulting in him suffering from PTSD, but whilst police carried out inquiries into the matter, they found that account was false.

The 36-year-old then punched the victim to the face and made threats, whilst making her perform an oral sex act on him, despite her protests for him to stop. The court was told he also urinated on her. The matter was reported to police who attended the hotel and spoke to the victim. She was taken to Morriston Hospital for treatment for her injuries - which included a swollen face, eye and jaw.

A victim impact statement was read to the court which heard as a result of her ordeal. She said: "I hope you can live with what you did to me, and always remember I am now happy and healthy with amazing support around me. I will have to live with the flashbacks but I will always be reminded of the strong courageous woman I am becoming."

Davies, of no fixed abode, appeared at Swansea Crown Court for sentencing having pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, two counts of ABH, two counts of rape, and assault by penetration.

Robin Rouch, for Davies, said: "There has been a fairly healthy period of reflection over the last year. It is going to be a healthy sentence regardless. This is his first custodial sentence and he is on a list for counselling and has asked to see a psychiatrist."

Judge Geraint Walters, sentencing Davies, described his acts as "nothing less than psychotic" and said the matter was a "terrifying incident". Davies must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, and a restraining order has been placed on him preventing contact with his victim for life. He was jailed for 11 years.

Description

A man was found in possession of more than 1,000 images of child abuse and extreme pornography. Children as young as one-year-old were depicted in the sickening images.

Mark Whitelock, 41, was visited by police at his home in Swansea on April 30 last year after they received intelligence relating to indecent images of children being downloaded. A number of electronic devices were seized including a Samsung phone.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Friday heard the phone was found to contain 311 category A images, 181 category B images and 439 category C images. A total of 239 extreme pornographic images, involving animals such as dogs and horses were also recovered.

Prosecutor Andrew Davies said the images depicted penetrative acts carried by adults on children as young as two-years-old. Search terms made by the defendant showed were indicative of his sexual interest in children and animals.

The images were found to have been downloaded between October 2020 and April 2022, but searches for indecent content dated back as far as 2001. The defendant had also used software which automatically deleted his browsing history.

Whitelock, of Heol Penfelyn, Cwmrhydyceirw, was arrested and made no reply to questions. He later pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images and one count of possessing extreme images. The court heard he had no previous convictions.

In mitigation, Tabitha Walker said her client had referred himself to the Lucy Faithfull Foundation and Stop SO, and had received counselling as well as joining Sex Addicts Anonymous. She said the defendant's offences stemmed from his addiction to pornography.

The barrister said Whitelock's "overwhelming concern is for his own children and family". She added: "He knows this is not a victimless crime and he has great shame for what he has viewed. He has depressive disorder and has made five suicide attempts.... He hates himself for what he has done."

The Recorder of Cardiff Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke sentenced Whitelock to one year and eight months imprisonment. He was made subject to sex offender notification requirements and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.

Description

Caewen Ash tried to blackmail police into dropping the charges after he was caught

A former MasterChef contestant who downloaded sickening sex abuse photos of children has been jailed. Caerwyn Ash, who was a quarter finalist in the 2016 series of the popular BBC culinary series, claimed he was innocent and that a "whole list of other people” had access to his equipment, adding that “they had access to everything in the house”.

His trial heard that after the indecent images were found, he tried to blackmail the police into dropping the charges - bizarrely threatening to reveal sexually explicit material involving South Wales Police officers to the world’s media unless proceedings against him were stopped.

He was later convicted by a jury of having 20 indecent photographs of a child and five indecent videos of a child - the latter of which were all in the highest category.

On Thursday, a sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court heard that Ash, of Kilvey Terrace, St Thomas, Swansea, was also convicted of possessing 35 videos of extreme pornography, including acts of bestiality, and 50 still photographs in the same category. The images and videos were discovered and Ash was arrested in April 2019 following a report that had been made by his former partner, which resulted in a search of Ash's then home and the seizure of various pieces of computer equipment belonging to him.

He was interviewed by police in September 2022 and denied any knowledge of the images. The court heard he was also found guilty of perverting the course of justice - a charge which related to his attempt to blackmail police.

Prosecutor James Wilson said the aggravating features of Ash's offending included the age and vulnerability of the child depicted and the fact the collection included moving images. He said while there were no sentencing guidelines for the perverting the course of justice offence, it was "obviously a serious offence", though he noted that "nothing further happened" after the defendant presented to the police documents making the threats therein.

In mitigation, former university academic Ash, who was representing himself, first apologised to the court for his lack of preparation. He claimed that all his documents were "destroyed" the previous day and he "had no time to prepare this morning". He said he had found the experience of being prosecuted "overwhelming and traumatic" and maintained, as he had done from the start, his innocence and denied any knowledge of the images. "The defendant has always stated that if he had ever seen such an image, he would have been compelled to inform the police," he told the court.

He added that he had no previous convictions and that his and others' lives had been "destroyed" following his arrest in 2019. He also said he had done work for charity - such as for mental health and homelessness - had endured two decades in a "controlling" relationship and had been diagnosed with PTSD in prison.

Sentencing the defendant, his honour judge Wayne Beard said he did not accept Ash's statement that his threats to police was "simply an attempt to get things noticed in terms of any investigation" but that he had "no doubt that your intent was to try to bring the charges that you faced to and end." The judge said the blackmail "strikes at the heart of justice", describing it as "manipulative and cynical", though acknowledged it was "unlikely to ever succeed in any way, shape or form".

As for the images, the judge said noted Ash had continued to deny any knowledge of the images and did not accept the jury's verdict, adding: "In my judgement therefore there is no prospect at this stage of any rehabilitation taking place by means of the probation service and the types of courses they involve sex offenders in."

He noted that Ash was previously of good character and took into account his charitable works and that he had had "some level of diagnosis in prison of PTSD". He sentenced the defendant to three years in prison in total. Ash was also subjected to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years, meaning, among other requirements, that he cannot live in the same household as any child under the age of 16 unless with the permission of social services, and he will also be on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

Description

A paedophile given a "significant chance" with a suspended sentence after being caught with child abuse images went on to repeat the offending, a court has heard.

When Jonathan Meadows' offender manager visited him at home during a routine visit she saw he was using a social media application under a different name - and that led to an examination of his devices which uncovered almost 100 indecent images along with prohibited images and extreme pornography.

Swansea Crown Court heard the youngest children in the images were estimated by police to be aged between six months and 12 months. Sending the defendant to prison, a judge told him that the pictures he had downloaded were of real children somewhere in the world being horribly sexually abused so people like him could masturbate over them.

Sian Cutter, prosecuting, said in April this year Meadows' offender manager conducted a monitoring visit at his house, and when she checked his phone she saw he was logged into social media and messaging app Discord under the name Julie Shepherd. The court heard that under the terms of a previously imposed sexual harm prevention order Meadows is banned from having social media accounts in any name other than his own unless he registers them with police.

The prosecutor said the discovery of the unauthorised social media name led the policewoman to seize the defendant's electronic devices. On his phone and an SD memory card officers subsequently found a total of 95 child sexual abuse images - including 17 Category A pictures and videos showing the most extreme forms of abuse including rape - along with 56 prohibited images, and five images of extreme pornography. Miss Cutter said the estimated age of the youngest child in the photographs was between six months and one year.

Jonathan Adrian Meadows, 30, of Clyne Court, Sketty Park, Sketty, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of making - that is possessing - indecent images, possession of prohibited images of children, possession of extreme pornography, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has one previous conviction for seven offences - in 2020 he was given a suspended prison sentence and made the subject of a SHPO for three counts of making indecent images, three counts of distributing indecent images, and possession of extreme pornography.

Dan Griffiths, for Meadows, said the defendant was at pains to point out to the court that there was "no sinister motive" for having the Discord account in a different name - he said his client intends to transition and Julie Shepherd is the name he wants to adopt. He said his client realised that he should have told police about the account in the name of Julie Shepherd, and he said it had to be accepted that Meadow's engagement with the 2020 court order had been "superficial".

Judge Paul Thomas KC told the defendant he had been given a "significant chance" with the imposition of the previous suspended sentence but it was clear he had learned nothing. The judge told the defendant that possession of indecent images was not a victimless crime and the photographs he downloaded showed real children somewhere in the world being horribly abused so people like him could masturbate over them.

With a discount for his guilty pleas Meadows was sentenced to 21 months in prison comprising 12 months for breaching the SHPO and nine months for the image offences charges to run consecutively. He will serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. He will be a registered sex offender for the next 10 years, and the existing SHPO was allowed to continue.

Description

A nurse at one of Wales' biggest hospitals took pictures of his penis while at work and sent them to what he thought was a 13-year-old girl, a court has heard.

Phillip Hill had spent the previous couple of days sending highly sexual and explicit messages to the contact, and had made repeated requests for intimate images of her. In reality, the 54-year-old had been chatting to a so-called paedophile hunter, and members of the vigilante group confronted him in the car park outside Morriston Hospital at the end of a shift.

A subsequent search of the anaesthetic technician's computer uncovered hundreds of images of people having sex with horses and dogs, and searches for terms including "incest", "dead" and "Down's" in pornographic websites. Sending the defendant to prison, a judge said that, while Hall had been living an outwardly respectable life with a responsible job - which included providing anaesthetic care during children's surgery - it was clear he had "extremely deviant" sexual interests.

Ashanti-Jade Walton, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that in January this year Hill engaged in highly sexual communications with a Facebook profile purporting to be that of a 13-year-old girl. She said the defendant initiated contact with the profile and "immediately" turned the conversation to sexual matters, asking the girl about masturbation, and sending her pictures of his penis. The barrister said the account the defendant was in contact with was actually being run by a vigilante paedophile hunter group.

The court heard the conversation moved to the GoogleChat app and there Hill made further repeated requests for topless and other intimate pictures of what he believed to be a young girl, and when she said she had never done anything like that he told her to "be brave" and said "just one photo then all done". He also talked about masturbation, and sent the girl videos of himself performing the act. During the conversations the defendant disclosed to the decoy that he was an anaesthetic technician in a hospital.

The court heard that on January 26 Hill sent the defendant further pictures of his penis - some of them taken while he wearing surgical scrubs and apparently in a changing room - and engaged in further sexual conversations. That evening, as he left work, the defendant was confronted in the car park of Morriston Hospital by members of a paedophile hunter group who then called the police. The court heard Hill had sent the decoy the last of the pictures of his penis just 20 minutes before he had left work.

Hill was arrested and gave a "no comment" interview before being released while police examined a number of electronic devices. On a Lenovo tablet device police found 288 images of extreme pornography showing adults having sex with horses and dogs - some with creation dates stretching back 10 years - and also uncovered his internet search history which included searches on pornographic sites for topics including "incest", "dead" and "Down's".

Phillip Hill, of Swansea Road, Pontlliw, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communications with a child, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act, and possession of extreme pornography when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has no previous convictions.

Andrew Evans, for Hill, said it was clear from the pre-sentence report that the defendant himself had been trying to answer the question that no doubt the court would be asking - why did a family man leading a seemingly normal life with an extremely responsible job and no previous convictions act in the way he did? The advocate said it may be that there were "no easy answers" to that question. Mr Evans invited the court to consider passing a sentence which would allow the probation service to work with the defendant in addressing and tackling his "perverse interests".

Judge Paul Thomas KC said the appropriate sentence after trial on the guidelines for the communications offences was one of three years in prison - with the required one-third discount for the guilty pleas that was reduced to two years. Hill was also sentenced to three months for the extreme pornography offence to run consecutively making an overall sentence of two years and three 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. Hill 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.

Speaking after the sentencing, Swansea Bay University Health Board said it had been "shocked and horrified" to learn of Hill's offending, and said it wanted to assure people that there was no evidence that the offending had related to patients

A spokesman said: "We are shocked and horrified by the nature of these appalling offences. As soon as the health board was made aware of Mr Hill’s arrest our internal HR and safeguarding processes were activated. He was immediately removed from duty and has not worked for us since.

"No prior concerns had been raised about Mr Hill, and we can give assurances that no evidence has been found indicating that his offences related to any patients."

South Wales Police welcomed the sentencing of the defendant, with detective inspector Carl Price saying his behaviour had demonstrated a clear risk to children. He said: "I welcome Phillip Hill’s sentencing today. He showed clear sexual intent towards children. His behaviour clearly demonstrates a risk to children, and it is quite right that he has been given a custodial sentence for his actions. We will continue in our commitment to bring offenders like Phillip Hill to justice."

Meanwhile, the Crown Prosecution Service Cymru said that while no actual child was at risk in Hill's offending, the case was a stark reminder of the dangers children could face online.

Description

A PAEDOPHILE was snared as he tried to meet who he thought was a 14-year-old boy in Carmarthenshire.

On March 7 of this year, Emyr Anthony initiated contact online with who he thought was a teenage boy – but was in fact a decoy account.

The decoy replied the following day and the conversation moved to WhatsApp, where the decoy told Anthony he was 14, prosecutor Alycia Carpanini told Swansea Crown Court.

Anthony replied: ‘Yeah that’s okay, as long as you’re okay with my age’. He is 59.

Ms Carpanini said the defendant told the decoy he “likes kissing, cuddling, masturbating and sucking”, and “would go slowly” with the decoy. He also asked for a “sexy photograph”.

Anthony’s messages continued in a sexual nature, talking about masturbation and telling the decoy they would “work up slowly to penetration”.

They arranged to meet that day in Cross Hands. When the defendant arrived at the meeting spot, he was arrested by police.

He answered no comment in his interview that day, but at Magistrates’ Court admitted the offences.

Anthony, of Hawthorn Avenue in Gorseinon, has two previous convictions – in 2000 and 2011 – for 35 offences.

The court heard these convictions related to having indecent images of children, and Anthony had been subject to a sexual harm prevention order, which expired in 2021.

“Clearly the mitigation in this case is limited,” David Singh, representing Anthony, admitted.

He said the author of a pre-sentence report had said Anthony was “at a loss” to explain the reason behind his offending.

“I’m not here to lecture you but it seems to me the interest you have shown sexually is an unhealthy and paedophilic interest in young boys,” Judge Huw Rees told the defendant.

Mr Singh said his client would benefit from professional intervention and support to address his offending, as he had not received that in the past.

Anthony was jailed for two years for arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, and was handed a six-month sentence, running concurrently, for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

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

A joint operation by Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit and Dyfed-Powys Police had resulted in the arrest and prosecution of Anthony.

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.

“At Tarian, we have specialist officers who work tirelessly to protect children online as well as target those perpetrators, such as Anthony.

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

“If anyone has been a victim of child sexual abuse, I urge you to report it to your local police force via 101. We will always follow up allegations of abuse, no matter when they occurred.

"Victims can talk in confidence to experienced investigators and we can also help them get access to a range of other support services.

“If you have concerns about your use of the internet or inappropriate thoughts or behaviour about children or if you are worried about how someone you know behaves around children or are worried about their use of the internet then the Lucy Faithfull Foundation provide a free, anonymous and confidential Stop It Now! helpline on 0808 1000 900 for advice, support and information.”

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Anthony Pitman, aged 51, from Pontarddulais has been sentenced today (14 April) to 21 years in prison for raping a teenage girl.

He was found guilty at Swansea Crown Court on Wednesday 12 April of 21 offences which occurred over a period of seven years from 2010 to 2017.

The offences started when the girl was just 12 years old.

Detective Constable James Llewellyn from South Wales Police said, The victim in this case was abused in the worst ways possible and Anthony Pitman exploited her for his own pleasure.

I would like to praise her for the immense bravery she has shown in reporting what happened to police."

I hope this case will demonstrate that we will always listen to and support anyone who reports matters to us and offenders will be held accountable for the crimes they commit.

This sentencing sends a clear message that child sexual exploitation will never be acceptable, and we will ensure anyone who engages in this type of behaviour will be brought to justice, as we have seen today

Description

A man who raped a woman went on to harass and stalk his victim after being released on police bail.

Harvey Blyth sent the woman a series of "vile" messages via social media and began to harass her. When police searched 20-year-old Blyth's phone they found videos of children being sexually abused, he had made "disturbing" internet searches, and had shared a private sexual video of a woman.

Swansea Crown Court heard heard Blyth has significant mental health and psychological issues which have largely gone untreated, and that a probation officer determined that he should be categorised as a dangerous offender. As the defendant was given a 10-year extended sentence he told the judge "I'm a bit upset about that. I was expecting three or four years".

Craig Jones, prosecuting, told the court that after the rape Blyth performed a sex act over his victim. The incident was reported to the police and the defendant was arrested and interviewed, and then released on conditional police bail. The prosecutor said Blyth then "embarked on a campaign of what could properly be called harassment" which included sending "vile" and abusive messages to his victim via Facebook. Blyth was arrested and interviewed about his breach of bail conditions, and then released - and went back to harassing his victim on social media.

The court heard the defendant was arrested again, and while being held in Swansea Central police station subjected an officer to racist abuse. Following this arrest a number of Blyth's phones and other devices were seized, and officers found three videos showing boys aged between 10 and 14 being sexually abused as well as a video showing a man having sex with an animal. An examination of his internet history showed the defendant had been making searches including "is rape okay" as well as "paedo rapes kids" and "naked 5 year old". Police also found that Blyth had sent had an intimate video which he had surreptitiously shot to somebody else.

In an impact statement which was read to the court the victim of the rape said the experience had left her feeling "wrecked inside". She said she now feels anxious and scared of men, and is far less sociable than she used to be. The court heard the woman whose video Blyth shared now feels "haunted" by the idea that the footage "may still be be out there". In his statement, the officer who the defendant racially abused said he had been distressed and embarrassed at what happened in front of his colleagues.

Harvey Kristian Blyth, of Beauchamp Walk, Gorseinon, Swansea, had previously been convicted at trial of rape and had pleaded guilty to disclosing a private video, stalking, making - that is possessing - indecent images of Category A, possession of extreme pornography, and racially aggravated disorder when he appeared in the dock via videolink for sentencing.

Georgina Buckley, for Blyth, said there was a letter from the defendant's parents before the court as well as psychiatric and psychological reports which set out his mental health issues. The barrister said for the first time the defendant was now receiving medication, and that Blyth's parents had seen a "remarkable change" in him as a result.

Judge Geraint Walters said the rape had taken place while Blyth was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine and after he had "partied hard". He said the defendant had then been "relentless" in trying to contact his victim despite attempts by police to reign him in. The judge said police had subsequently found evidence of the "disturbing" internet searches Blyth had been making.

Judge Walters said it was clear from everything he had read about the defendant that he had had behavioural problems from an early age which his parents had tried their best to deal with, and there was a "significant amount of work" which needed to be done with him. He described Blyth as a "young man with profound and complex needs" who seemed to have little understanding of the difference between right and wrong, and he said a detailed probation report had concluded that the defendant was a dangerous offender in the meaning of the legislation who would continue to be so until he was appropriately treated.

Blyth was made the subject of a 10-year extended sentence comprising seven years in custody followed by a three year extended licence. 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. Blyth will be a registered sex offender for the result of his life.

As the sentence was passed Blyth said to the judge: "I'm a bit upset about that. I was expecting three or four years."

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Jordan Hill "groomed" a young girl on Facebook and sent her highly sexualised messages and videos later claimed his account had been hacked, a court has heard.

Jordan Hill was caught after a family member of the victim found concerning messages on a phone she had been using, and alerted the child's mother. The defendant's barrister said his client was ashamed of what he had done.

Helen Randall, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that Hill communicated with his victim - who was aged 13 at the time of the offending - via Facebook. The defendant complimented the girl and told her she was beautiful, and asked her if she wanted to tease him by "talking dirty".

The court heard that during a series of conversations Hill talked about anal and oral sex with the child, asked if she had a friend who could join a threesome, sent explicit videos of himself, and requested she masturbate. There was also evidence the girl had sent Hill videos or pictures of herself but these have not been recovered and their content is not known.

The prosecutor said the offending came to light when the girl stayed with a family member and asked to borrow a phone so she could check social media as she had left her mobile at home. At the end of the stay the family member noticed the guest had not logged out of her accounts on the phone, and when the device was checked some of the messages and videos the defendant had been sending were discovered. The quick-thinking family member took screenshots of the offending material before alerting the girl's mother.

Hill was identified and arrested, and during his interview he denied sending the messages and said his Facebook page must have been hacked. An expert report was subsequently commissioned to see if there was any evidence that Hill's account had been accessed by third parties or whether any viruses or malware could have been responsible for sending the messages - the report found no evidence to support his claims.

Jordan Hill, aged 22, of Tyle Teg, Clydach, Swansea Valley, had previously pleaded guilty to sexual communication with a child and to inciting a child to engage in sexual acts when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has no previous convictions.

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Paedophile pensioner David Jenkins claims his interest in children 'comes from a place of kindness'

A child sex offender has been given an extended sentence as a dangerous offender after a court ruled he posed a significant risk to youngsters. Concerns had been raised by members of the public about pensioner David Jenkins loitering in a leisure centre changing room, giving sweets to children, and setting up a computer gaming room in his house before he went on to sexually assault a young boy.

The 70-year-old denies he has any sexual interest in children and insists his behaviour towards them "comes from a place of kindness" but a probation officer has concluded he is a "predatory" sex offender. Swansea Crown Court heard that last summer year a boy returned home after meeting friends in a park and told his mother he had been engaged in sexual conversation by a man, had a penis shown to him, and been hugged. The police were alerted to the incident and Jenkins was identified and arrested.

Georgina Donohue, prosecuting, said in his subsequent interview 70-year-old Jenkins accepted he had talked about "erections and masturbation" with a young boy but denied getting any sexual gratification from it. Jenkins has a previous conviction for sexually assaulting a child in the 1980s.

The court heard that though it had not resulted in any charges concerns had previously been raised by local parents while Jenkins was living in Morriston. Police had been told that the defendant was giving sweets to children and engaging them in conversations and it was later found he had installed a large TV and a computer games console in a room in his house with the apparent intention of encouraging youngsters to visit. Concerns had also been raised about the defendant loitering around the showers and changing rooms of a Swansea leisure centre. The court heard police had been considering applying for a stand lone sexual harm prevention order against Jenkins to help control his behaviour when he went on to sexually assault the young boy.

David Jenkins, now of Neath Road, Rhos, Pontardawe, admitted engaging in sexual communications with a child under 13 and to sexual assault of a child. The court heard that in 2010 he was jailed for 42 for five counts of sexually assaulting a girl in the 1980s.

Andrew Evans, for Jenkins, said the defendant accepted his behaviour had been "completely inappropriate and wrong". He said given the contents of the pre-sentence report into his client it would be difficult to argue for any sentence other than one of immediate custody and he said it was to be hoped the defendant would spend his time in prison "fruitfully" by reflecting in his conduct.

Judge Christopher Vosper KC said he had carefully read the pre-sentence report, which had been written by a very experienced probation officer. He said the report concluded Jenkins was a "predatory and calculated sexual offender". He noted the report said the defendant denied having any sexual interest in children and claims his behaviour towards youngsters "comes from a place of kindness" but the probation officer had concluded he poses a high risk to children.

The judge said he was satisfied an extended sentence was necessary to protect the public but he said the sentence he was about to pass was an unusual one as, given the relevant sentences for the offences before the court, the extended element would be significantly longer than the custodial term. Jenkins was given an extended sentence of six years and eight months comprising one year and eight months in custody followed by an extended five-year licence period. The defendant must serve two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence before he can apply for release but it will be for the Parole Board to decide if he is safe to be released. Jenkins will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life and was made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

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A child sex offender hid his past to go on a caravanning holiday with a friend and her young son, a court has heard.

Jonathan Harris was also a regular visitor to the family's home, including on occasions sleeping there overnight. However, the 27-year-old is banned from having unsupervised contact with boys under 16 unless the child's parents know about his past conviction for causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Swansea Crown Court that Harris' concealing of his past was the second beach of a sexual harm prevention order in less than two years - on the first occasion he had secretly installed WhatsApp on his phone and had been visiting online chat rooms with names such as "teen chat" and "squirt". 

Ieuan Rees, prosecuting, said Harris befriend a woman he met in Swansea Market, and though the relationship was initially sexual it later became platonic in nature. He said the defendant was a "regular" visitor to the house where the woman lived with her child, on occasions spending the night at the address. Then in September Harris went with the woman and her child to a caravan park for a three-night break.

The court heard it was only in October that Harris told the woman about his previous conviction for child sexual offences, and about the restrictions he was under as a result. The mum reported the matter to police and the defendant was arrested at his place of work in Swansea Docks. He subsequently made full admissions in interview.

Jonathan Harris, formerly of Sageston, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, but now of The Kingsway in Swansea city centre, had previously pleaded guilty to breaching the conditions of a sexual harm prevention order when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

In 2019 Harris was sentenced to 27 months in prison for causing a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity and causing a child under 16 to watch a sexual act, and he was placed on the sex offenders register and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to control his access to young boys. Just days after getting out of prison on licence for those matters he breached the SHPO by joining dating websites including Match and Elite Singles, making online searches using terms such as "teen porn", visiting online chat rooms with names including "teen chat" and "squirt", and installing the WhatsApp messaging application. In October 2020 he was jailed for what the judge described as that "flagrant breach" the order.

David Rees, for Harris, said the defendant moved to Swansea to make a fresh start after "effectively being hounded out" of Sageston by vigilantes, securing his own accommodation in the city and then finding a job. He said his client retained the support of his family, and also acknowledged the omissions which had led him to being in dock.

Judge Paul Thomas KC told Harris he had committed a "persistent and blatant" breach of SHPO, not only by being a regular visitor to the woman's house but also going on holiday with her and her young son. The judge said he accepted the defendant had eventually told the woman about his past conviction but he said it was clear Harris had not learned his lesson following his jailing for the first breach. With a one third discount for his guilty plea, Harris was sentenced to 10 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.

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Keith Bold was using Russian websites were users share photos of child sex abuse.

A "committed paedophile" engaged in vile online conversations about child rape and sent indecent images to an undercover police officer, a court has heard.

Keith Bold - who also uses the name Stuart Jones - met what he believed was a fellow paedophile on a Russian website where users upload and share images of child sex abuse. Bold was using the name Stefan Vilchek during the exchanges but the officer suspected it was in fact the defendant, a registered sex offender with a long history of online sexual offences involving children. Part of that offending saw the 59-year-old making numerous trips to Ukraine.

Megan Jones, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that in September this year Bold began communicating with another user of a Russia-based website, a website where people could share the "sexualised images of children". Bold, calling himself Stefan Vilchek, then began emailing his contact, and during their conversations he talked about how he had raped and abused children both in the UK and abroad. 

The defendant then sent the other man images of girls as young as four being sexually abused, and also discussed sharing information on an app with end-to-end encryption. Miss Jones said the man Bold was communicating with was actually an undercover police officer, and the officer suspected Vilchek was actually Swansea sex offender Bold.

Police executed a search warrant at the defendant's house on the evening of September 30, and when cautioned and told why he was being arrested replied: "Oh really". Officers seized a number of devices including laptops, memory sticks, a phone, and a computer hard drive. In his subsequent interview Bold said the online discussions about his sexual activity with children had been "fantasies" but he admitted he was sexually attracted to children aged between six and 10 and admitted using Mega because of its encryption facilities. Read about a paedophile who took photographs of himself sexually abusing a baby.

Keith Bold, formerly of Pen-y-Dre, Gowerton, but now of Griffith John Street, Waun Wen, Swansea, had previous pleaded guilty to distributing indecent images of children of Categories B and C and to breaching the terms of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) by using a false name online when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has three previous convictions for 29 offences, all relating to online child sex matters.

In December 2010 Jones was jailed for distributing indecent images of children, and the following year convicted of encouraging the commission of indictable offences - chatlogs recovered from computers seized during the 2010 investigation showed he had been inciting other men to commit the sexual abuse of young children. In 2017 Bold was sentenced to a total of 27-months in prison for offences including possession of indecent images of Categories A - showing the most extreme kinds of sexual abuse and rape - B and C. It also emerged he had visiting Russian websites known to host underage child pictures, had been searching for “flat-chested sex dolls”, had been reading pornographic fiction involving children, and had made repeated trips to Ukraine "in furtherance" of his interest in obtaining images of children.

Rhiannon Lee, for Bold, said the defendant's sexual attraction to young children stemmed from his own traumatic childhood experiences. She said the defendant suffered with depression and had previously been medicated for the condition but that medication had caused episodes of bipolar mania which caused him to go on spending sprees and which results in considerable debts. She said as Bold's debts increased his mental health deteriorated and he turned to the offending before the court "to make himself feel better".

Judge Paul Thomas KC described Bold as a "committed paedophile" who had breached the term of his sexual harm prevention order in a "sophisticated, calculated, brazen and persistent" way. He told the defendant that the children in the images he had shared were real youngsters somewhere in the world being "unspeakably abused" to give people like him sexual thrills.

With a one-third discount for his guilty pleas Bold was sentenced to a total of two years and eight 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.