Latest Offenders Swansea

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Sex offender who is banned from all multi-storey car parks jailed for breaching court order

A sex offender who is banned from going into any multi-storey car park has been jailed after being seen entering one with a can of petrol, a court has heard.

Jonathan Michael Jones has a lifelong ban from entering any covered car park after sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy who was waiting for his mum in one.

When a witness who knew the defendant saw him walking into a Swansea city centre multi-storey he called the police saying he thought Jones was going to sniff the petrol he was carrying in a container.

Swansea Crown Court heard that in 2005 Jones was jailed for 42 months and made the subject of an indefinite sexual offences protection order after he abused a young boy.

Helen Randall, prosecuting, said on that occasion the defendant had approached a 12-year-old boy who was waiting for his mother in a multi-storey car park and pushed him into a lift where he put his hands down the youngster's trousers and kissed him.

As well as being sent to prison Jones was made the subject of a sexual offences protection order with a number of conditions including one prohibiting him entering any covered car park and one banning him from seeking contact with or associating with males under the age of 18.

The court heard Jones came to the attention of police in May 2019 following allegations he had sexually assaulted a teenager. No action was ultimately taken but Jones admitted he had been in the company of a 17-year-old boy and a number of other men at his home address on the day in question and they had all been drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis.

The 36-year-old came to the attention of police in Swansea again on November 24 of the same year when a man who knew him saw him entering the multi-storey car park that links The Strand and High Street railway station while carrying a can of petrol. The witness believing Jones had gone to sniff the petrol called 999. When arrested Jones told officers he used the car park as a shortcut to get to his nephew's house.

Jones, of Woodford Road, Blaenymaes, Swansea, admitted two counts of breaching a sexual offences protection order. The court heard he has 14 previous convictions for 26 offences including the sexual assault on the 12-year-old boy.

David Singh, for Jones, said the defendant claimed he was taking the can of petrol to his brother whose car had run out of fuel. He added that his client had been diagnosed with mild learning difficulties.

Judge Paul Thomas QC described the breaches of the order as "flagrant" and said Jones had done things he knew he was not allowed to do.

Giving the defendant credit for his guilty pleas the judge sentenced him to a total of 12 months in prison comprising 10 months for the contact with the teenager and two months for entering the car park. The defendant 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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A paedophile is back behind bars for sexually abusing young girls just months after being released from his previous sentence.

Graham Harry John Rogers' new victim came forward after reading about him in the papers - and during the course of their investigation police also found a second new victim.

Swansea Crown Court heard the first new victim had reported the assault to the authorities at the time of the abuse - more than 20 years ago - but the Crown Prosecution Service had decided not to charge Rogers because of a lack of corroborating evidence, something that "perhaps reflects the approach at the time".

Sending him down, a judge told the 66-year-old defendant he had "selfish, degenerate and deviant sexual needs", and only a sentence of immediate custody was appropriate.

Jim Davis, prosecuting, said in May 2018 Rogers was sentenced to four years sexually assaulting a young girl, and taking pictures of the abuse on his phone.

After reading about the defendant in the press, a woman abused by the defendant when she was a teenager went to police and asked them to look again at what had happened to her.

The court heard Rogers had touched the then-girl's genitals over her clothing, and "gouged" her with his thumb leaving her privates bruised and cut.

In the course of re-investigating that complaint, officers found another girl he had also abused - this offence had seen Rogers touching the breasts of a girl aged six or seven.

Mr Davis said the first victim had reported the incident to her mother and then to the police, but the prosecuting authorities decided there was no realistic prospect of conviction without corroborating evidence, something that "perhaps reflects the approach at the time".

In their impact statements which were read to court, the victims described how the abuse they had suffered had robbed them of their childhoods and blighted their whole lives, leaving them withdrawn, troubled, and distrustful of men.

Rogers, of Tirgof, Llangennech,  Llanelli, had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault of a child when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.

Stephen Rees, for Rogers, said his client knew what life in prison was like having recently served a substantial sentence imposed in 2018, and had come to court with his bags packed in readiness for a return.

But the barrister asked the judge to consider taking the "exceptional step" of imposing a more "constructive" sentence which would allow the defendant to complete a sex offenders course in the community, adding that Rogers "recognises he has a problem that needs to be treated".

Judge Huw Rees said it was clear Rogers had an "enduring sexual interest in children", and had "selfish, degenerate and deviate sexual needs". He said the defendant had "slyly" taken his opportunities to abuse the girls, actions which display the hallmarks of a paedophile.

The judge said he had listened carefully to submissions made on the defendant's behalf but the offending was so serious only immediate custody was appropriate.

Giving Rogers credit for his guilty pleas he sentenced him to a total of five-and-a-half years in prison. The defendant will serve up to half of that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

Rogers will be on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.

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Primary School caretaker, caught in possession of two phones and up to 400 images of under age girls getting sexually abused. 

Carl Short, who ran chat groups where he shared some images, initially claimed he had been acting as a paedophile hunter – something a judge described as “absurd”.

Dad-of-three Short, 36, was arrested in the grounds of Pennard Primary School in Swansea by officers from the South Wales Police online investigation team last July. They visited him after finding an indecent image of a child had been uploaded to a social networking website which linked back to his mobile phone number.

Swansea Crown Court heard when he was arrested Short told officers: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He was asked to hand over his mobile phone to officers and he gave them a Samsung model with a yellow case.

He then asked officers to allow him to lock up an interior office within the school but was told he would need to be escorted to do so. The court heard he did not volunteer a second mobile phone to officers – a black Samsung model which he had kept in his pocket.

On the way to Swansea Central police station Short was asked if he understood why he was being arrested and replied: “I have tried entrapping people.”

He also told officers: “I don’t understand what is happening here.”

The mobile phone which Short did not initially hand over was found to have a significant number of indecent images of children on it.

There was a total of 15 Category A images – the most serious type – along with 36 in Category B and 342 in Category C.

Further investigations found how 19 of the images had been distributed through messaging app Kik between May and June last year. Within the app he had created chat groups under the aliases Taz and The Real Duff Man. The groups had named such as ‘Candid teen’, ‘Schoolgirls’, and ‘Teen share’, each which had between 40 and 50 members.

In addition to evidence of distributing material there were several conversations with other members where by they would discuss age preference.

Cleaning software was also installed on Short’s mobile phone.

During his police interview Short, of Stepney Street in Cwmbwrla, Swansea, accepted he was admin of the groups and maintained that he had set them up with a view of trapping others.

He admitted three counts of possessing indecent images of children and three counts of distributing indecent images of children.

Mitigating, Vince Williams said: “Mr Short does now accept that he has a sexual interest in young girls. He became deeply immersed and that progressed into setting up Kik accounts and having conversations and image-sharing with others.

“There is a certain amount of naivete in accepting how serious these matters are and in particular to the distribution of these images.

“He set up chat accounts to feed his appetite. I have explained to him these are serious matters and now there is a realisation that this is a serious matter.

Sentencing Short, Recorder John Philpotts said: “On July 4 last year police officers arrested you at your workplace, which I’m concerned to know was a primary school.

“They did so because they were informed that an indecent image had been uploaded to Instagram and linked to you. You handed over one phone to police and you said it was your personal phone. You wanted to telephone your wife and needed to extract her number from what you said was your work phone and then it became clear it was really your personal phone.

“They found indecent images on this phone and there was a data cleaning programme. You were not naive – that’s why you had that on your phone.

“You told officers you were trying to entrap people. You have now sensibly abandoned what some would call an absurd account.”

Short was jailed for two years and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order. He has been disqualified from working with children indefinitely.

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Youth group volunteer Aaron Davies said he wanted to show the 13-year-old girl how babies are made

A 19-year-old steward sent hundreds of explicit sexual messages and intimate photographs to what he thought was a young girl.

Aaron Davies contacted what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl on Facebook and after weeks of grooming her they arranged to meet.

But when he got to the bus station expecting to meet his online contact he was challenged and detained by a group of so-called paedophile hunters.

Swansea Crown Court heard a group called Justice 4 Kids established a profile purporting to be that of a 13-year-old girl, complete with an age-appropriate photograph, online.

Claire Pickthall, prosecuting, said the profile lay dormant until in February this year when Davies sent a friend request. This was the start of almost two months of communications between the parties.

The barrister said Davies' messages soon became sexual in nature with the defendant asking intimate questions of the decoy, encouraging her to perform sex acts, and asking her to send pictrues. Davies, from Swansea , also sent the decoy two pictures of his genitals.

The court heard Davies told the "girl" she should watch pornography so she could learn what to do sexually, told her he loved her, and said he wanted to go to Disneyland Paris with her. He also said he wanted to kiss and touch her and show her how babies are made.

The prosecutor said in many of the replies by the decoy it was made clear the profile was that of a 13-year-old.

In total the defendant sent more than 200 messages. Miss Pickthall described Davies' conduct as "classic grooming behaviour".

The court heard the pair made arrangements to go to the cinema in Swansea on April 18 and at that point Justice 4 Kids contacted local paedophile hunters and handed them the information.

When the defendant arrived at the city's main bus station expecting to meet the girl he was met by activists who called the police and took him outside.

In his subsequent interview he said he was used to being around children because he was a steward at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea and also volunteered with a youth group.

He said his aim had been to "educate and guide" the girl about what was coming as she grew up.

Davies, of Heol Eifion Wyn, Llansamlet , had previously pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a girl after sexual communication and attempting to incite a girl to engage in sexual activity when he appeared in the dock for sentencing on Friday. He has no previous convictions.

Stephen Thomas, for Davies, said his client was very sorry for what he had done.

Giving Davies a one-third discount for his guilty pleas judge Keith Thomas sentenced the defendant to a total of 12 months detention in a young offenders institution. He will serve half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

Davies was also made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order to control his contact with children and his access to the internet and he will be a registered sex offender for the same length of time.

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'Wholly unrepentant' abuser Brian Andrew Rhys has been handed a 30-year sentence

A man with a lust for young boys raped two youngsters after grooming them and showering them with gifts.

Brian Andrew Rhys was convicted by a jury of 11 counts of indecency with a child, five counts of indecent assault of a male, five counts of a serious sexual assault, 12 counts of rape of a child under 13, a count of a sexual assault of a child under 13, and one count of witness intimidation.

The offending involved two young boys dating between 1982 and 2018.

Swansea Crown Court heard how manipulative and arrogant Rhys, 53, had groomed them and showered them with gifts before raping them.

One victim impact statement read: I have had to carry this deep dark secret since being abused during childhood for more than 30 years. It is a heavy burden to bear and has affected my life and my mental health.

Despite all that I know when he is convicted it brings a new chapter in my life. I will now look forward instead of back. The secret is a secret no more.

A statement from his other victim read: When I was told by my mother the defendant had been convicted I felt very happy and slept well that night. It was the best I had slept since I can remember.

"What he did affected my confidence and my schooling and caused stress and anxiety. I feel absolutely terrible about the things he did to me.

Sentencing Rhys, Judge Paul Thomas QC said: "Over a period of around 30 years you systematically and calculatedly sexually violated two young boys.

"In each case you used the trust placed in you to look after them to allow you to your wicked ends using grooming behaviour and showering them with gifts. You took steps to get each of them on their own and raped them over a long period of time.

"It is clear from watching you give evidence you are wholly unrepentant. You will maintain your innocence for the purposes of your family. You're manipulative and arrogant and believed in your ability to pull the wool over people's eyes.

"Your sexual tastes are deep-rooted. You clearly have a lust for young boys."

Rhys, of of Banwell Street in Morriston, Swansea, was given a 30-year extended sentence comprising 24 years in prison and further a six years on extended licence. A sexual harm prevention order was made and he must sign the sex offenders register.

Following the sentencing detective constable Joanne Pudner, who was praised by the judge for her role in the investigation at the conclusion of the case, said: We would like to praise the bravery of the victims for coming forward.

Investigating sexual violence is a priority for South Wales Police and we are committed to investigating all reports of sexual abuse, regardless of when they occurred, in order to ensure that those who exploit the most vulnerable members of society are brought to justice.

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A businessman and former taxi driver raped a girl dozens of times over two years.

Vincent Matthews groomed his victim, who was under the age of 13, into thinking she was in a relationship with him.

But instead the former director of Morriston RFC was abusing his victim.

The 56-year-old, of Cwrt Cilmeri in Morriston, pleaded guilty to six counts of raping a girl under 13 and two counts of attempted sexual assault.

Swansea Crown Court was told the actual number of offences was estimated to be "dozens".

John Hipkin, prosecuting, told the court Matthews' grooming had "succeeded in making her (the girl) believe she was in a relationship with him."

He added: "He began by squeezing her leg and kissing and cuddling.

"She did not know about or understand anything sexual, but this proceeded to taking her upstairs to a bedroom, paying her compliments, suggesting she take a bath, and proceeded to having sexual intercourse with her.

"She mentioned pinning her arms down to achieve the act, but it is emphasised by the Crown this case is one of extensive grooming.

"He would put a blanket over her mouth to prevent her screaming. He told her not to tell anyone what they were doing."

Susan Ferrier, defending Matthews, said: "It is clear he is somebody who does need help and by pleading guilty he is making himself available to whatever help is available during what he accepts will be a long sentence.

"He apologises not just to you (the judge) but to the victim and her family and his family. He has lost everything.

"He had his own business, that is gone. He will have a long time in custody to reflect what from the outside looked like the life of a successful middle age man and that is something he has to live with."

Sentencing Matthews, Judge Paul Thomas said: "You deliberately and cynically set out to rape a girl when you were in your mid fifties.

"At her age she was not only never mature enough to consent with what you were doing, it is highly questionable she understood the significance of what you were doing to her at that age.

"She does not. As is almost inevitable in these cases it has had a profound long term impact on her both psychologically and emotionally.

"These offences do not end when acts ends. There are consequences that go on for years and years and years.

"I suspect Mr Matthews, I do not have to tell you because you are an intelligent man.

"Your earlier involvement with the court system did not dissuade you.

"Your concern was only for your own sexual needs. You pursued her and made her consider you were in a romantic relationship with her. You were not. Your paedophile lust was your motivation.

"Your level of persistent, cynical opportunism and inability to control your attraction to pre-pubescent children means you clearly represent a very significant risk to pre-pubescent children in the future."

He added: "[After] Your business and sporting standing of many years, your public fall from grace is precipitous."

Judge Thomas gave Matthews an extended sentence of 23 years, with 16 years in custody and an extended seven years on licence.

He was also made subject to a sexual prevention order for life, and made to sign the sex offenders' register.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Morgan, of South Wales Police, said: We would like to praise the bravery of the victim for coming forward.

Investigating sexual violence is a priority for South Wales Police and we are committed to investigating all reports of sexual abuse - regardless of when they occurred - in order to ensure that those who exploit the most vulnerable members of society are brought to justice."

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A paedophile who used fake internet profiles to befriend and later blackmail underage girls has been jailed for eight years.

Shane Wakefield first came to the attention of the authorities after one of his victims, a child in Scotland, reported him to Snapchat after he threatened to publish indecent images of her unless she agreed to cooperate with his demands.

After Police Scotland were contacted by the online messaging app, officers were able to trace the offending account to 25-year-old Wakefield in Morriston, Swansea.

He was arrested in September 2015, with police later finding he was using social media platforms Kik, Snapchat and MeowChat to contact girls across the UK and abroad.

He often befriending his victims on apps before asking them for pictures, often in return for gifts like iTunes vouchers.

He then used the initial pictures as leverage to demand graphic images and videos.

Wakefield, of Cwm Arian, Swansea, was subsequently charged with a string of offences relating to eight victims.

On August 10, at Swansea Crown Court, he was found guilty of four counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, eight counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, one count of possessing extreme pornography, three counts of possessing indecent images of a child and one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

On Monday, Wakefield was sentenced to eight years imprisonment and will be placed on the Sex Offenders' Register indefinitely.

Sentencing, Judge Paul Thomas said: The wickedness of what you did over a significant period of time to a huge number of young girls cant be underestimated.

You went online seeking out girls of your preferred age of 13-16. You started off by bribing them with vouchers to send you sexual photos including their faces, then you blackmailed them to send you sexually explicit images, and if they didnt comply with your demands you would put them on Facebook and on the internet so their friends would see.

By these utter callous means you forced them to send pictures of their genitalia and performing sexual acts on themselves. Several of them begged you and said they had self-harmed in the past and this made them want to do it again. Anyone with any sort of heart would realise the torment these girls were facing, but your response was brutal.

To put them through that shows the depravity of your nature. There has not been a hint of remorse, just denial. Maybe its for the benefit of your parents so you can make out its a horrible misunderstanding.

The simple fact is you are a committed paedophile. The harm you have caused is incalculable.

Speaking after the hearing, Detective Constable Richard Jones, of South Wales Police, said: "Shane Wakefield is a cold and controlling individual who has shown no remorse for his actions.

He deliberately set out to target young girls for his own sexual gratification and the level of depravity shown by him has left a lasting impact on everyone involved in this case.

This has been among the most harrowing cases I have dealt with in almost 20 years, and I cannot commend enough the young girls who worked with us to ensure he was brought to justice.

The impact Wakefields actions have had on the young victims is immeasurable. Many of them were driven to self-harm, both during and after his reign of abuse and they, and their families, have shown immense courage throughout the lengthy investigations and the court proceedings.

I hope todays sentencing brings them some closure and comfort as they attempt to move forward with their lives.

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Police have arrested a paedophile who went missing on the same day he was convicted of 16 offences.

David Hart, from Morriston, Swansea, failed to show up at the city's crown court for the last day of his trial on Tuesday.

Hart, a 60-year-old taxi driver, was arrested by South Wales Police at an address in Morriston on Wednesday.

His victim was just 11 or 12 when he began a campaign of abuse, which lasted for 14 years.

Officers said the hunt for Hart was "immediately treated as a top priority".

Hart was convicted of 12 charges of rape, two of indecent assault, one of assault by penetration and one of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Tuesday.

'Life-changing consequences'

Judge Geraint Walters said his victim had described "some of the gravest sexual offences".

He adjourned sentencing, saying Hart faced "many years" in prison.

During the trial, the court heard some of the abuse was carried out in front of a camera with hundreds of people watching at times.

Hart's victim said the abuse had caused extreme pain and she thought she may have been drugged.

She told police: "I blame myself. I never did enough to stop him. I had opportunities to stop him but I was too afraid. I hate myself. I feel disgusted I let him do these things. I dream of it."

Judge Walters said it "obviously leaves a permanent psychological mark" and "someone can't be subjected to this behaviour without life-changing consequences".

It was thought Hart been admitted to Morriston Hospital, but police discovered he was not there.

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A murderer who spent 17 years in prison for dousing an ex-girlfriend in petrol and setting fire to her is back behind bars after being caught with child sex abuse pictures.

Ian Anthony Harris downloaded the indecent pictures after visiting internet sex chatrooms.

However, officers from the South Wales Police On-line Investigation Team (Polit) were alerted to his activity and swooped on his Swansea house.

In 1988 Harris murdered his ex, Mandy Jackson, after she ended their relationship - he went to her flat in Uplands, poured petrol over her as she made a cup of tea and threw a match on her. Police later found her charred body by the kitchen table.

Harris was given a life sentence for murdering the 21-year-old.

Dean Pulling, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that on February 10 this year officers from Polit received information about activity involving a computer linked to an address in the Ravenhill area of the city.

Harris was out, but officers went to his place of work and took him back home - in a bedroom at the property they found a desktop computer containing 18 indecent images including one of Category A, the most extreme kind. Officers also found evidence Harris had shared a Category B image.

The 52-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of distributing an indecent image of a child and three of possessing indecent images when he appeared in custody in the dock.

The court heard that during his police interviews Harris said he had downloaded the images after visiting internet chatrooms where the talk was invariably sexual, and in a variety of forms. He said he had uploaded an image - of Category B - after somebody in a chatroom asked to see it.

The prosecutor said Harris had convictions for some 22 offences including murder.

Harris was released from jail in 2006.

He was recalled to prison after his arrest on the indecent images charges.

Dan Griffiths, for Harris, said his client accepted that in due course he would have to convince the parole board he was no longer a danger.

The advocate said his client was a family man who had started a new relationship after his release in 2006, and had spent six years working as a greenskeeper at a Swansea golf course.

Recorder Ifan Wyn Lloyd told him possessing indecent child images was a serious matter.

He said: Behind every one of these images there is a child being abused - these are not just images, these are real children being abused so people like you can get some sort of perverted pleasure from viewing them.

Harris was sentenced to a total of eight months in prison, and will be on the sex offenders register for the next 10 years. He was also made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order controlling his access to the internet.

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Guy Brigdale messaged the youngster on Facebook and attempted to get her to take and send indecent pictures

A man has been jailed for three years and put on the sex-offenders register for life after contacting a young girl on social media and trying to get her to send him sexually explicit photographs.

Swansea Crown Court heard that 26-year-old Guy Brigdale messaged the youngster on Facebook and attempted to get her to take and send indecent pictures.

However a family member of the victim saw some of the messages he had sent on the girl's phone - and then pretended to be her, and carried on the exchanges with the defendant.

Police were later contacted, and Brigdale arrested at an address in Swansea.

Brigdale, of Heol y Cae, Pontarddulais had previously pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a girl under-16 to send him photographs when he appeared in the dock today for sentencing. The Pontarddulais address is not the address where the offending took place.

Stuart John, for Brigdale, said his client accepted he had "issues", and wanted help in addressing them.

Judge Keith Thomas said he had read a probation report into the defendant and it was clear he had "a particular sexual interest" in such matters and intended to arrange to meet the girl, who cannot be named to protect her identity.

The judge told him: "You were grooming her and you would have committed more serious offences if given the opportunity."

Brigdale was sentenced to three years in prison, and put on the sex offenders register for life. He was also made the subject of Sexual Harm Prevention Order which bans him from having unauthorised contact with under-16s, and from deleting his search histories on internet devices.

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Paul Neumann pleaded not guilty to the charges, however he was found guilty and was convicted of the offences, which were dated in October in November 2015.

The court heard how Neumann had pursued young and vulnerable women after offering them alcohol, and afterwards raped and sexually assaulted them.

Officers at Morriston CIDs specialist sexual offences unit, commended the three victims for coming forward and giving evidence for such a horrible case.

Neumann was sentenced to 12 years behind bars for rape and two counts of sexual assault.

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Ronald Preddy, 73, used threats and bribes to encourage children into sexual acts

A former colliery security guard labelled a remorseless sexual predator has been jailed for 18 years for sexual offences against boys.

Ronald Preddy, 73, of Dunraven Street, Glyncorrwg, in Port Talbots Upper Afan Valley , had denied offences including rape and indecent assault going back to the 1990s against two boys.

But at a Swansea Crown Court trial he was found guilty of the offences and was sentenced by Judge Huw Davies QC on Friday.

The judge described Preddy as a remorseless sexual predator who had committed offences over a 25-year period using bribes in one case as low as 50p and in some cases using threats to encourage children into sexual acts.

The trial heard evidence relating to two sets of offences against two boys, one relating to the 1990s, the other said to have occurred more recently.

The court heard the offences took place in the South Wales area and that Preddy had been, until his retirement, a security guard at a coal mine.

In 2004, Preddy was jailed for eight years for separate sexual offences, also involving a young boy.

Judge Davies said over a 12-year period, Preddy had been before Swansea Crown Court three times for sexual offences, each time denying he had done anything wrong.

The judge told Preddy: You have shown no remorse whatsoever.

Preddy was given in total a 21-year extended prison sentence but with a custodial element of 18 years.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.