Locations
Abergwyngregyn, Gwynedd, LL33
Description
A convicted sex offender who pretended to be a 14-year-old girl on Snapchat has been sent back to prison. Kevin Hopson, of Abergwyngregyn, appeared before Caernarfon Crown Court after admitting breaching his sexual harm prevention order and making indecent photographs of children.
Hopson was previously jailed in July 2018 for three years after downloading and distributing indecent images of children. As part of his punishment, a judge ruled that the former Holyhead resident stay on the sex offenders register for life and his internet usage be monitored.
Prosecuting, Richard Edwards, told the court that the defendant found himself back in the dock having reverted to his old habits. He explained how the police became aware in June 2021 that a Snapchat account not known to them was connecting to Hopson's broadband account and was being used to share indecent images online.
The 46-year-old was discovered to have created the social media account under a false identity. He was found to be pretending to be a 14-year-old girl called Lexi, the court heard.
He was swiftly arrested but chose to answer no comment to the police's question when interviewed about the allegation. At this point, his mobile phone had been examined and just over a dozen still images of girls aged roughly 12 to 14 were recovered.
Mr Edwards said this was a "deliberate breach" of his court order. He would have been hiding this secret whilst completing a sex offenders course with the probation service.
The court heard that Hopson won't be helped by his previous convictions of a similar nature. These included him creating fake social media profiles where he both encouraged youngsters to send him indecent photos of themselves and then distributed those images by posing as a teenage girl himself.
Defending, Patrick Gartland, told the judge how there was no evidence that his client made any contact with children using the account. However, he said there was "limited mitigation" for the defendant's behaviour.
Judge Timothy Petts, jailing Hopson for two years and fours months, said he was "only superficially engaging" in the help being given to address his sex offending. He added that the "worrying" factor in this case was the fact the authorities will never know exactly what the account was used for as Hopson wiped data from the device.
He said: "You did risk causing very serious harm and distress as the only reason I can see why you would create a fake profile on Snapchat so you could offend in a way you have done previously. I bear in mind that you are not charged with that offence though."
The judge ordered that the mobile phone seized by the police be destroyed. He added that the lifelong sexual harm prevention order remains in force.
Speaking after sentencing, T/Detective Inspector Emma Gardner said: “I welcome today’s sentence, which underlines our commitment to ensuring that all perpetrators of sexual offences are relentlessly pursued and placed before the court. This sends a clear message that we as a force, and society in North Wales will not tolerate any acts of this nature, and we remain committed to making North Wales the safest place in the UK.”