Daniel Thyer 41

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A man in his 40s pulled his trousers down and pleasured himself near a children's play area in a popular park, a court has heard. Police then found Daniel Thyer had been "grooming" a young boy with gifts of vapes and energy drinks.

Sending the defendant to prison, a judge at Swansea Crown Court said he had engaged in "predatory sexual behaviour" with the child. Georgia Donohue, prosecuting, told the court that on February 26 this year a woman walking through Swansea's Morriston Park saw a man sitting on a grass bank near a children's play area with his trousers around his ankles.

She said the man was seen holding his mobile phone with one hand and masturbating with the other. The court heard there were no children in the play area at the time but the woman did see two teenage boys cycling near the defendant.

The barrister said the woman was "disgusted" at Thyer's behaviour and called the police. Officers arrived at the park and arrested the 41-year-old defendant who said he was there to meet somebody, and he said he had been "adjusting his trousers". 

The court heard that when officers examined the defendant's phone they found he had been in contact with a boy and in messages between the two had talked about masturbation.

Officers identified and located the child and spoke to him, and the boy disclosed a series of incidents when Thyer had put his hands down his trousers, pushed his erect penis into him from behind over his clothes, and had touched his bottom. The child also said the defendant had given him vapes, money and energy drinks.

In a victim statement read to the court by the prosecutor, the defendant said he now suffers with sleepless nights and feels "uncomfortable" around grown men, and he said he "keeps himself to himself" at school.

Daniel James Thyer - also known as Daniel David - of Brangwyn Close, Morriston, had previously pleaded guilty to exposure, four counts of sexual activity with a child, and one count of sexual activity with a child when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has no previous convictions.

Charlotte Surley, for Thyer, said the defendant had learning difficulties and a pre-sentence report outlined that he may have an "emotional congruence" with children.

Judge Huw Rees said there was "clear evidence of grooming behaviour" in the offending and said the defendant had engaged in "predatory sexual behaviour".

With a one-third discount for his guilty pleas, Thyer was sentenced to 12 months in prison. He was also made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and will be a registered sex offender for the same length of time.