Latest Offenders Bridgend

Description

A paedophile was found with a folder of animated images depicting child sex abuse despite being made subject to a court order for the same offence.

She also breached an order after using a different name to access social media accounts, after she had transitioned.

Scarlett Lee, 30, previously known as Scott Henwood, was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in February last year when she was convicted of possessing a prohibited image of a child. She was made subject to a two-year community order, as well as sex offender notification requirements and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday heard the defendant was living in support accommodation and on May 11 last year, a support worker cleaning her room noticed a message of a sexual nature on Lee's phone. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter.

The worker notified her senior manager who spoke to the defendant, who then showed the manager an animated sexual image on her computer.

Prosecutor Dominie Patel said Lee was asked if she had accessed the dark web, which she denied but she said: "There's probably stuff I shouldn't have on my laptop".

The police were called and a number of devices were seized, including a PC tower.

An examination of the device revealed a folder containing 80 animated images depicting adults engaging in sexual activity with children.

The defendant was bailed but on March 12 this year, she breached the SHPO she was subject to after using a name other than Scott Henwood to access a YouTube account.

When questioned by police, the defendant said had changed her name to Scarlett Lee by deed poll, and believed the SHPO had been updated to include her new name.

Lee, of The Parc, Bridgend, pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited image of a child and breach of a SHPO.

The court heard she has three previous convictions for breaching a SHPO and had previously been made subject to an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

In mitigation, Bethan Evans said her client has a number of "personal difficulties" including her mental health, being diagnosed with autism and bipolar disorder, bullying and isolation. It was also said she has lost contact with her family following her "transition".

Sentencing, the Recorder of Cardiff Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said: "You have no regard for orders made by the court. You have a persistent interest in child abuse images, but you deny having a sexual interest in children or of understanding the SHPO."

The judge added there was "no or little realistic prospect of rehabilitation".

Lee was sentenced to a total of two years and four months imprisonment.

She will remain subject to sex offender notification requirements and the SHPO.

Description

A paedophile was found in possession of more than 5,000 indecent images of children as young as six-years-old as well as AI generated images of child abuse. His family blamed his offending on "fixated behaviour".

Jack Gillard, 25, was visited by police at his home after intelligence had been received about the downloading of child abuse images. A raid was carried out on July 26, 2023, and a number of devices were seized including the defendant's mobile phone.

A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Friday heard Gillard was arrested and made no comment.

He was taken to Merthyr Tydfil police station and again made no comment.

Prosecutor Hashim Salmman said a digital forensic examination was conducted on the seized devices and more than 5,000 category A, B and C images were discovered on the defendant's phone.

There was also prohibited material generated by AI which depicted young girls being raped by adult men.

One category A video was accessible, and was described as a compilation video including children aged between nine and 15-years-old involved in various types of sexual activity with adult males.

The youngest child depicted in the images was just six-years-old.

A number of screenshots were found of websites and forums including a collage of images.

There were a total of 1,476 category A images, 370 category B images and 3,145 category C images.

Gillard, of Trealaw Road, Trealaw, Tonypandy, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. The court heard he has no previous convictions.

In mitigation, it was said the defendant's behaviour would "never happen again". It was also said his family have concerns about "fixating behaviour, but he has been working hard on reducing his cannabis consumption.

Sentencing, the Recorder of Cardiff, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, said the defendant was a risk to children due to his "sexual interest in pre pubescent girls".

Gillard was sentenced to one year and 10 months imprisonment.

He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements for 10 years.

Description

A paedophile sent videos of himself performing a sex act to someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl – but he was speaking to an undercover member of the police force. He also asked the decoy for naked images of herself.

Hywell Hardman, 31, of Bridgend, sent messages to the decoy on Snapchat between February 8 and 13 this year using an account with a false name. He claimed to be 17 years old and the decoy told him she was just 13.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard the defendant asked the decoy for a picture and an image of a girl aged about 13 was sent back. He said he would like to see more photos of her while she was in school and asked her about the colour of her underwear.

Prosecutor Matthew Comer said Hardman asked the decoy for naked pictures and to send intimate images of herself. He sent photographs and videos of himself which included his penis and of him performing a sex act. The language used was sexual in nature.

Hardman, of Stormy Down, was arrested and later pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause/incite a child to watch an image of sexual activity. The court heard he was of previous good character.

In mitigation Ruth Smith said her client left school with no qualifications and had had difficulty in the past with bullying. He was in a relationship when he carried out the offences and is a father-of-two who now only has supervised contact with his children.

Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams said the offences were "too serious to be dealt with by anything other than an immediate custodial sentence". Hardman was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and was made subject to sex offender notification requirements and a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

Description

A predatory paedophile spent decades sexually abusing and raping young children, a court has heard. HGV driver Christopher Murray subjected three girls and a boy to a catalogue of horrific abuse at a number of different locations including in the cab of his lorry.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that some of the abuse was first reported to police in the 1990s but Murray was not prosecuted and went on to continue his sexual offending. A judge said she had no doubt the 63-year-old defendant should be considered a dangerous offender, and made him subject to a 24-year extended sentence.

Ruth Smith, prosecuting, told the court Murray subjected his victims to repeated sexual assaults and rapes, often accompanied by threats and physical violence. In a number of the incidents the defendant punched the young girls in the face when they tried to stop him raping them. He also told his young victims that if they reported what was happening nobody would believe them because they were just children.

The abuse was in fact reported to the authorities in 1997 and the defendant was arrested but due to "evidential difficulties" he was not prosecuted. The court heard Murray went back to his campaign of sexual assaults and rapes at a number of locations around Gwent and also in the cab of his lorry - at the time Murray drove a lorry delivering frozen food.

The prosecutor told the court one of the victims would later recall the feeling of being "crushed" under the defendant's 16-stone body weight and the smell of his old Spice aftershave as he raped her. The abuse of the children was often accompanied by acts and words designed to humiliate his young victims.

The court heard the offending lasted more than a decade and only stopped when Murray was sent to prison in 2001 for sexually abusing other children. After being released from his sentence - and undergoing courses designed to tackle his paedophilia - he resumed offending against children.

In a series of powerful statements read to the court, the victims of Murray's abuse laid bare the impact of the offending. All the victims described how the defendant had stolen their childhoods and innocence, and how their adolescence and adult lives had been blighted by feelings of shame and guilt. One victim described how she had turned to drink and drugs to try to block out what had happened to her - this led her into risky behaviours and she said her family "spent years worried they would find me dead in a ditch".

Another talked of the "deeply embedded wounds" left by the abuse and how he "grew up overnight" while another said as a child she "lost hope" the abuse would ever end, and in later life developed obsessive compulsive disorder and an unhealthy relationship with food. Murray's fourth victim described how she turned to self-harming and had been left suffering with anxiety, depression, nightmares and flashbacks.

Christopher Andrew Murray, now of Heol Llansantffraid, Sarn, Bridgend, had previously pleaded guilty to 32 counts of indecent assault, indecency with a child, assault by penetration, and rape when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has 10 previous convictions for 25 offences including two indecent assaults of a child in 1985 and three indecent assaults of a child in 2001 for which he was sentenced to four years in prison.

Matthew Roberts, for Murray, said there was little of merit that could be said for the defendant but said he had pleaded guilty to the offences before the court and not, as some offenders do in such historical sex cases, decided to "chance his arm" with a trial and put the complainants through the "horrendous prospect" of having to give evidence. He said it was clear from the pre-sentence report that the defendant "at last" had some insight into his offending, and he said though the words may sound "hollow" the defendant wished him to apologise to his victims.

Judge Vanessa Francis said Murray was a "relentless" and "predatory" abuser of children who continued to offend even after coming to the attention of police in 1990s and then serving a prison sentence and doing work designed to tackle his offending. She said looking at the offending before the court as well as Murray's previous convictions, she was satisfied a standard determinate sentence would not sufficiently protect the public and the defendant could properly be termed a dangerous offender within the meaning of the legislation and subject to an extended sentence.

With a one-third discount for his guilty pleas, Murray was given a 24-year extended sentence comprising 18 years in prison followed by a six-year extended licence period. He must serve two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence before applying to be released but it will be for the parole board to determine whether he is safe to be released or not. He was also made the subject of a life-long sexual harm protection order designed to control his access to children, and will be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Description

A paedophile sexually assaulted a girl twice and sent her inappropriate messages saying "I wish I was the one who captured your heart". The abuse came to light after the victim showed the messages to her mother.

Gareth Nye, 32, of, Bridgend, abused his victim on at least two occasions by touching her over her clothing. He did this on the pretense he was tickling the girl.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday heard the victim was "young and naïve" to the defendant's behaviour and didn't think much of it at the time. After the victim was given a phone for Christmas by her parents, Nye exchanged messages with her.

In those messages, he told his victim: "Don't tell your mummy and daddy what I talk about with you". This made her feel suspicious and she showed her mum the messages. Being able to appreciate the full meaning of the message, the victim's mother became "upset and angry".

The police were called and the victim was interviewed, but she did not disclose the sexual assaults at the time. Months later she told her mother what Nye had done to her, after experiencing a nightmare.

Nye, of Caeau Duon, Pencoed, was arrested and faced two trials before he was convicted of two counts of sexually assaulting a child. Despite the guilty verdicts, he continues to maintain his innocence, which was considered an aggravating factor by Recorder John Philpotts.

In a victim personal statement read to the court, the victim's mother said: "I noticed a big difference in (my daughter), she became quite quiet and withdrawn.... When the disclosure took place I couldn't believe what it was she was telling me. It felt like a hole had opened up and we were sucked back into this dark place. She was in such a state and I was trying to reassure her it was ok and she told me there was more. She hadn't disclosed it earlier because of how upset I had been about the messages and was worried about causing more trouble. I was gutted she felt like this and I wasn't there for her when she needed it and trying to protect me...

"I was so angry and upset this man could do this to us... (My daughter) became quite erratic and this lasted for two years. She started to have outbursts of rage, not responding to our parenting, rebelling against anything we do. Screaming and shouting, punching her bed. She had a built up rage, she had never been like this before and we didn't know how to help her."

The victim's mother said she felt "sick to her stomach" while her daughter gave evidence in the trial, and described her bursting into tears after leaving the courtroom. She said they felt they could not move on with their lives, and added: "What (the defendant) has done to my daughter is incomprehensible. I will never forget him for taking away my daughter's innocence."

In mitigation, Hilary Roberts said Nye was of previous good character, and had been diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum. He argued that custody could be avoided in his client's case, and he would struggle in a custodial setting having previously been bullied.

Sentencing, Recorder Philpotts sentenced Nye to eight months imprisonment. The defendant was also subjected to sex offender notification requirements, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order indefinitely.

Description

A paedophile sent disgusting videos and messages to a 13-year-old girl and threatened to disclose naked images of her if she did not send him more. He was also speaking to an undercover police officer posing as a 12-year-old girl.

Matthew Cheshire, 35, of Bridgend, was arrested by police at his home on October 5 last year where a number of electronic devices were seized and examined. The defendant had been in contact with who he thought was a 12-year-old girl, but was in fact a decoy account run by a police officer.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard the exchanges between Cheshire and the decoy began with him trying to build a rapport with her, by asking about her school, if she had kissed anyone or gone further than kissing. He went on to say he could give the decoy tips about masturbating and offered to pick her up from school, as well as sending photos of himself smiling.

Following an examination of the defendant's phone, prosecutor Matthew Cobbe said it was discovered he had also been talking to a real 13-year-old girl. The conversation between Cheshire and the child was extremely sexualised and graphic on his part, with him talking about having sex with her.

He asked the teenager for videos and photos of herself, and she sent images exposing herself and a video of herself performing a sex act, which Cheshire had instructed her to do. He sent videos of himself masturbating.

The child was tracked down and she gave an interview to the police, during which she explained she had been speaking to the defendant for around a month on social media. She said the sexualised messages made her feel "weird and gross". She also said Cheshire had threatened to disclose naked images of her if she did not send him further images.

Cheshire, of Vale View, Sarn, later pleaded guilty to causing a child to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual communication with a child, causing a child to look at an image of sexual activity, possession of indecent images, attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. The court heard he was of previous good character.

In mitigation, Ruth Smith said her client was unable to explain his offending, but had vowed he would never appear in front of a court again. She said the defendant had been in a relationship with his wife for 15 years and has a son, but the impact of his offending has been "devastating" on his family.

Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams said: "You engaged in the vilest of sexual communications with (your victim) which involved graphic descriptions about the two of you having sex."

Cheshire was sentenced to four years and three months imprisonment. He was made subject to sex offender notification requirements indefinitely, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years and a restraining order for 10 years.

Following the hearing, detective constable Laura Davies from South Wales Polices Online Investigation Team (POLIT) said: Matthew Cheshire demonstrated predatory and manipulative behaviour when grooming who he believed to be 12-year-old child.

POLIT and the Digital Forensic Unit carried out the investigation and further sexual communication with another child was revealed and she was safeguarded from further exploitative behaviour from Cheshire. The work carried out by South Wales Police helped to ensure that children are protected online from the risk Cheshire posed to them. Such was the strength of evidence gathered that Cheshire entered guilty pleas to the charges brought against him.

Tarian case officer DC Isaac Gott said: This man believed he was communicating with a 12-year-old child between August and October 2023. The communication turned sexual and it was clear that the defendant had a sexual interest in the child. He formed a close friendship and used this as a platform for grooming, talking about Disney films and told the child that she was pretty.

"Developing a friendship with a child before introducing sexual elements into the conversation is a classic tactic that is commonly observed by sex offenders. As a result of a proactive investigation by Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit for southern Wales, the defendant was identified. I cannot over-emphasise the fantastic work conducted by South Wales Polices Online Investigation Team which conducted a thorough investigation into offences and subsequently identified a further victim of online child sexual abuse. The defendant incited this child to carry out penetrative sexual acts.

"In this case the defendant was completely unknown to law enforcement agencies and I am certain had the defendant not been identified by Tarian, he would have continued to commit offences against children and leave vulnerable children open to sexual exploitation. Anyone with any concerns over a childs safety or welfare should contact the police. Tarian ROCU will continue to work with partner agencies and relentlessly pursue those who have a sexual interest in children.

Description

Adrian Russell Coxon, 48, of St. Mary Close, Pencoed, was arrested in November 2021 after we received a report from the victim that they had been sexually assaulted.

He appeared in court today, Thursday, May 2, where he was sentenced to six years in prison for sexual assault by penetration and supply of Class C drugs. He was also made to sign onto the Sex Offenders Register and is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Description

A paedophile been sentenced to 24 years imprisonment for raping and sexually abusing a child aged under 13. He was described as a "predatory individual" who took advantage of a child in the "most horrific way".

Steven Felix, 36, of Bridgend, sexually abused the child between 2019 and 2020. An investigation was launched after the abuse was reported in 2021.

The defendant, of Brackla, was charged with a total of 24 counts of rape and sexual activity with a child. At Cardiff Crown Court he was sentenced to 24 years imprisonment with an additional six years on licence and a lifetime sexual harm prevention order.

Following the hearing detective sergeant Jo Williams-Smith of South Wales Police said: "Steven Felix is a predatory individual who took advantage of a child and abused them in a horrific way. The victim in this case has to live with the memory of this awful abuse.

"I’m pleased that the court have recognised this by handing Steven Felix this lengthy jail sentence which is the outcome the case deserved. I’d like to personally pay tribute to the victim for coming forward and sticking with the investigation. It is thanks to their bravery that we secured a successful prosecution.

"I hope that this sentence will serve as encouragement to other victims of sexual abuse to come forward. We will believe you and do everything we can to bring offenders to justice no matter how long ago the offences took place.

"We take all allegations of sexual abuse extremely seriously. We have specially trained teams that investigate sexual offences and provide support to victims. If you have experienced these kinds of offences you will be heard and listened to and your report will be believed.”

Description

A "sadistic" paedophile forced children to perform degrading sexual acts on camera and threatened to distribute the images if they did not send more.

One of his victims was left crying in pain while begging the pervert to stop.

Alexander Tindal, 31, of Bridgend, sexually abused more than 30 children online over a period of two-and-a-half years, and continued to exploit girls after he was first arrested. The "isolated" defendant pretended to be a teenage boy and approached his victims on Snapchat before asking them for intimate photos of themselves.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard Tindal forced one girl to send a photo of her little sister's genitalia to him, after threatening to disclose sexual images of her to friends, family and her school. When he was arrested by police, he was found with more than 23,000 indecent images of children, aged between 10 and 15-years-old.

Having been detained by police at his home in 2022, three devices were seized from the defendant as well as a mobile, a hard drive, and a desktop computer. During the examination of the devices, a thousands of indecent images were discovered and Tindal was found to have communicated with children and coerced them into performing sexual acts.

He was further arrested in September 2022, having been found to breach his bail conditions, after setting up further Snapchat accounts which he used to speak to child victims. After victims had been identified, they were visited by police and asked to provide a statement about their interactions with Tindal, who was found to have access to 19 Snapchat accounts under various names.

The first victim was 14-years-old when she was forced to perform sex acts.. She had sent the defendant close to 400 images, 45 of which were category A. The victim was first contacted by Tindal who claimed he was a 17-year-old boy, and encouraged her to send sexual images of herself. He became increasingly aggressive and threatened to distribute a video of a girl who looked like her to her, and would tell people it was her. When asked by the victim why he was doing this, he told her it was to "teach her a lesson".

In one message, she could be seen naked and crying in pain. She messaged Tindal saying "You're making me feel sick to my stomach. I so want to stop this, please I can't do this anymore". The defendant told her to carry on and she responded: "It hurts so f****** bad, I can't do this, please stop, I am f****** begging you." The abuse only came to a stop after the defendant was arrested.

The second victim was 13-years-old at the time of the abuse. Tindal was found with 100 category A images of the victim. When he became aware the victim had a six-year-old sister, he demanded pictures of her genitalia and threatened to "ruin her" if she did not. She subsequently sent the images.

In messages sent by Tindal to the victim, he said: "I am going to add your mother's number, I swear to f****** God, last chance you piece of s**, lie back and f*** yourself properly."

A further 19 victims were identified, with more who were unable to be identified. He used the images he had obtained to demand more extreme ones, or he would distribute the pictures, in some cases sending them to friends of victims.

A mother of one of the victims described her daughter as becoming "aggressive and angry". Another mother walked in on her daughter while she was performing a sexual act, and confronted Tindal but he taunted her and said the police would be unable to catch him.

The youngest victim was just 10-year-old. Another victim lived in Germany and explained to Tindal she had health issues, but he did not relent.

Tindal, of Hazel Tree Way, Brackla, later pleaded guilty to 24 counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, nine counts of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, 10 counts of threatening to disclose a private sexual photograph of film with intent to cause distress, six counts of possessing indecent images, two counts of possessing prohibited image, and two counts of possessing extreme pornographic images. The court heard he was of previous good character.

Defence barrister Adam Sharp said his client's best mitigation was his guilty plea, and was realistic the defendant would be receiving a "significant" term of imprisonment. He described Tindal as "socially isolated" and had been diagnosed with depression, and was previously hospitalised with a collapsed lung, which caused chest pain and shortness of breath. In 2021, he was hospitalised after taking an overdose of painkillers.

Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams described the nature and scale of the defendant's offending as "truly horrifying", and his treatment of his victims as "pitiless". He added: "The control you extorted over the girls thrilled you as much as the sexual gratification you obtained."

A probation report deemed Tindal to be a "very high" risk of harm to children. Judge Williams added: "You sadistically committed time to degrade so many girls and continued that abuse while on bail, unperturbed by your arrest , is the clearest demonstration of the risk you pose.

Tindal was sentenced to a total of 11 years imprisonment, with an extended licence period of four years. He will serve two thirds of the custodial sentence before he can be considered for parole. The defendant was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements indefinitely.

Following the hearing, detective constable Martin Charles of South Wales Police said: “This is one of the largest cases our team has worked on, and the strength of evidence gathered gave Tindal no other option but to plead guilty.

"I am thankful for the other police forces across the UK and abroad who supported the investigation as well as our Digital Forensic Unit in identifying victims ensuring we can safeguard them from further harm. Most of all, I am grateful for the bravery shown by Tindal’s victims across the UK for talking to the Police and helping to put him where he belongs beyond harm’s way.

“Alex Tindal’s crimes are of the most sinister and predatory offences seen as most of the victims’ families were completely unaware of the abuse being perpetrated. The online world is an integral part of a child’s life but is often hidden from close family and those who would intervene to help a child if they fell victim to this particular type of crime."

Description

A "sadistic" paedophile forced children to perform degrading sexual acts on camera and threatened to distribute the images if they did not send more. One of his victims was left crying in pain while begging the pervert to stop.

Alexander Tindal, 31, of Bridgend, sexually abused more than 30 children online over a period of two-and-a-half years, and continued to exploit girls after he was first arrested. The "isolated" defendant pretended to be a teenage boy and approached his victims on Snapchat before asking them for intimate photos of themselves.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard Tindal forced one girl to send a photo of her little sister's genitalia to him, after threatening to disclose sexual images of her to friends, family and her school. When he was arrested by police, he was found with more than 23,000 indecent images of children, aged between 10 and 15-years-old.

Having been detained by police at his home in 2022, three devices were seized from the defendant as well as a mobile, a hard drive, and a desktop computer. During the examination of the devices, a thousands of indecent images were discovered and Tindal was found to have communicated with children and coerced them into performing sexual acts.

He was further arrested in September 2022, having been found to breach his bail conditions, after setting up further Snapchat accounts which he used to speak to child victims. After victims had been identified, they were visited by police and asked to provide a statement about their interactions with Tindal, who was found to have access to 19 Snapchat accounts under various names.

The first victim was 14-years-old when she was forced to perform sex acts.. She had sent the defendant close to 400 images, 45 of which were category A. The victim was first contacted by Tindal who claimed he was a 17-year-old boy, and encouraged her to send sexual images of herself. He became increasingly aggressive and threatened to distribute a video of a girl who looked like her to her, and would tell people it was her. When asked by the victim why he was doing this, he told her it was to "teach her a lesson".

In one message, she could be seen naked and crying in pain. She messaged Tindal saying "You're making me feel sick to my stomach. I so want to stop this, please I can't do this anymore". The defendant told her to carry on and she responded: "It hurts so f****** bad, I can't do this, please stop, I am f****** begging you." The abuse only came to a stop after the defendant was arrested.

The second victim was 13-years-old at the time of the abuse. Tindal was found with 100 category A images of the victim. When he became aware the victim had a six-year-old sister, he demanded pictures of her genitalia and threatened to "ruin her" if she did not. She subsequently sent the images.

In messages sent by Tindal to the victim, he said: "I am going to add your mother's number, I swear to f****** God, last chance you piece of s**, lie back and f*** yourself properly."

A further 19 victims were identified, with more who were unable to be identified. He used the images he had obtained to demand more extreme ones, or he would distribute the pictures, in some cases sending them to friends of victims.

A mother of one of the victims described her daughter as becoming "aggressive and angry". Another mother walked in on her daughter while she was performing a sexual act, and confronted Tindal but he taunted her and said the police would be unable to catch him.

The youngest victim was just 10-year-old. Another victim lived in Germany and explained to Tindal she had health issues, but he did not relent.

Tindal, of Hazel Tree Way, Brackla, later pleaded guilty to 24 counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, nine counts of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, 10 counts of threatening to disclose a private sexual photograph of film with intent to cause distress, six counts of possessing indecent images, two counts of possessing prohibited image, and two counts of possessing extreme pornographic images. The court heard he was of previous good character.

Defence barrister Adam Sharp said his client's best mitigation was his guilty plea, and was realistic the defendant would be receiving a "significant" term of imprisonment. He described Tindal as "socially isolated" and had been diagnosed with depression, and was previously hospitalised with a collapsed lung, which caused chest pain and shortness of breath. In 2021, he was hospitalised after taking an overdose of painkillers.

Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams described the nature and scale of the defendant's offending as "truly horrifying", and his treatment of his victims as "pitiless". He added: "The control you extorted over the girls thrilled you as much as the sexual gratification you obtained."

A probation report deemed Tindal to be a "very high" risk of harm to children. Judge Williams added: "You sadistically committed time to degrade so many girls and continued that abuse while on bail, unperturbed by your arrest , is the clearest demonstration of the risk you pose.

Tindal was sentenced to a total of 11 years imprisonment, with an extended licence period of four years. He will serve two thirds of the custodial sentence before he can be considered for parole. The defendant was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements indefinitely.

Following the hearing, detective constable Martin Charles of South Wales Police said: “This is one of the largest cases our team has worked on, and the strength of evidence gathered gave Tindal no other option but to plead guilty.

"I am thankful for the other police forces across the UK and abroad who supported the investigation as well as our Digital Forensic Unit in identifying victims ensuring we can safeguard them from further harm. Most of all, I am grateful for the bravery shown by Tindal’s victims across the UK for talking to the Police and helping to put him where he belongs beyond harm’s way.

“Alex Tindal’s crimes are of the most sinister and predatory offences seen as most of the victims’ families were completely unaware of the abuse being perpetrated. The online world is an integral part of a child’s life but is often hidden from close family and those who would intervene to help a child if they fell victim to this particular type of crime."

Description

A police officer who blackmailed and threatened underage girls to send him explicit photos of themselves on Snapchat has been jailed for life.

Lewis Edwards, of Cefn Glas, Bridgend, groomed more than 200 girls online.

The 24-year-old, who had 4,500 indecent images of children, admitted 160 counts of child sexual abuse and blackmail.

The South Wales Police officer messaged 210 girls aged 10 to 16 from November 2020 until February 2023 and images of 207 of them were found on his devices.

Edwards, who refused to go to Cardiff Crown Court throughout his three-day sentencing hearing, joined the force as a police constable in January 2021 but is now barred from policing.

Handing him multiple concurrent prison sentences, including several life sentences with a minimum term of 12 years, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said: "It is clear that he not only gained sexual gratification from his offending but he also enjoyed the power and control he had over these young girls."

Edwards will also be subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, barring him from working with children or vulnerable people and requiring him to keep his personal details logged with police.

She described his behaviour as "cruel and sadistic" and "psychologically manipulative", adding that he posed a high risk of danger to children.

"Even when his victims were crying, begging him to stop, the defendant did not stop even though he could be in no doubt about the immense harm he was causing his victims," she said.

Edwards used a profile picture of a teenage boy to trick his victims into sending explicit images, with one saying that during video calls Edwards would sit in the dark, showing only part of his face.

The young girls were told by Edwards to take nude pictures, sometimes wearing only items of their school uniform, and perform sexual acts.

When they tried to ignore his demands he threatened them and said he would share the images he already had, or said he would hurt their families.

Prosecutor Roger Griffiths said one 12-year-old victim was told by Edwards he could "come to her house and shoot her parents".

Edwards installed a "legitimate application" which allowed him to record images sent to him by the girls on Snapchat, without their knowledge.

In an audio recording played in court, Edwards could be heard saying "I wish I could just watch these forever" as he watched sexual videos sent to him by a 13-year-old.

In another video, a girl was audibly distressed and could be heard saying "do I have to?" and "I feel forced".

Mr Griffiths said Edwards received images from girls while on duty at least 30 times.

Among his victims were two sisters, aged 13 and 15. The younger sister sent images of her bottom and breasts and a video of her performing a sexual act.

In a victim statement, one girl said: "I was only a little girl. I feel confused, embarrassed, disgusted and I have no self esteem. I lost my innocence. I felt guilty and I still struggle to trust people."

Another victim, who was 13 when Edwards contacted her, told the court the contact began when she was about to start at a new school.

"I was vulnerable because I really wanted to make new friends. I thought I was talking to a really nice boy who liked me lots," she said.

Edwards would tell the girls stories about bad things happening in his life to "guilt trip" them, Mr Griffiths added.

Judge Lloyd-Clarke said Edwards' crimes were "significantly aggravated" by the fact he was a police officer.

She added: "There is no doubt that his actions have caused significant harm to the reputation of South Wales Police and police in general.

"But it should also be borne in mind that it was officers from South Wales Police who investigated this case."

South Wales Police said its investigation into the case began in December 2022 when the force was made aware of suspicious online banking activity linked to the downloading of indecent images of children from the dark web.

Officers linked an IP address to Edwards' address and, after his home was searched, victims were identified through Snapchat usernames, despite Edwards refusing to provide pin codes to two of his devices.

South Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable Daniel Richards said Edwards' crimes were "despicable".

"The public will be as shocked and sickened as we are that such appalling offences were committed by a serving police officer," he added.

"As soon as we knew the offender was a serving police officer, Edwards was suspended and sacked."

He also said that vetting of Edwards at the time of him joining the force did not indicate anything to suggest the "abhorrent offences".

Lucy Dowdall of the Crown Prosecution Service said Edwards targeted vulnerable children and "ruined their lives".

Just one victim was found by Edwards directly through his role as a police officer whom he messaged after responding to a 999 call and noting her as a "vulnerable girl" in his paperwork.

Snapchat said: "Any sexual exploitation of young people is abhorrent and illegal and our hearts go out to the victims in this case."

The company said it "works in multiple ways to detect and prevent this type of abuse" including recently adding new pop-up warnings for teenagers who may have been contacted by someone they do not know.

The NSPCC called the case "incredibly distressing" and "deeply concerning".

Description

A pervert repeatedly masturbated in front of a child and showed her pornography. His "perverse behaviour" has had a huge impact on the victim who described her "innocence being taken away".

David Vine, 47, of Bridgend, performed the sex act in front of the victim on a number of occasions, and even engaged in conversations with her as though nothing untoward was happening. He denied the offences, but was found guilty by a jury following a trial.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Monday heard the defendant, previously of Mill Meadow, North Cornelly, also showed pornography to the youngster. When he was questioned at trial as to why he had done this, Vine was unable to provide an explanation.

In total, he was found guilty of four counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. One of the counts represented multiple occasions when this occurred, with the jury finding the defendant had masturbated in front of the victim on at least five other occasions to the other counts.

The victim entered the witness box to read out her victim personal statement. She said: "I spend every waking moment trying to understand why he did what he did to me and why I deserved it. It wasn't as if I asked for it. Did I do something to make him think I wanted to, did I look too innocent? But that was it, I was innocent and very young.... I don't understand why he took my innocence and made me grow up too quickly."

As a result of the offences, the victim said her anxiety levels have risen, her sleep has been affected and had to take sleeping tablets. She said she's had to move house as a result of the defendant, which caused her to lose touch with friends and family.

In mitigation, defence barrister Tabitha Walker said her client had been living in a van and hotels since the trial. She said he had "difficulty" in accepting the verdicts of the jury but had "expressed remorse for any hurt or upset he has caused". Ms Walker said the defendant, who worked as a driver, was lightly convicted and had no previous convictions for sexual offences, and put forward a suspended sentence as an option open to the court.

Sentencing, Recorder Dyfed Thomas said: "You ought to be ashamed of yourself Mr Vine... Your victim questioned herself as to whether she was to blame. It was not her fault, it was your fault and yours alone. You selfishly indulged your own perverse behaviour for your own sexual gratification."

Vine was sentenced to a total of 33 months imprisonment. He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements for 15 years, and made subject to a restraining order indefinitely.

Description

A paedophile messaged a 12-year-old girl and asked her if she wanted to see his penis before asking her to be his girlfriend. He later attempted to meet up with a 14-year-old at a motorway services but was met by members of a paedophile group who had been using a decoy.

David Havard, 31, of Bridgend, began messaging the real girl on December 27 last year via TikTok and she initially blocked him. Undeterred by this he proceeded to contact her on Facebook and asked if she wanted to see his genitals and his "erect penis".

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard the girl was "frightened" and told the defendant "no" but he persisted in messaging her and asked: "Do you want to be my girlfriend?" She pointed out she was only 12 years old, called Havard "a paedophile", and told him she was going to report the offence to the police. She told her family about what had been happening who alerted the police.

By this time Havard was already in police custody having been arrested after trying to meet someone he believed to be young girls at Sarn motorway services on the M4. Prosecutor Jeffrey Jones said the defendant began speaking to a decoy account run by paedophiles on an over-18 website.

The decoy told the defendant she was 14 years old but he began speaking about sex and sent photos of his penis. He said he wanted to have sex with her and arranged to meet her with her 11-year-old friend. He invited her to sleep in his bed and explained in graphic detail what he would like to do to her. Havard also asked her to send photos of her bare chest.

The defendant was arrested and initially denied the offences and claimed he had not contacted the real victim and he had not sent pictures of his penis. He also claimed he "couldn't remember" sending pictures to the decoy.

Havard, of Oak Street, Aberkenfig, later pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and attempting to meet a child following grooming. The court heard he had received a caution after leaving a letter for a child outside her home which contained sexual messages and a conviction for outraging public decency after masturbating on a public bus.

In mitigation Helen Randall said there were initial concerns about her client's fitness to plea but after a psychiatric report found he was fit to plea he pleaded guilty to the offences. She said the defendant had a "difficult and abusive upbringing" and had poor mental and psychiatric health as well as learning difficulties.

Sentencing, the Recorder of Cardiff Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said there was a "significant risk" of Havard committing "contact sexual offences" in the future. She sentenced the defendant to four years imprisonment with an extended licence period of two years. He will serve two-thirds of the custodial period before he can be considered for release. Havard was made subject to sex offender notification requirements and a sexual harm prevention order for life.

Description

A child rapist has been jailed for 15 years after he was convicted of sex assaults on children under the age of 13-years-old. He was also convicted of sexual assaults by penetration and causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Daniel Atkins, 33, of Bridgend, committed the most recent of his offence in 2022 but investigations into those crimes revealed the abuse had been ongoing for six years.

A report was made to police and the defendant was arrested on May 7 last year. Atkins, of Clos Chwarel, Wildmill, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday and received a sentence of 15 years imprisonment and was ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

Following the hearing, detective constable Leah Fox said: “I want to pay tribute to the extreme bravery of the victims during the investigation. Their courage in reporting this sickening abuse to the police resulted in the conviction and lengthy sentence for Atkins.

“We also encourage any other complainants to come forward and report offences that may have been committed against them.

“Violence against women and girls is one of South Wales Police’s main priorities and this investigation highlights our commitment to securing convictions for such offences.”

Description

A man attempted to rape a young woman at a party then tried to paint her as a liar. Joshua Harries' victim was left so traumatised by the attack that she barely left her home for weeks afterwards.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Harries was sober when he targeted the woman, who had been drinking. The judge, Recorder Greg Bull KC, said: "She became extremely tired and in my judgement she became drunk... He took advantage of her knowing she was more or less helpless."

Harries, then 23, took the woman to a bedroom, removed all of her clothes and sexually assaulted her. The woman later described a feeling of "freezing up". Harries thought she was asleep as he then attempted to rape her, but she resisted and prevented the rape, the court heard.

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He pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and attempted rape but was convicted by a jury. During the 25-year-old's sentencing hearing, prosecutor Ffion Thomas read a harrowing statement from the victim. "I felt completely helpless," the statement read. "He made me feel degraded, like I was just an object. He took away my power to speak or fight back. I blamed my own body for freezing up. Even when I made it clear I was not consenting, he continued.

"Having to undress in front of officers to get swabs for evidence, I felt even more degraded. For weeks after, I went into a depression. I struggled to leave the same spot on the sofa. I rarely left the house unless I was with someone and it was in daylight hours. I was scared if anyone saw me.

"I am now very wary of every single person I'm around and this heightens my anxiety. I've attempted to get therapy. Because of court delays, and not being able to give evidence for so long, my mental health has been highly impacted due to a lack of support. If [Harries] had admitted what he'd done to me in the first place I wouldn't have had to face the trauma of reliving that night in front of a courtroom of strangers.

"Knowing how few sex offences get to court and convicted, I now feel a sense of relief. All I wanted was for someone to listen to me and know what he did was wrong... I can now begin the healing process."

Harries, of Berw Road, Tonypandy, has one other conviction, for drink-driving last year. Beth Evans, mitigating, said that offence happened because he was struggling with the "stress" of the attempted rape and sexual assault allegations.

Ms Evans added that since the trial her client has apologised for the sexual offences. But the judge responded by pointing out Harries told lies to the jury by claiming innocence.

The defence counsel continued: "He has now been candid. He hasn't sought to minimise his actions to the probation service. It is unusual to see such frankness following a conviction after a trial. He understands that by having a trial, his actions were selfish."

She said there was a "totally different side" to Harries' character and that he still had the support of his mother, his partner, and his partner's parents. He has "always been in work", she told the court.

Recorder Bull told Harries: "Your crocodile tears to the probation officer cut little effect, I'm afraid, with me. [The victim] could have been prevented the trauma of waiting for the matter to come to court. You called on the expertise of a King's Counsel to cross-examine the complainant. That is your right and I do not hold it against you, but it shows the depths you were prepared to go to brand the victim a liar. Well, you failed."

The judge jailed Harries for five years and imposed a 10-year restraining order. He will be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.