August 2019

Judge slams North Wales Police child sex abuse charge delay

A judge has criticised a police force for taking 18 months to charge a man who has since admitted sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl.

Michael David Jones, now 32, was jailed for three years and four months at Caernarfon Crown Court on Monday.

North Wales Police had interviewed Jones about the allegations in November 2017, but did not charge him until May this year, a delay Judge Huw Rees called “inexcusable”.

The force has been asked to comment.

The court heard Jones, of Dwyran, Anglesey, picked up the vulnerable girl and drove her to Caernarfon, where he performed a sex act on her in the back of his car.

Police examined the girl’s mobile phone and found a conversation with Jones – who was 30 at the time – in which she made clear she was 14.

Giving a statement from behind a screen, the girl, who is now 16, claimed it had ruined her life and caused her to her self harm.

“You were the adult – she was the child,” Judge Rees told Jones.

Defence counsel Elen Owen said Jones was a hard-working plant operator with a young son.

His relationship with his partner had broken down and he had lost his home because of what had happened, Ms Owen added.

Jones was also made the subject of indefinite sexual harm prevention and sex offenders’ orders.

June 2019

Man who failed to tell police he had a smart TV is jailed

A man who failed to disclose his smart TV to police monitoring him has been jailed for six months.

It put Colin Parry, 55, of Gilbert Street, Holyhead, in breach of a sexual harm prevention order.

Caernarfon Crown Court judge, Recorder John Philpotts, said police visited Parry’s Anglesey home because a probation officer was worried about his drinking and internet use and he deliberately “misled” them.

The judge told Parry, who admitted the offence: “The game is now up for you. You have had too many chances. I have a public duty to deter others like you from breaching these orders.”

Prosecuting counsel Jemma Gordon said in 2016 Parry received a community order and sexual harm prevention order because of indecent images.

May 2019

Unmasked – the ‘depraved’ Anglesey paedophile who watched video of toddler being violently tortured

A webcam pervert who had a “depraved and highly disturbing” sexual interest in children has been put behind bars.

February 2019

16 months jail term after serial sex offender’s efforts to befriend female Menai Bridge neighbour

A WOMAN who moved into a flat after living in a refuge was afraid to return home following a serial sex offender and neighbour’s efforts to befriend her, Caernarfon Crown Court heard.

David Pritchard, aged 54, of Hill Street, Menai Bridge, Anglesey, appeared to follow her, knocked on her door repeatedly, had a large bunch of flowers delivered to her and wanted the 47-year-old mum to look in his bedroom where he had posters of scantily-clad girls.

Prosecutor Jo Maxwell said the woman had a panic attack and suffered post-traumatic stress. Pritchard’s behaviour “profoundly” affected her mental health.

Pritchard admitted breaching a sexual offences prevention order by distressing the woman. He had previous convictions for indecent assault and breaching the order.

Dafydd Roberts, defending, said: “What he says is he didn’t intend to cause her alarm or distress. He wanted to befriend her.” At first the victim thought it was good neighbourly behaviour.

Mr Roberts said Pritchard had been offence-free for seven years.

Imposing a 16 months jail term, Judge Huw Rees said the woman was “vulnerable”. Pritchard’s behaviour became “unsettling and personally intrusive.”