A LLANELLI man received eighteen months’ imprisonment after being caught by a Police sting operation aimed at child molesters.
Mark Richards, of Stafford Street, was picked up at Carmarthen Railway Station by officers from Dyfed-Powys Police on July 10 this year.
Richards had chatted online to what he believed was a 13-year-old girl.
Instead, the girl was an officer working in Operation Harrier, an investigation into online child sexual exploitation.
When searched by Police, the paedophile was found in possession of condoms and lube.
Appearing at Swansea Crown Court last week, Richards entered guilty pleas for offences relating to attempting to ‘groom’ a child under the age of 16 for sexual purposes.
Prosecution barrister Carina Hughes told the Court that Operation Harrier concerned officers posing as children and chatting online with suspected sexual offenders.
After initiating contact in an online chatroom with the undercover officer, Richards moved the conversation on to an increasingly sexualised tone and was not deterred when the ‘girl’ told him she was only thirteen years old.
As the conversations became increasingly explicit, the pair continued to exchange messages via other social media platforms.
Matters came to a head when Richards gave the supposed 13-year-old his 20-year-old daughter’s mobile number and arranged to meet at Carmarthen’s railway station.
Waiting police officers arrested him shortly after he arrived.
In an interview with the Police, Richards declined to answer any questions. However, his daughter told officers of her father’s ‘abnormal sexual behaviour’.
Defending barrister John Hipkin said that ‘nothing could ever excuse’ Richards’ conduct and that the sole mitigation for his client was the guilty plea entered at the first opportunity.
Sentencing Richards, Judge Huw Rees referred to the methodical way that Richards had prepared for what he believed would be sexual activity with a child. He noted that it was a significant aggravating factor that when he believed his potential victim was thirteen, he was even more encouraged to proceed.
A probation report said Richards posed a high risk of serious harm to children aged between 12 and 16.
Handing down a sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment, HHJ Rees gave Richards credit for his early guilty plea.
The paedophile will serve half his sentence in custody while the remainder will be on licence.
Richards also received a sexual harm prevention order to limit internet access and contact with children. He will also spend ten years on the sex offender register.
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