ANDREW PARRY FROM BLAINA SENTENCED IN NEWPORT FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING PAEDOPHILE HUNTERS

In a significant case that highlights the ongoing efforts to combat online child exploitation, Andrew Parry, a resident of Surgery Road Bungalows in Blaina, was sentenced to prison after being caught in a sting operation conducted by paedophile hunting groups. The incident unfolded in early 2018, culminating in a court appearance at Newport Crown Court on January 5, where Parry pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

According to court reports, the charges stemmed from messages exchanged with decoys representing underage girls on a dating application. These decoys were part of two separate paedophile hunting groups, and the interactions took place over a period spanning October and November of the previous year. The first set of messages involved an 11-year-old girl, referred to as ‘Jenny,’ with whom Parry communicated between October 31 and November 22. Unbeknownst to him, he was actually speaking to a member of the group Stand Together 4 Our Kids, who was operating undercover.

During these exchanges, Parry made sexually suggestive remarks, asked Jenny to send photographs, and called her a “sexy girl,” which prosecutors described as highly inappropriate and indicative of his intentions. The court heard that he also made explicit comments and sought to engage the girl in sexual activity, despite her being only 11 years old. The evidence presented showed that Parry’s language and requests were clearly of a sexual nature, raising serious concerns about his intentions.

In addition to this, Parry engaged in further communication with another decoy, ‘Melissa,’ who was portrayed as a 14-year-old girl and was part of the Children’s Angel Group. These interactions occurred during October and November, where Parry sent her sexually explicit messages, shared an explicit photograph of himself, and asked her to run away with him. He also suggested that she tell her ‘parents’ she was staying at a friend’s house, further indicating his attempt to manipulate and exploit the situation.

His actions came to light in November when members of Stand Together 4 Our Kids confronted him while he was on his mobility scooter. During this confrontation, Parry made admissions to the camera, which led to his subsequent arrest by Gwent Police. The authorities confirmed that there was no evidence to suggest Parry was planning to meet either of the decoys in person, and he had no prior convictions related to sex offences.

Judge Jeremy Jenkins acknowledged the guilty pleas and noted that Parry was to some extent vulnerable, but emphasized that the severity of the offences warranted a custodial sentence. The judge also pointed out that the offences were serious enough to justify immediate custody, reflecting the gravity of attempting to exploit minors online.

As a result, Andrew Parry was sentenced to two years and 24 weeks in prison. Additionally, he was placed under a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and will be listed on the sexual offenders register for a decade. This case underscores the importance of vigilance and the ongoing efforts by law enforcement and community groups to protect children from online predators.