ARFON GRIFFITHS CAUGHT IN LLANDUDNO FOR GROOMING SCHOOLGIRLS ON FACEBOOK

In October 2013, a disturbing case emerged involving a man from Llandudno who used social media to target vulnerable young girls. Arfon Roberts Griffiths, aged 34, engaged in a calculated scheme to pose as a teenage boy on Facebook, aiming to establish contact with schoolgirls and manipulate them into engaging in inappropriate conversations.

Griffiths, a father of two with no prior criminal record, systematically groomed these girls by encouraging them to talk explicitly, including discussions that involved sexual content. On two separate occasions, he arranged to meet with the girls in person, although these meetings never materialized. Despite the meetings not occurring, Griffiths admitted that his intention was to indulge in sexual acts if the opportunity had arisen.

The court proceedings, held at Mold Crown Court, revealed that Griffiths posed a significant threat to the safety of young girls. He was convicted of two specimen charges of inciting schoolgirls aged 13 and 14 to partake in sexual activities between January and August of that year. The court heard that Griffiths had maintained Facebook contact with approximately 40 girls, highlighting the extent of his online predatory behavior.

As part of his sentencing, Griffiths was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. The judge, Mr. Recorder John Philpotts, emphasized that although Griffiths had not physically met the girls, his actions demonstrated a clear intent to engage in sexual acts with minors if given the chance. "But I am satisfied that if presented with the opportunity, you would have engaged in sexual acts, including intercourse," the judge stated.

Mr. Philpotts further described Griffiths as a high-risk individual, citing a pre-sentence report that indicated a significant likelihood of re-offending and potential for serious harm. The court detailed how Griffiths initially contacted a 13-year-old girl, posing as a 17-year-old on Facebook. Their conversations took a sinister turn when he inquired about her clothing, underwear, and requested photographs. He expressed a desire to do sexual things to her, obtained her mobile number, and asked to meet her, all while lying about his age.

When the girl discovered his true age, she called him a paedophile and severed all contact. Griffiths then targeted a 14-year-old girl, again requesting to meet and asking for explicit images, even attempting to persuade her to engage in sexual acts. He also tried to involve her in a disturbing request to have her touch her younger cousin sexually, which she refused.

It was noted that Griffiths did not initially have a profile picture on Facebook, but when he eventually uploaded one, the first girl recognized him as being "really old, like my dad." During his interactions with the second girl, he falsely claimed to have been involved in sexual activities with very young children he claimed to have babysat, specifically mentioning girls aged five and six, and asked her to have sex with him.

After the second girl blocked him, Griffiths sent her a message expressing that he was crying and upset. During police interviews, he claimed to be the father of two young children, aged one and three, with whom he had no contact. When arrested, he became visibly agitated but expressed remorse, stating, "I don’t want to be like this. I have two children of my own and I would kill anyone who tried to do anything like this to my children."

To prevent further misuse of the internet and protect potential victims, the court imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order on Griffiths. This order restricts his online activity and prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with young girls, aiming to mitigate the risk he poses to the community of Llandudno and beyond.