CALEB COURTMAN SHOCKS CARDIFF AND TREBOETH WITH HORRIFIC SEX OFFENCES AGAINST YOUNG GIRLS

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Cardiff and Treboeth, Caleb Courtman, a 20-year-old man, has been convicted of a series of heinous crimes involving the exploitation and abuse of young girls. The offences, which span over many months, include a wide range of sexually predatory behaviors that have caused immense pain and suffering to his victims.

Details of the case emerged during a court hearing at Swansea Crown Court, where Judge Paul Thomas KC described the case as 'quite exceptional' due to the scale and depravity of Courtman's actions. The judge emphasized that Courtman was a 'deeply entrenched paedophile' who posed an 'exceptionally high risk of serious harm' to young girls in the future. The court heard that the defendant had engaged in sexually explicit conversations with dozens of minors across the UK, primarily through social media platforms such as the Wink app.

Prosecutor Dyfed Thomas outlined how Courtman had sent explicit photographs of himself, including images of his erect penis, and had pressured the young girls into performing sex acts on camera. He used threats and blackmail to coerce victims into sending further explicit images and videos, often threatening to publish their images or harm their families if they refused. Many of these victims were as young as 12 or 13 years old. Courtman also attempted to lure children to his home in Swansea, inviting them for sexual encounters.

Further investigations revealed that Courtman had a disturbing obsession with the topic of rape. He persistently questioned the girls about whether they had been raped and expressed a desire to commit such acts himself. Police uncovered more than 2,000 indecent images and videos on his devices, depicting children as young as two years old being sexually abused and raped by adults, some of whom wore distinctive black balaclavas with white skull motifs.

In addition to the online abuse, police found photographs of young girls in their back gardens, taken covertly while Courtman was living in Cardiff. His internet history showed searches related to incest, rape, babysitting, and nannying jobs, as well as visits to school websites and Facebook pages in the Swansea area. Detectives also discovered WhatsApp conversations with other paedophiles discussing rape and related crimes.

During the court proceedings, a mother of one of the victims delivered an emotional statement, describing the profound pain and distress caused by Courtman's actions. She expressed her hope that her daughter would one day find happiness again after having her innocence stolen.

Caleb Courtman, of Davies Row, Treboeth, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to 35 charges, including engaging in sexual communications with a child, inciting and causing sexual activity, possession of indecent images across categories A, B, and C, distribution of indecent images, voyeurism, and blackmail. An additional 98 offences were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Judge Thomas sentenced Courtman to an extended 24-year term, recognizing the severity and depravity of his crimes. The sentence comprises 16 years in custody, followed by an eight-year extended license period. The judge highlighted that Courtman would be required to serve at least two-thirds of his custodial sentence before being eligible for parole, and he will be registered as a sex offender for life. The court made it clear that had Courtman not been stopped, he would likely have committed physical contact offences involving children in the future.