MAN LINKED TO CHILD SEX OFFENCES REFUSES TO REVEAL PIN CODES IN COURT
A man whose phone was linked to sexual messages sent to primary school-aged girls refused to give police the PINs for his devices, a court has heard.A judge said he had no doubt there was "material of whatever nature" on the defendant's phone which he did not want the police to see but said he wanted to make it clear that he was only passing sentence for the refusal to reveal the access codes.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/all-about/swansea-crown-court) police still have possession of the devices and are making attempts to get into them "by other means".
Emily Bennett, prosecuting, told the court that in 2023 staff at a primary school in Bedfordshire raised concerns about two 10-year-old girls who had been in contact with an unknown person on the Omegel social media app and who had been asked for indecent images.
Police were notified, leading to identifying a device and an address linked to Carwyn Morgan in Carmarthenshire.
Bedfordshire Police contacted the Dyfed-Powys force.
The court heard Morgan was interviewed in December 2023 and denied sending messages or making requests for images to the girls, claiming no sexual interest in children.
When asked to provide PINs for his devices, he shook his head.
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In September last year, police issued Morgan with a section-49 notice to provide access codes or keys.
He responded via his solicitors, saying he could not recall the PINs.
During a police station visit in July, he attended to attempt facial recognition access but was unable to open the devices due to being locked.
Morgan, of Bridge Street, Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a s49 notice under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
He has no previous convictions.
Defense lawyer David Singh stated that there was a "clear link" between Morgan's devices and those used to contact the girls in Bedfordshire, but Morgan claimed he had not sent any messages or made any requests.
He is a hard-working man undertaking a mechanical engineering apprenticeship and is fit to do community work if appropriate.
Judge Thomas emphasized that he was only sentencing for Morgan's refusal to provide PINs, noting the presence of "material of whatever nature" on his phone that police could access once available.
Morgan received a six-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months, with an order to complete mental health treatment, a rehabilitation program, and 200 hours of unpaid community work.
