MAN RECRUITED MALE PROSTITUTES FROM BRAZIL TO EXPLOIT IN CARDIFF
A man in Cardiff operated a massage parlour where he used a dating app to enlist men from abroad, mainly from Ukraine and Brazil, to act as prostitutes.He kept half of their earnings as commission.
The individual, aged 61, Dafydd Evans, amassed around £40,000 from this illegal activity, which he cloaked under the guise of a legitimate business.
His method involved contacting vulnerable men on Grindr and employing them at his premises, thereby exploiting their situation for financial gain.
At a court hearing in Merthyr Tydfil, evidence demonstrated that Evans advertised sexual services and massages online, providing details including pricing and available acts.
He supplied the venue and essentials such as condoms and lubricants for sexual encounters.
Financial transactions were conducted through bank accounts registered to Evans, associated with businesses called "StickyBirds.com" and "Adore Vanilla." Prosecutors revealed Evans had plans to travel to Turkey before his arrest, intending to meet young boys.
The judge commented that this conduct indicated a predatory character.
Evans, of The Hayes, Cathays, faced charges including controlling prostitution for profit, possession of indecent images, and possession of criminal property.
He had a previous conviction related to causing death by dangerous driving.
During mitigation, his defence barrister Alice Sykes mentioned that Evans had become a mentor in prison, assisting fellow inmates with literacy and earning recognition as a "Welsh champion." Judge Jenkins concluded that the jury was not deceived by Evans’s false front, describing it as a "thin veneer of lies." Evans was sentenced to 45 months in prison and was also subjected to sex offender notification requirements and a decade-long Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Paedophile who ran prostitution racket from luxury Cardiff apartment is jailed A man from Cardiff has been sentenced to prison after using his upscale city centre apartment as a base for facilitating young male prostitution, which brought him in tens of thousands of pounds.
Dafydd Evans, residing at the Hayes Apartments in Cardiff, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, December 22.
A jury convicted him of controlling prostitution for profit, possessing indecent images of children, and illegally acquiring money.
His activities came to light after a man from Turkey contacted the Modern Slavery Helpline.
This individual had connected with Evans through a website designed to link travelers with accommodation options.
Following the contact, the whistleblower grew suspicious and disturbed by Evans’ online disclosures.
A crucial part of the police investigation was Evans' admission that he operated a massage business in Cardiff city centre, providing detailed information including a map location and images of the entrance and foyer of the Hayes Apartments where he lived.
When police officers executed arrest enquiries on July 3, 2023, Evans was home.
Inside, they found a massage bed, sex-related items such as condoms and lubricants, and boys' underwear.
They also seized a card payment terminal from the flat.
Multiple mobile phones were recovered from the bed and sent for forensic analysis.
The devices contained substantial evidence of criminal activity, including WhatsApp messages showing Evans’ involvement with child abuse material and abuse allegations.
Communications also revealed he offered sexual services to young men working for him and expressed willingness to travel internationally to meet clients.
Financial records indicated he might have earned approximately £40,000 from his illegal activities.
Initially, Evans was released on bail with restrictions, including prohibitions against having visitors at his flat.
However, he violated these conditions during bail checks, fled police custody, and was subsequently detained at a hotel.
He was later remanded into custody.
After a trial that concluded on December 20, Evans was convicted of controlling prostitution, acquiring criminal property, and possessing indecent images of children (categories A and C).
On December 22, he was sentenced to 45 months in prison at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.
Detective Constable Robyn Allen commented: “Dafydd Evans is a calculated paedophile who made thousands of pounds operating his sordid enterprise from a luxury Cardiff City Centre apartment.”
