DARRYL GIBBS FROM LLANDYSUL ESCAPES JAIL AFTER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE IN SWANSEA

In March 2004, a significant legal case unfolded involving Reverend Darryl Gibbs, a clergyman with ties to Llandysul, who found himself at the center of a child pornography investigation in Swansea. The court proceedings revealed that Gibbs, aged 31 at the time, had accessed and downloaded indecent images of boys under the age of 16 from the internet, a revelation that shocked the local community and raised serious concerns about the conduct of individuals in positions of moral authority.

Gibbs had previously served as a curate in Llandysul and also held the position of chaplain at the Carmarthenshire College of Technology and Art. His involvement in the case came to light after an allegation was made against him. However, the initial claim was ultimately found to be unfounded. Despite this, police conducted a thorough investigation of his personal computer's hard drives, which uncovered two indecent images depicting young boys.

During police interviews, Gibbs explained that he had visited homosexual websites but insisted he had not intentionally searched for images of minors. He claimed that one of the images appeared on his computer by accident, while the other was sent to him via email from a man he communicated with in a gay chatroom. Gibbs acknowledged the possession of these images, admitting to two offences of making an indecent image.

The case was heard at Swansea Crown Court, where Judge Michael Burr addressed the court and the defendant. The judge acknowledged that Gibbs had already faced significant personal consequences, including his resignation from his clerical duties. He emphasized that Gibbs had suffered 'dreadful consequences' as a result of his actions, which served as a stark reminder of the risks associated with individuals in religious or community leadership roles becoming involved in such activities.

Despite the seriousness of the offences, Judge Burr noted that the number of images was low and classified the images within the lowest category of indecency. As a result, Gibbs was not required to register as a sex offender with the police. Instead, he was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to contribute £250 towards prosecution costs, effectively avoiding jail time but facing ongoing social and legal repercussions for his actions.