DAVID REES FROM SOLVA CAUGHT TRYING TO MEET 14-YEAR-OLD BOY IN DERBYSHIRE

In June 2021, a disturbing incident unfolded involving David Rees, a 37-year-old man from Solva, who was caught attempting to meet a minor for sexual activity after engaging in online grooming. Rees had been using the popular gay dating app Grindr under the pseudonym “Kinky Top” to connect with other men, including a decoy posing as a 14-year-old boy named “Kai”.

According to court proceedings, Rees had arranged to meet “Kai” at a McDonald’s in Alfreton, Derbyshire, where he was waiting in his lorry on January 10 of the previous year. Unbeknownst to him, police officers had been monitoring the online conversations and arrested him at the scene. Prosecutor Jeremy Janes outlined that Rees used Grindr to meet other gay men casually, but his intentions with “Kai” were far more sinister.

During their online exchanges, when “Kai” disclosed his age as 14, Rees was reportedly unshaken by this fact. Mr. Janes detailed how Rees made suggestive comments, including references to “sucking a lollipop” and advised the decoy to “brush his teeth and tongue well,” implying a sexual context. Rees claimed that he was aware the profile was false and that his primary goal was to offer “wise advice” and send the boy on his way. However, this explanation did little to mitigate the seriousness of his actions, especially considering that Rees had previously admitted to attempting to meet a child under 16 following grooming behavior.

In a court hearing, Recorder Balraj Bhatia QC emphasized the gravity of Rees’s conduct. He stated, “You know what you did — you went on the internet, you pursued it and you pursued it over a relatively short period of time but it was with a view to meeting someone of tender years.” The judge pointed out that the conversations indicated clear sexual grooming, which is a very serious offense.

Rees was sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years. In addition to the custodial sentence, he was ordered to complete 55 days of rehabilitation activities, perform 150 hours of unpaid work, and was placed under police supervision. Furthermore, he was subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and ordered to pay £500 in court costs.

Earlier in April 2021, Rees had traveled from his home in South Wales to Derbyshire with the apparent intent of meeting the teenage boy he believed he was grooming. Instead, he encountered a group of self-styled paedophile hunters who had set up the decoy account. Rees pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming during a hearing at Derby Crown Court, where he appeared via a video link from his residence at Middle Hill to Junction U3025, Solva, near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. He denied a second charge of attempting to communicate with a child for sexual gratification, which the prosecution chose to leave on file.

The court was informed that the incident took place on January 10, and the sentencing was scheduled for May 25. Judge Shaun Smith QC advised Rees that he would need to appear in person for the sentencing hearing and ordered a pre-sentence report, warning that custody remained a possible outcome. Rees was granted conditional bail until the sentencing date, but the case underscores the ongoing efforts to combat online grooming and protect vulnerable minors from predatory behavior.