DAVID WILLIAMS CAUGHT IN AMMANFORD FOR ONLINE SEX OFFENCES USING FAKE TEEN PROFILE

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Ammanford, authorities successfully apprehended David Williams after he engaged with what he believed was a 13-year-old girl online. The police had set up a covert operation by creating a fictitious social media profile under the alias “Lucy,” specifically designed to lure potential offenders into revealing their intentions.

Within just one week of initiating contact, Williams began to send increasingly explicit messages to the fake profile. He inquired about engaging in sexual activities, asked if he could see pictures of the girl’s genitals, and even requested photographs of her and her friends. Despite “Lucy” repeatedly informing him of her age, Williams persisted in his inappropriate and illegal communications, demonstrating a clear disregard for the warnings.

The investigation culminated in a police raid at Williams’s residence in Caecoed, Llandybie, near Ammanford. During the search, officers seized a computer that contained a disturbing collection of indecent images. The authorities discovered a total of 26 images depicting children in various states of sexual exploitation. Of these, six were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of indecency. Some images featured very young children, with at least one child appearing to be in distress, highlighting the disturbing nature of the material found.

At Swansea Crown Court, it was revealed that Williams had previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to his online activities. Specifically, he admitted to four counts of attempting to incite a minor under 16 to engage in sexual activity, as well as possessing 18 indecent images of children. The charges stemmed from the messages exchanged with the fake profile and the material discovered on his computer.

During the sentencing hearing, it was disclosed that Williams suffers from an autism spectrum disorder and also has dispraxia, a co-ordination disorder. Frank Phillips, representing Williams in mitigation, argued that the defendant’s actions were “totally out of character” and attributed some of his behavior to the psychological scars from his childhood. He emphasized that there was a connection between Williams’s autism and his offending, though the court clarified that autism was not an excuse for his conduct.

Judge Christopher Clee QC acknowledged the complexities of Williams’s diagnosis but emphasized that it did not justify his actions. Ultimately, Williams was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and was placed under a supervision order. Additionally, he was required to register as a sex offender for seven years and was subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for the same period, aiming to monitor and restrict his activities to prevent further offending.