CAERNARFON MAGISTRATES COURT REVIEWS CASE OF GERAINT ROWLANDS IN TYWYN

Police have been granted enhanced authority to monitor the internet activity of sex offenders. Caernarfon Magistrates Court was told it is "imperative" to take such measures to ensure public safety. Geraint Rowlands, 61, of Cleveland Avenue, Tywyn, had previously been convicted in 2017 for possessing indecent images and was subject to a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). Today, he admitted at Caernarfon Magistrates Court to breaching that order by expressing interest in six specific apps and websites—namely Chaturbate, Google Hangouts, MeWe, Trillian, Flickr, and Discord—between March 2, 2020, and June 18, 2021. Police lawyer Gareth Preston requested the court to vary the existing SHPO, allowing officers to install risk management monitoring software on Rowlands' devices if necessary. He emphasized that this measure was "imperative." Magistrates' chairman Julie Eddows approved the application. Prosecutor Nicola Williams informed the court that last year, police received information indicating an allegedly indecent image had been uploaded from a device linked to Rowlands’ address. On June 17, officers visited his home to examine his devices, and analysts discovered numerous searches and keywords suggesting a sexual interest in children on his mobile phone and laptop. It was noted that Rowlands used the persona "Carol" during these searches, a pattern consistent with prior behavior. Williams stated, "Despite previous rehabilitative efforts provided to the defendant, the offending continued." Following Rowlands' guilty pleas to breaching the order, the prosecution requested that the case be forwarded to Crown Court for sentencing. Chairwoman Ms. Eddows acknowledged that the magistrates' sentencing powers were insufficient and granted this request. The case was adjourned for a sentencing hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court on April 1, with Rowlands' unconditional bail extended.