MAN SENTENCED FOR ATTEMPTED SEXUAL COMMUNICATION WITH A CHILD
Huw Richards, 40, of Cilfynydd, has been sentenced to one year and two months in prison following his conviction for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.The sentence includes a sexual harm prevention order has been imposed on him for the next 10 years.
The sentencing was carried out at Merthyr Crown Court on February 5, 2026, with Richards being convicted after pleading not guilty at a prior hearing on July 21, 2025.
The case was uncovered after an online child protection organization reported Richards to the police on June 22, 2025.
Officers located him outside his home at approximately 3:05 pm; he showed cooperation and compliance during their engagement.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Richards had taken part in inappropriate online exchanges with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl.
This was with a social media account created by the online child protection group.
Starting on June 11, 2025, Richards sent a friend request and engaged in messaging that involved asking for explicit photos and participating in sexually suggestive dialogue.
His actions grew more disturbing as he requested pictures of the girl wearing her school uniform and sent explicit images himself, including a photo of an escort magazine cover that he claimed featured indecent images.
He also made explicit comments about sexual acts, clearly aiming to exploit and manipulate what he thought was a minor.
