MAN SENTENCED FOR ENGAGING IN SEXUAL COMMUNICATION WITH A CHILD ONLINE
Ieuan Watkins, a 53-year-old man from Melksham living on Coronation Road, has been sentenced after pleading guilty to attempting to communicate sexually with a minor and to indecent exposure.At Salisbury Crown Court, he received a ten-month prison sentence which was suspended for 18 months.
Between April and June 2021, Watkins used an online profile to carry out sexual conversations on three different occasions with someone he thought was a 12-year-old girl.
He asked the person to tell him to perform sexual acts, planning to record and share the footage with what he believed was a child.
He also sent videos of himself exposing his genitals.
Police linked the online credentials to Watkins and tracked his address.
They visited his home on September 11, 2021, leading to his arrest.
Along with the suspended sentence, Watkins is mandated to complete 80 hours of community service, register as a sex offender for seven years, and is under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Detective Sergeant Jason Walsh from Wiltshire Police’s Child Internet Exploitation Team stated: “This is a disturbing case in which Watkins admitted that he was of the understanding he was speaking to a 12-year-old girl online – the images and videos he sent are extremely concerning.
“This case highlights the proactive work that is constantly ongoing to identify offenders like Watkins who have the potential to cause harm within our communities.”
