LEWIS WILLIAMS FROM BARRY ESCAPES PRISON AFTER BREACHING SEX OFFENDER ORDER IN CARDIFF

In October 2014, Lewis Rhys Williams, a 25-year-old registered sex offender from the Barry area, was involved in a legal case that drew significant attention. Williams was found to have violated a sexual offender’s prevention order, a legal restriction designed to prevent offenders from re-engaging in activities that could harm the public, particularly minors.

On the morning of October 24, at Cardiff Crown Court, Williams pleaded guilty to the breach. The court was informed that public protection officers had conducted a routine visit to his residence on September 16. During this visit, they discovered that Williams was residing in the same house as a person under the age of 18, which was a direct violation of the conditions set by his prevention order.

Williams cooperated fully with the officers and explained that the individual under 18 had been staying at his house for approximately three weeks, starting from August. This admission was taken into account during the court proceedings. His legal representative, Barrister Ruth Smith, argued that the breach was not of a malicious or sinister nature. She emphasized that Williams had been subject to a 10-year prevention order since 2008, and this incident marked his first breach of that order.

In her mitigation statement, Ruth Smith pointed out that the breach was of a different nature compared to cases where offenders intentionally seek proximity to children. She highlighted that Williams had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and described him as a young man who was hardworking and attempting to improve other aspects of his life.

Presiding over the case, Recorder Elwen Evans QC acknowledged that there was no evidence of malicious intent behind Williams’ actions. However, she stressed the importance of upholding the law and ensuring that breaches of such orders are taken seriously. The court sentenced Williams to six months in prison, but this sentence was suspended for 12 months, meaning he would not serve time unless he committed another offence within that period. Additionally, Williams was placed under a 12-month supervision order, requiring him to comply with certain conditions and regular check-ins with authorities.

During her sentencing remarks, Recorder Evans issued a stern warning that any future breaches would result in immediate imprisonment, underscoring the seriousness with which the court viewed violations of sex offender prevention orders.