MACLEAR DILLA FROM BETHESDA AND CHESTER FLEEING JUSTICE IN GWYNEDD JAILED IN HIS ABSENCE
In a case that has shocked the local communities of Bethesda, Chester, and Gwynedd, a man named Maclear Dilla, aged 40, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for serious sexual offenses committed against a young girl.The conviction was handed down by Mold Crown Court last month, but Dilla was not present in court to face his sentence as he had already fled the country, believed to have traveled to Africa to evade justice.
Details of the case reveal that Dilla, a former factory worker, engaged in criminal acts against a girl under the age of 16 during the years 2006 to 2008.
These offenses took place while he was residing in Bethesda, Gwynedd, and Chester.
The court heard that Dilla had pleaded guilty to one charge of kissing the girl but denied five other allegations, which included more serious accusations of sexual activity and having sex with a minor.
Prosecutor Anna Pope outlined the impact of Dilla’s actions on the victim, who has since grown into a young woman.
The victim described feeling “extremely paranoid” as a result of the abuse.
In her impact statement, she expressed her ongoing struggles with trust and safety around men, revealing that she often felt insecure in social situations.
She also conveyed feelings of shame for not resisting Dilla at the time, but has since come to understand that she was a child and not responsible for the actions of her abuser.
Judge Huw Rees addressed the court, noting that Dilla had entered the UK in the early 2000s to join his wife.
The judge emphasized that Dilla’s actions did not involve violent coercion but were indicative of grooming—a calculated process of manipulation used to exploit a vulnerable minor.
The judge described Dilla’s conduct as “a classic case of grooming,” where he used the girl “as a vehicle for his sexual lust.” In his sentencing remarks, Judge Rees characterized the abuse as “a serious set of sexual offenses over a period of two or three years.” As part of the court’s decision, indefinite sexual harm prevention orders and reporting restrictions were imposed to protect the victim and prevent further offenses.
Additionally, a warrant for Dilla’s arrest has been issued by the Crown Court, as he remains at large, having fled the jurisdiction to avoid sentencing and accountability for his crimes.
