MATTHEW HATFIELD NEW, BRYN-Y-BAAL PAEDOPHILE, SENTENCED IN MOULD

Matthew Hatfield, a resident of Bryn-y-Baal, has been sentenced to prison after police found 186 illegal images on his phone. The discovery was made during a routine inspection, where officers uncovered inappropriate photographs on Hatfield's device.

The 46-year-old admitted to breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) that was imposed in January 2019 following a previous offence. This order prohibited him from deleting his browsing history. Today at Mould Crown Court, Hatfield pleaded guilty to possessing explicit images of children dating from August 2021 to March 2023. He received an 18-month prison sentence for this offence, with an additional concurrent 12-month sentence for violating the SHPO.

Prosecutor Thomas McLoughlin explained that officers, including Police Constable Leanne Jones, visited Hatfield’s home on Ffordd Ogwen, Bryn-y-Baal, to carry out a routine check of his electronic devices. When asked about his phone, Hatfield claimed he could not remember where it was, despite it being found on a bookcase. The officer examined the device and noted the presence of cartoon images, which raised concern. The phone was seized, and forensic analysis revealed 186 images, mostly of girls aged between five and fourteen.

Additionally, investigators found that Hatfield had downloaded six mobile applications for cleaning equipment after August 2022. These apps apparently were used to delete some of the illicit data. Court evidence also showed that Hatfield had conducted internet searches related to certain activities. During police interviews, Hatfield admitted he was aware the images were illegal but suggested that he had not viewed them. He also stated that he conducted searches seemingly aimed at finding adult individuals, although images of younger people appeared.

Defence lawyer Ben Stanley highlighted that Hatfield suffers from learning disabilities, dyslexia, and Asperger’s syndrome. He also has Myotonic Dystrophy, a condition causing muscle weakness and cognitive issues, which worsens over generations. Hatfield has a pacemaker due to this condition.

The defendant lives with his parents, is unemployed, and reports experiencing social isolation. The court was told that despite knowing the serious consequences of his actions, Hatfield lacked full understanding of their severity, according to a probation assessment.

The magistrate, His Honour Timothy Petts, emphasized that Hatfield had violated the SHPO during a 2023 device inspection. The court ordered the confiscation of his phone and confirmed that upon release, Hatfield will remain subject to the terms of the SHPO and will also be required to follow sexual offender notification rules for the next ten years.