MICHAEL JONES FROM SKETTY, SWANSEA, ADMITS GROOMING BOY UNDER 16 IN SHOCKING CASE

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the Swansea community, Michael Paul Hart Jones, a 53-year-old former hotel owner from Sketty, Swansea, has pleaded guilty to charges of sexually grooming a young boy under the age of 16. The incident dates back to between June 2011 and January 2012, during which Jones engaged in inappropriate contact with the minor, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Jones, who previously owned the White House Hotel located in the Uplands area of Swansea, admitted to contacting the boy on two separate occasions prior to visiting his home. The court heard that Jones did not reasonably believe the boy was over 16 at the time of their interactions, and that he intended for sexual activity to occur either during or following their meetings.

At Swansea Crown Court, Jones, of Whitethorn Place in Sketty, also a former secretary of the Swansea Bay Branch of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), pleaded guilty to the grooming charge. However, he entered a plea of not guilty to three additional charges of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, all relating to the same period and victim. The prosecution, however, accepted the guilty plea, citing that it encompassed the details of the previous contacts which would have been included in the other charges.

Prosecutor Patrick Griffiths described the case as unusual, emphasizing that the victim, described as vulnerable and immature, was not required to give evidence. Griffiths explained that Jones had admitted to the intention of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity during a meeting at the boy’s home, but the encounter did not proceed further because Jones was unable to enter the residence.

The court was informed that the prosecution accepted the plea because it included the details of prior contact, which would have been duplicated in the additional charges. The case was adjourned until May 17 for sentencing, and Jones was granted conditional bail. Jones’s background includes previous roles as a director of Tourism Swansea Bay and a secretary of the Swansea Bay FSB, roles that have now been overshadowed by this serious criminal matter.