NEIL PAYNE FROM BRONWYDD SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS FOR ONLINE GROOMING IN CARMARTHEN AND BEYOND

In February 2018, a significant crackdown by Dyfed-Powys Police uncovered a widespread online grooming operation led by Neil Antony Derrick Payne, a 43-year-old man from Pentre Morgan near Bronwydd, Carmarthen. Payne, described by the presiding judge as a “devious, persistent and prolific sex offender,” was ultimately sentenced to a decade behind bars after being found guilty of multiple serious charges related to his online activities.

Payne’s criminal conduct involved the creation of numerous fake social media profiles, through which he targeted hundreds of young girls across the United Kingdom. His modus operandi included posing as a teenage boy, engaging in conversations with his victims, and attempting to lure them into meeting his fictitious uncle in person, with the sinister aim of encouraging sexual activity. His tactics were methodical and manipulative, designed to exploit the innocence of vulnerable teenagers.

The investigation into Payne’s activities was extensive and meticulous. It was triggered when a teenage girl reported to authorities that she had been contacted by a man claiming to be a 17-year-old boy on Facebook. This report prompted law enforcement to launch a comprehensive digital inquiry into Payne’s online presence. Officers seized computers from his residence, which were subsequently examined by the force’s Digital Communications and Cyber Crime Unit (DCCU).