PAUL ELLIS FROM BANGOR AND DENBIGH JAILED OVER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND SEX OFFENCES

In a case that has shocked the communities of Bangor and Denbigh, Paul Victor Ellis, aged 51, has been sentenced to a significant prison term after a series of serious breaches of his previous sexual offences order and the discovery of disturbing online activity involving indecent images of children.

Ellis, who previously served time for sexual offences committed against boys between 1987 and 2005, was convicted in 2006 of multiple crimes including tying up young boys and forcing them to wear bondage masks during his tenure as a Scout master. His initial sentence was two years in prison, of which he served nine months, and he was placed under a sexual offences prevention order designed to restrict his activities and protect the public.

However, earlier this year, authorities uncovered that Ellis had violated three of the six conditions of his order. These breaches included having unsupervised contact with a child under 16, failing to inform police of his change of residence, and owning a computer device. The police investigation revealed that Ellis had illegally possessed a laptop, which he used to search online for terms such as “tied up boys” and “bound and gagged,” and visited websites strongly associated with child pornography.

Following his release from prison, Ellis, who had worked as an ambulance driver and volunteered with mountain rescue teams prior to his conviction, became involved with a woman and her young son. Prosecutor Matthew Curtis explained that Ellis developed a close relationship with the family and, in an unsettling development, gave the boy a bag of clothes that included a pair of white shorts—an item he reportedly has an obsession with. Several months later, Ellis questioned the mother about why her son had not worn the shorts, raising further concerns.

During the court hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court, the mother provided a victim impact statement, expressing her shock and confusion upon learning of Ellis’s previous conviction. When police seized and examined Ellis’s laptop in May, they discovered a disturbing collection of indecent images—76 in total—including two classified as Class A, the most severe category. The device also contained 14 indecent videos involving children.

Defence lawyer Elen Owen stated that Ellis had admitted his guilt at the earliest opportunity and emphasized that he was not considered a danger to children. She clarified that the mother was contacted through a third party and that there was no evidence to suggest Ellis had targeted her or the young boy in any inappropriate manner.

Judge Niclas Parry sentenced Ellis to 12 months for breaching his sexual offences order and an additional 10 months for possessing indecent images. The judge remarked that these breaches struck at the core purpose of the order and posed a risk to the young boy involved, especially since they occurred while Ellis was committing other sexual offences. Despite the seriousness of the breaches, Judge Parry stated that he no longer viewed Ellis as a “dangerous offender,” citing the passage of time and the fact that the offences were non-contact in nature.

Ellis’s criminal history also includes a 2006 conviction for seven sexual offences committed against boys in the Vale of Clwyd area. During that case, he admitted to organizing sleep-overs for cub scouts without informing his superiors and encouraging boys to wear white shorts, which he later videoed, sometimes without their knowledge. Police found recordings and images of the children, as well as footage of Ellis himself tied up. Judge David Hale sentenced him to two years in prison, banning him from working with children for life and requiring him to remain on the sex offenders’ register for ten years.

North Wales Police expressed their satisfaction with the sentences, emphasizing the importance of protecting children and the community from individuals who abuse their trust and position of authority.