HE CATFISHED TEEN GIRLS ONLINE TO SEND SEXUAL IMAGES THEN BLACKMAILED THEM
A committed paedophile "catfished" young girls by pretending to be a teenager in order to gain indecent images of them engaging in sexual activity.He would then distribute the images to other paedophiles over social media, and used the images to blackmail his victims into sending more videos of themselves.
Rowan Barnett-Davies, 24, of Hirwaun, was a prolific paedophile, having contacted more than 20 girls as young as 11, to pressure them into sending images and videos of themselves posing naked or performing sexual acts.
He did this while pretending to be a 15-year-old boy, using a photograph of a real teenager to trick the girls.
A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court heard police received intelligence that the defendant was in possession of child sexual abuse material, including over 2,000 images, and had been in contact with teenage girls online, even paying money to them.
The police investigation was time-consuming and logistically difficult.
Police first attended his home on December 21 last year, seizing electronic devices.
He responded "I'm f*****" upon arrest.
A significant amount of material of underage children engaging in sexual activity was found.
During police interview, Barnett-Davies stated he used "X-recorder" to screen record videos sent on Snapchat, which are normally deleted after viewing.
He claimed he was speaking to children because he was "lonely" and wanted attention, although he said he was "not interested in children" but "liked pretty girls".
Victims included young girls performing sexual acts or posing in underwear, with Barnett-Davies sending videos of himself masturbating, asking to meet children, offering gifts, and using derogatory language.
He contacted around 120 girls across the UK, and police found it difficult to investigate.
Police found evidence of blackmail, manipulation, and sharing of indecent images.
Barnett-Davies also sought images of a 6-year-old girl.
He pleaded guilty to 21 counts of causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, three counts of sexual communication with a child, 11 counts of distributing indecent images, and seven counts of possessing indecent, prohibited, and extreme images.
The court heard he was of previous good character.
Victims and their mothers expressed feelings of betrayal, shame, and trauma.
Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams stated Barnett-Davies had a deep-rooted sexual interest in young girls, exploiting their vulnerabilities for years, causing unending harm.
He was sentenced to eight years in prison with a four-year extended licence, and he was made subject to indefinite sex offender notification requirements, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and 15-year restraining orders.
