RYAN WILLIAMS FROM CORNWALL SENTENCED AFTER ONLINE GROOMING INCIDENT NEAR ST COLUMB MAJOR

RYAN WILLIAMS FROM CORNWALL SENTENCED AFTER ONLINE GROOMING INCIDENT NEAR ST COLUMB MAJOR

Ryan Williams, a 36-year-old man from Llanelli, has narrowly avoided immediate imprisonment after breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) previously imposed for online grooming offences.

Williams, who resides on Trostre Road in Llanelli, was convicted in 2021 at Truro Crown Court following a sting operation by paedophile hunters, during which he admitted to attempting to meet a child under 16 in 2018.

The case involved Williams engaging in sexualised conversations over several months with a decoy profile created by the UK database team, which he believed belonged to a 13-year-old girl.

He sent explicit messages and nude images, and arranged to meet her in person, although he ultimately failed to do so as the decoy was a police setup.

Following his conviction, Williams was sentenced to a two-year prison term suspended for two years, alongside two community orders, including a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, registration as a sex offender for ten years, and a costs order.

The judge acknowledged his guilty plea and the seriousness of the offences, noting his profound deafness and social isolation but emphasising that these factors did not excuse his conduct.

In July 2026, Williams appeared before magistrates in Bath after breaching the conditions of his SHPO.

He admitted to deleting WhatsApp messages in violation of the order, using an unregistered iPad, and failing to inform police about a joint bank account within the required timeframe.

The breaches were considered serious, but the court decided not to impose immediate custodial sentences.

Instead, magistrates sentenced him to a 12-month jail term suspended for 24 months for the WhatsApp message breach, a concurrent suspended 12-month sentence for the iPad violation, and a six-month sentence for failing to notify authorities, also suspended for two years.

Williams was ordered to complete up to 20 days of rehabilitation, pay a surcharge, and cover CPS costs.

The court reiterated that the SHPO and notification obligations remain in effect, and any future breaches could result in immediate imprisonment.

This case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and online safety teams to combat online child exploitation and enforce court orders designed to protect minors from predators.

Williams’ case highlights the importance of compliance with court-imposed restrictions and the potential consequences of breaches, even when sentences are suspended.