MILKMAN AVOIDS JAIL AFTER CHILD SEX CHAT AND BREACHES COURT ORDERS
A milkman from Porthcawl named Stephen Ricketts has avoided immediate jail after engaging in online chats with a decoy account pretending to be a 13-year-old.During the exchanges, Ricketts sent a photograph of his genitals and requested explicit images from the apparent minor.
He was sentenced in June 2023 by Cardiff Crown Court to eight months in prison, suspended for 24 months, after admitting to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.
His sentencing included a prohibition on deleting his internet history, but police later discovered he was using an unregistered mobile phone at his home, which he had not disclosed, and had temporarily lost possession of his initial phone after a car accident.
The police found no internet history on the device, as Ricketts claimed he used a voice control feature.
Additionally, he failed to register a new phone with police and was a month late in updating other required details, breaching his notification order.
Ricketts, aged 54, was also assessed as high risk for harm to children and had a history of attempting to deceive professionals.
His defence argued that the breaches were due to poor organization and emotional instability, not criminal intent, emphasizing his vulnerability and social isolation.
Despite this, the judge activated more of his suspended sentence, resulting in a total of 14 months imprisonment, citing concerns about ongoing breaches and risks to children.
He was also noted to face impact on his children, though they are estranged.
The court acknowledged his medical issues, recent acknowledgment of trauma, and efforts to comply with probation, but emphasized the high risk posed by his behaviour and past history.
