Crime

Four years jail for sexually assaulting a young child and grooming others online

Published

12 months ago

June 26, 2025

A MAN from Cilgerran has been sentenced to prison after sexually assaulting a young child and grooming others online by offering money and gifts in return for explicit images.

Jake Roberts, 23, appeared at Swansea Crown Court, facing multiple charges related to sexual offences committed between the ages of 15 and 21.

Prosecutor Georgia Donohue explained to the court that Roberts had sexually assaulted a nine-year-old boy. The assault came to light after the child disclosed the abuse to his mother following concerns raised by another family member.

Roberts was also found to have targeted several children online, contacting them through various platforms and offering payment or gifts in exchange for explicit photos and videos.

One incident emerged when police officers visited a child’s home for an unrelated issue in September 2023. The child’s mother expressed concerns about suspicious transactions involving her son. She revealed her son had received money from an account linked to Roberts and had seen him filming himself in his underwear. The boy, then 14, believed he had been communicating with a girl named “Janet Roberts” on Snapchat, who had requested images of his feet. Investigations later revealed “Janet Roberts” to be Jake Roberts.

Roberts admitted to police that he had sent the teenager £320, as well as explicit photos and videos of himself. In exchange, he received indecent images and videos from the boy.

Ms Donohue further described how Roberts groomed another child he met online while gaming on Xbox in 2020. Roberts bought the boy games and requested explicit images in return, causing the victim to feel indebted. The abuse occurred over a three-year period, beginning when the victim was 13.

Roberts, who had no fixed address at the time of his arrest on January 10, pleaded guilty to multiple charges. These included sexual assault of a child, inciting sexual activity with a child, sexual activity in the presence of a child, causing a child to witness sexual acts, and several counts of sexual communication with minors.

The court heard Roberts had two previous convictions relating to five offences.

Defending Roberts, Ashanti-Jade Walton highlighted his early guilty pleas and expressed Roberts’ remorse. Walton pointed out the delay in proceedings and noted Roberts had voluntarily sought support to address his behaviour through the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, even selling his car to fund the sessions.

During sentencing, Judge Paul Thomas KC said: “Over a six-year period from age 15 to 21, you repeatedly engaged in sexual communications with multiple male children, routinely requesting sexual images in exchange for payments.”

Roberts received a four-year prison sentence and was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life. He is also subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Crime

Spittal man to stand trial accused of ABH

Published

1 day ago

June 20, 2026

Court Reporter

A SPITTAL man is to stand trial accused of assaulting a man and causing actual bodily harm.

Robert Hedley, 41, of Wesley Way, Spittal, Haverfordwest, is charged with assaulting Liam Morley-Trivett at St Clears on August 30, 2025.

The case was before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Jun 18).

Hedley was granted unconditional bail and is due to stand trial at the same court on Monday, June 29.

The trial is listed for 10:00am and has been given a time estimate of twenty minutes.

Crime

Milford Haven woman spared jail despite string of shop thefts

Published

1 day ago

June 20, 2026

Court Reporter

Repeat offender stole from Tesco, Home Bargains, Food Warehouse and petrol stations in wave of offences

A MILFORD HAVEN woman who admitted a series of shop thefts committed over a matter of weeks has been handed a suspended prison sentence by magistrates.

Marion Picton, aged 46, of Hawthorn Path, Milford Haven, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Jun 18) and pleaded guilty to eight theft offences and a drugs-related offence.

The court heard that Picton carried out a string of thefts at stores across Milford Haven between April and June this year.

Among the offences, Picton admitted stealing meat from Food Warehouse on Apr 23, food worth £60 from Victoria Filling Station on May 29, groceries from Home Bargains on Jun 7 and Jun 8, food from Victoria Filling Station on Jun 7 and Jun 9, groceries and non-food items worth £51.09 from Tesco on Jun 16, and food worth £32.50 from Food Warehouse on the same day.

She also admitted failing to attend an initial drugs assessment after testing positive for Class A drugs, including cocaine and opiates.

Magistrates were told the offences represented persistent repeat offending and had been committed while Picton was already subject to a court order.

The bench imposed an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

As part of the order, Picton must complete up to 15 rehabilitation activity days under the supervision of the Probation Service.

The court ordered her to pay compensation to several of the businesses affected, including Tesco, Home Bargains, Food Warehouse and Victoria Filling Station.

In sentencing, magistrates said the offences were serious enough to justify immediate custody but suspended the sentence because there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and Picton appeared motivated to address her addiction issues.

Picton was warned that any further offending during the 18-month suspension period could see the prison sentence activated.