Defendant sent explicit content within minutes of contact after being told children were aged thirteen and fourteen

A CARMARTHENSHIRE man who sent explicit sexual videos and messages to what he believed were underage girls has been jailed after being exposed by online paedophile hunters.

Devon Wildgust, aged 22, was arrested after contacting two social media profiles on the Connect2.me platform in November, unaware that both accounts were decoys operated by adult volunteers.

Swansea Crown Court heard that Wildgust first made contact with a profile on November 16. Despite being told the girl was thirteen, he continued the conversation, exchanged phone numbers and moved the chat onto WhatsApp.

The court was told the conversation quickly became sexual. Wildgust sent a photograph of a naked woman and suggested the girl take similar images of herself. He later sent a video of himself masturbating and made sexually explicit comments after being shown a photograph purportedly of the girl wearing a school uniform.

In messages shown to the court, Wildgust made graphic remarks about wanting to remove the uniform and engage in sexual activity. He also claimed he had previously engaged in sexual behaviour involving a friend’s younger sister — a claim he later told police was untrue.

Three days later, Wildgust contacted a second decoy profile on the same platform. Just seventeen minutes after initiating the conversation, he sent another explicit video of himself masturbating.

After being told the second girl was fourteen, he asked whether she liked older men and requested nude images, including asking to see her breasts. When the decoy replied that her mother had warned her never to send pictures, Wildgust told her her mother did not need to know.

On November 22, members of a paedophile hunter group confronted Wildgust at his home address in Ammanford and detained him before contacting police.

Wildgust was arrested and his mobile phone was seized, though he refused to provide the PIN code. Police attempts to access the device using specialist software were unsuccessful.

Four days later, officers were called after Wildgust breached his bail conditions by attending his stepfather’s address and refusing to leave. The court heard he was fearful of being targeted in the community after his identity became known.

Sentencing the defendant, Judge Geraint Walters said he was continually surprised that individuals were still committing such offences given the effectiveness of police investigations and online decoy operations.

He warned that consequences for offenders frequently extended beyond the courtroom, including being ostracised or driven out of their communities.

Defending, Emily Bennett said Wildgust had expressed disgust at his own actions and said the breach of bail occurred when he sought refuge after learning his identity had been circulated locally.

Wildgust, of Lon y Gruglas, Ammanford, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted sexual communication with a child and one count of attempting to incite a child to engage in a sexual act. He had no previous convictions.

Taking into account his guilty pleas, Judge Walters sentenced him to two years in prison. He will serve up to half the sentence in custody before being released on licence.

Wildgust was also ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.

Support and advice

Anyone affected by sexual abuse, or concerned about the safety of a child, can contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or visit nspcc.org.uk for confidential advice and support.

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