THE FATHER of a young girl sent sexual messages to an individual he believed to be a 12-year-old girl online, Swansea Crown Court heard this week.

An undercover police officer posed as a 12-year-old girl on the website RandoChat, with the decoy’s profile stating they were 18.

James Roberts messaged the decoy on 9 August, stating he was “looking for a naughty girl”.

The decoy promptly informed him that she was 12 years old; however, the defendant continued to send messages referencing sexual acts and self-gratification.

Roberts added the decoy on Snapchat, claiming to be 19 and living in England.

He again sent sexualised messages and, referring to the decoy’s age, said they were “never too young to start sending pictures”.

The defendant also told the decoy that he was having similar sexual conversations with a 14-year-old, Mr Dickens said.

Police attended Roberts’ home in Goodwick on 17 August, and he was arrested. He denied having a mobile phone, claiming he “had sent it off to Samsung to be fixed” but was “extremely vague” when asked for further details. Mr Dickens said no phone was ever recovered by police.

The 28-year-old Roberts pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child. The court heard that he had no previous convictions.

Hannah George, in mitigation, said the defendant showed “some degree of remorse” and that there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

“In the 13 months since he was interviewed there have been no further offences,” she said.

Ms George said Roberts had suffered “significant” shame and embarrassment as a result of the offences, and it had led to him losing his job.

He had previously been diagnosed with PTSD and suffered “deep periods of depression”, Ms George said.

She added that his contact with his young daughter “has been diminished” following these offences.

“You were in contact online with who you firmly believed to be a 12-year-old girl,” said Judge Paul Thomas KC, addressing Roberts.

“You have a two-year-old daughter. Just think how you would feel if a man in his thirties tried to have that sort of conversation with her in 10 years’ time.”

Roberts was sentenced to 30 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for two years. He must complete 35 days of an accredited programme and 25 rehabilitation activity requirement programme days.

He must also register as a sex offender for 10 years and was made the subject of a three-year sexual harm prevention order.

A HAVERFORDWEST man acknowledged he ‘overstepped’ following charges of home burglary and stalking.

Spencer Lepetit, aged 35 and residing in Hawthorn Rise, faced Swansea Crown Court accused of entering a Pembroke property on August 16 with the intent to steal a mobile phone. Additionally, between September 3 and 19, he allegedly trespassed repeatedly on a woman’s property, made multiple phone calls from an unknown number, and loitered outside her home, causing her significant alarm and distress.

Lepetit denied both charges but accepted responsibility for a lesser stalking offence, which was deemed suitable by Prosecutor Thomas Scapens, leading the Crown Prosecution Service to drop the burglary charge.

Lepetit’s defence, Jon Tarrant, described the circumstances as a result of a “toxic relationship,” stating, “He attempted to reconnect but went beyond acceptable limits.”

Judge Huw Rees ordered a pre-sentence report and remanded Lepetit in custody, with sentencing scheduled for November 22.

A FISHGUARD man who subjected a woman to a “brutal” assault in her own home, dragging her back by her hair when she tried to escape, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Benjamin Guiver, 35, broke into the woman’s Goodwick home on May 24, 2024, while she was asleep, launching a violent attack that has left her emotionally and physically scarred.

Swansea Crown Court heard how the victim, whose identity is protected by law, had fallen asleep around 9:00pm while watching TV in her living room, waiting for her partner’s return. She awoke to find Guiver, a stranger, kneeling beside her. Attempting to flee, she was pursued outside, where Guiver stifled her screams, kicked her, and threw her across the driveway. He then dragged her back inside by her hair, where the assault escalated.

During the ordeal, Guiver repeatedly beat the woman, sexually assaulted her, and choked her while threatening to kill her. She attempted to reason with him, observing that he seemed upset, but he responded with more violence, telling her he intended to rape and kill her. At one point, he repeatedly slammed her head against a radiator. The attack only ended when her relative and partner arrived home, forcing Guiver to flee the property.

The victim’s son, who intervened to stop Guiver, recounted the trauma of hearing his mother’s screams, saying: “I can’t get the noise my mother was making out of my head.”

Guiver was quickly apprehended by Dyfed-Powys Police after officers were alerted by a family member who returned to find the victim covered in blood. The court heard that officers were called to the scene just before 10:30pm, where they discovered the victim with visible injuries. Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Briggs explained: “Our focus was on prioritising her care with the help of paramedics, and getting officers out on the street to find the suspect.” Guiver was arrested nearby shortly after police arrived.

Police enquiries revealed that Guiver had earlier attempted to enter another nearby house. He was charged with six offences on May 26, including sexual assault by penetration, grievous bodily harm with intent, intentional strangulation, trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence, threats to kill, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Faced with overwhelming evidence, he pleaded guilty to all charges in court on July 10.

The victim shared in her impact statement that she no longer feels safe in her home, saying, “I am a shell. Constantly nervous and frightened of my own shadow.” She described her struggles with daily activities, relying on her partner to help with tasks like getting dressed. “My whole life has been ruined by one person on one night,” she added. “I know what has happened is going to continue to haunt me for the rest of my life.”

Judge Geraint Walters, who sentenced Guiver to a 20-year prison term, including a 15-year custodial sentence and a five-year extended licence period, condemned the assault as “a brutal and terrifying attack within a person’s own home.” He remarked on Guiver’s apparent lack of remorse during the attack, noting, “She was right to fear that you might kill her because you’d completely lost all reason and control due to the drugs and alcohol you’d consumed that day.”

The victim’s relative, who also suffered injuries during the struggle to stop Guiver, was praised by DCI Briggs for their bravery in intervening during the assault. “They put their own safety at risk to ensure further harm was not caused,” he said.

Following sentencing, DCI Briggs commended the victim’s courage, stating: “The victim in this case has shown immense courage throughout the investigation, and I commend her for that. Suffering such an attack in your own home is unimaginable, and – as she detailed in her statement – has impacted every aspect of her life.” Judge Walters concluded, “The chances are that she won’t ever completely recover from what you did.”