Crime

Paedophile caught with 1000 indecent images branded ‘sad man with sad fantasies’

Published

2 years ago

August 15, 2024

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been condemned as “a sad man with sad fantasies” after authorities uncovered nearly 1,000 indecent videos and images of children, including newborn babies, in his possession.

Matthew Wood, 30, was found guilty of possessing a vast trove of child sexual abuse material after police seized multiple electronic devices from his home on Coronation Avenue on 28 September 2022. Prosecutor Caitlin Brazel revealed that the items confiscated included phones, laptops, computer towers, and an iPad.

Wood admitted to having indecent images of children and cooperated with police by providing access to his devices. During an interview, he further directed officers to two additional computer towers that had not been found during the initial search.

Wood claimed that the images were sent to him through a group chat on the Kik messaging platform, stating that he was “merely curious about what could be found online” and had not viewed the material “for a number of years.”

In total, police discovered 102 images and 321 videos of Category A, 248 images and 62 videos of Category B, and 212 images and eight videos of Category C, along with five prohibited videos of children and 20 extreme pornographic videos depicting bestiality. Additionally, it was revealed that Wood had distributed a Category A video on 1 February 2022, showing a baby, aged between 12 and 18 months, being sexually abused by a man.

Ms Brazel described Wood as an “active participant” in the group chats, where he sent disturbing messages expressing his intent to “rape all the subjects” of the images and videos, and voiced a desire to meet the person who sent him the videos so they could “tag team” a child.

Wood pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including distributing an indecent image of a child, three offences of making indecent images of children, possessing a prohibited image of a child, and possessing extreme pornography. These offences spanned from August 2018 to September 2022.

In mitigation, defence counsel Ian Ibrahim highlighted that Wood had no previous convictions and acknowledged that his client’s “good character is now, of course, lost forever.” Mr Ibrahim also noted that Wood had been ostracised by his family, with his mother telling him not to return home, and that he had been attending sex therapy sessions voluntarily. Wood no longer claimed to have obtained the images “out of curiosity.”

Presiding over the case, Judge Paul Thomas KC expressed his deep concern over the material found on Wood’s devices. “The material that you had over a prolonged period of time on your various devices was utterly appalling,” he stated, adding that Wood’s participation in the chats was “extremely worrying.”

“You are a sad man with sad fantasies,” Judge Thomas continued. “If you have become a social pariah, you can hardly blame people for acting in disgust at the sort of images you were viewing.”

Wood was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete the Maps For Change programme and undertake 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Additionally, Wood must register as a sex offender.

Crime

Trial by jury protest planned outside Cardiff Crown Court

Published

10 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Campaigners say the proposed reforms would weaken one of the public’s oldest legal protections

CAMPAIGNERS will demonstrate outside Cardiff Crown Court on Monday (May 18) in protest against government proposals which they say would severely restrict the right to trial by jury.

Local activist Roz Royson said she will join other campaigners outside the court between 11:00am and 4:00pm, handing out leaflets and speaking to members of the public.

The protest forms part of a wider national day of action organised by the Jury Alliance, with demonstrations planned outside around 30 crown courts across England and Wales.

Campaigners argue that trial by jury is a fundamental safeguard in the justice system and should not be removed or heavily restricted.

Ms Royson said: “This government’s current plan to get rid of trial by jury is relevant to every person affected by the rule of law here in the UK.

“There was an overwhelmingly positive response outside the court last time we were there. People in the street, when they learn about the plan, are outraged that the government intends to almost entirely do away with jury trials.”

The campaigners say they hope to raise public awareness and build opposition to the proposals, which they believe are “passing all too easily” without enough scrutiny.

The demonstration will take place outside Cardiff Crown Court tomorrow.

Crime

Man used vulnerable victim’s bank card at Milford Haven Tesco

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2026

Court Reporter

A 41-YEAR-OLD man has been given a suspended prison sentence after using a vulnerable man’s bank card at Tesco Extra in Milford Haven.

Mark Anthony Hambrook, of Keeston, admitted fraud by false representation when he appeared before magistrates.

The court heard that Hambrook dishonestly used the card on April 29, 2025, spending £220.

Magistrates said the offence crossed the custody threshold because it involved a breach of trust, a vulnerable victim, and was committed while Hambrook was on post-sentence supervision.

He was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

Hambrook was also ordered to pay £220 compensation, together with a £154 surcharge and £85 costs.

Crime

Cilgerran man denies breaching court ban on keeping animals

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2026

Court Reporter

39-year-old accused of keeping a dog despite court-imposed disqualification order dating back to 2019

A CILGERRAN man has denied breaching a court-imposed ban on keeping animals.

Max Huntley, 39, of Castell Corwg, Cilgerran, appeared before Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (May 14) for a further case management hearing.

He is accused of breaching a disqualification order imposed under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The court register states that Huntley was disqualified following conviction and sentence at Swansea Crown Court on March 14, 2019, for an offence under section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act.

The allegation now before the court is that, on or about August 10, 2025, at Castell Corwg, Cilgerran, he breached that disqualification by having custody of a dog.

Huntley has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The case was adjourned to allow the prosecution to confirm details relating to the defendant and how a solicitor could contact him.

He was remanded on unconditional bail and must attend the next hearing at Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, May 27, at 10:00am.

The hearing is listed for further case management and is expected to last around 20 minutes.