A Carmarthenshire man who was banned from having access to the internet due to previous child sex offences was found with hundreds of indecent images of children – some who were less than a year old.
Alfie Davies, 27, who had previously been made the subject of a life-long Sexual Harm Prevention Order by the law courts was jailed for two years in 2018 after breaching an order and possessing indecent photographs of children.
Due to the order imposed he was banned from using devices that could connect to the internet and in November last year he told officers he was using a phone which did not have online access.
It was discovered though that between November last year and May of this year he had been logging into his email account and on May 15 police officers executed a search warrant.
Upon searching the contents of the phone it was found that Davies, of Taliaris, near Llandeilo, had been using a Snapchat account under a different name. Officers also found hundreds of indecent images of children.
At Swansea Crown Court, prosecution barrister Brian Simpson said that some of the material contained children less than a year old.
In mitigation, defence barrister Emma Harris said her client was well aware that a “lengthy period of custody” awaited him:
She said: “He has found life outside of custody difficult. His parents are incredibly supportive and he understands that he needs support and it is hoped that he will be able to access some support and assistance while in custody.”
Davies had already pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and two charges of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order when he appeared to be sentenced before His Honour Judge Geraint Walters on Friday.
Judge Geraint Walters on sentencing said:
“You have adopted an approach to court orders which means that you don’t consider yourself bound by them even when you know what the consequences are.
“You found means to access the internet and did so in order to download indecent images once again. The number of images in this case is significant. You have the propensity to seek out and obtain images of children being gravely abused by adults.
“Your antecedent record is also troubling. You have a history of downloading images on more than once occasion. The repetitive nature of your offending means that the court will treat your previous convictions as seriously aggravating.”
Davies remains the subject of the previously imposed life-long sexual harm order and was handed a six-year extended sentence, comprising a three-year custodial sentence and an extended three-year licence period.
[Lead image: Dyfed Powys Police]
