**Barry Man Jailed After Trying to Groom Teenagers Online, Believing He Was Messaging Underage Girls**
A man from Barry has been given a lengthy prison sentence after he attempted to engage in sexual conversations with people he thought were underage girls. David Taylor, 43, appeared before Cardiff Crown Court after his persistent and explicit online activity led to his arrest by police, triggered when a group of paedophile hunters reported him for his disturbing messages.
Taylor, already known to law enforcement due to a history of sexual offences, believed he was chatting with girls aged 14 and 15. In reality, he was speaking to adult volunteers working as decoys to expose people seeking sexual contact with minors. The conversations, spanning several weeks, revealed Taylor’s inappropriate intentions, as he asked the supposed teens if they would take part in “naked stuff” and sent messages loaded with sexual content.
The court heard that his actions constituted a breach of an existing Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) previously imposed because of his extensive record. The SHPO was meant to restrict his contact with children and prevent further offending, but Taylor ignored these conditions.
Prosecutors provided a detailed account to the court, explaining that Taylor had used a pseudonym, “TheDude123”, to communicate with the decoys online. During these exchanges, he pressed one decoy, “Frankie”, into discussing sexual topics, sent links to explicit websites, and even described his own actions in graphic detail. Taylor encouraged “Frankie”, whom he thought was 14, to engage in sexual activities while he watched.
A second decoy conversation began on 27 April, with Taylor believing he was speaking to a 15-year-old named “Lily”. This exchange mirrored the earlier one, with Taylor repeatedly suggesting naked interactions and asking the girl to send images. He also suggested meeting in person, proposing that she come to his home for sexual activity.
Taylor’s criminal record was laid bare in court, with the prosecution outlining seven prior convictions for sexual offences against children. These included offences as far back as 2005, as well as multiple breaches of court orders aiming to limit his risk to children. In previous years, Taylor was found guilty of indecent assault and gross indecency, and the courts had re-imposed various restrictions following breaches in 2007, 2010, and 2018.
In mitigation, Taylor’s defence counsel highlighted his efforts to improve himself whilst incarcerated and noted his struggle to secure employment due to his criminal record. Reference was also made to a childhood head injury and a diagnosis of arrested hydrocephalus, though the court considered public safety paramount.
Addressing Taylor at sentencing, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke described him as a “predatory paedophile” who targets children online for his own sexual gratification, underlining that his attraction to young people remains a serious and ongoing concern. The judge remarked that Taylor’s impulses were so severe that he “struggled to pass children in the street.”
Taylor was sentenced to seven years in prison, coupled with an additional five-year extended licence period, during which he will be closely supervised. He has also been made subject to indefinite notification requirements, commonly known as being placed on the sex offenders register.
This case highlights ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement and the community in monitoring repeat offenders and the role that online vigilante groups now play in exposing such activity. The sentences handed down reflect the seriousness with which the justice system treats the exploitation and endangerment of children, whether in person or in the digital realm.
The outcome serves as a stark reminder of the importance of online vigilance and the severe consequences faced by those who persistently breach safeguards intended to protect the youngest members of society.