**West Wales Man Jailed for Online Child Exploitation While Posing as Teenager**
A registered sex offender from Pembrokeshire, West Wales, has been sent to prison after repeatedly targeting minors on social media by pretending to be a teenage boy, a court has heard. Terry Hughes, 41, used a deceitful online persona to approach children, requesting indecent images and sending explicit pictures of himself, despite existing restrictions intended to prevent such offending.
The case, heard at Swansea Crown Court, revealed that Hughes was already the subject of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) due to past offences. Authorities became involved again after concerns were raised about suspicious internet activity linked to his address, leading to a police investigation. When officers visited his Meadow Way home in Waterston, Milford Haven, Hughes at first denied having any electronic devices. However, a mobile phone was located beside his bed, which police seized for examination.
Analysis of the phone painted a disturbing picture of persistent predatory behaviour spanning from September of the previous year until June. Prosecutor Alycia Carpanini told the court that Hughes had created a Snapchat account under the guise of being 15 years old. Using this account, he reached out to multiple individuals he believed to be underage, attempting to solicit indecent images from them. In some cases, he sent recipients graphic photographs of himself, including at least one image showing him engaged in a sexual act.
In her summary to the court, Ms Carpanini indicated that Hughes did not restrict his communication to only older children. On one occasion, messages showed he believed he was speaking to a 10-year-old, and there was further troubling dialogue with an adult who mentioned caring for a four-year-old child. The reference even included discussion about nappies, raising further alarm about the intent behind the conversations.
During Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, Hughes entered guilty pleas to charges including attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to cause a child to view a sexual act, making an indecent image, and breaching the terms of his SHPO. Notably, this was not the first time Hughes had faced the courts for similar crimes—he has previously been convicted twice for child sexual offences.
David Singh, defending, told the court that his client expressed deep regret for his actions and now acknowledged the seriousness and recurring nature of his problems. The barrister submitted that Hughes had started to recognise the gravity of his compulsions and the damaging consequences they had on others.
Sentencing Hughes to two years in prison, Judge Geraint Walters described the behaviour as “relentless,” noting a clear and ongoing pursuit of indecent communication with minors. Judge Walters also imposed a fresh sexual harm prevention order, which will remain in force for a decade, in an effort to better protect the public and more stringently monitor Hughes upon his eventual release.
This case highlights persistent challenges faced by law enforcement in monitoring individuals with previous sexual offences and restricting their ability to reoffend online. Despite technological safeguards, offenders continue to exploit social media platforms, often circumventing court orders by using new identities and accounts.
The sentencing is likely to prompt renewed calls for greater online safety controls and more effective rehabilitation for those convicted of sexual offences. With young people spending increasing amounts of time on social networking sites and messaging apps, the pressure grows to ensure vulnerable users are protected from determined online predators.
As the criminal justice system presses forward in its efforts to tackle such crimes, cases like this serve as a stark reminder of the need for constant vigilance, both from authorities and the wider community, to keep children safe from harm in the digital environment.