Paedophile tried to meet 14-year-old boy in Cross Hands

On March 7 of this year, Emyr Anthony initiated contact online with who he thought was a teenage boy – but was in fact a decoy account.

The decoy replied the following day and the conversation moved to WhatsApp, where the decoy told Anthony he was 14, prosecutor Alycia Carpanini told Swansea Crown Court.

Anthony replied: ‘Yeah that’s okay, as long as you’re okay with my age’. He is 59.

Ms Carpanini said the defendant told the decoy he “likes kissing, cuddling, masturbating and sucking”, and “would go slowly” with the decoy. He also asked for a “sexy photograph”.

Anthony’s messages continued in a sexual nature, talking about masturbation and telling the decoy they would “work up slowly to penetration”.

They arranged to meet that day in Cross Hands. When the defendant arrived at the meeting spot, he was arrested by police.

Emyr Anthony was caught as he attempted to meet who he thought was a 14-year-old boy. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)

He answered no comment in his interview that day, but at Magistrates’ Court admitted the offences.

Anthony, of Hawthorn Avenue in Gorseinon, has two previous convictions – in 2000 and 2011 – for 35 offences.

The court heard these convictions related to having indecent images of children, and Anthony had been subject to a sexual harm prevention order, which expired in 2021.

“Clearly the mitigation in this case is limited,” David Singh, representing Anthony, admitted.

He said the author of a pre-sentence report had said Anthony was “at a loss” to explain the reason behind his offending.

“I’m not here to lecture you but it seems to me the interest you have shown sexually is an unhealthy and paedophilic interest in young boys,” Judge Huw Rees told the defendant.

Mr Singh said his client would benefit from professional intervention and support to address his offending, as he had not received that in the past.

Anthony was jailed for two years for arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, and was handed a six-month sentence, running concurrently, for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

He was told he must register as a sex offender for 10 years, and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same period of time.

A joint operation by Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit and Dyfed-Powys Police had resulted in the arrest and prosecution of Anthony.

Detective Inspector Mathew Davies, of Tarian, said: “This is excellent joint working between Tarian and Dyfed-Powys Police. The focus of the operation was to target high-harm offenders, whilst safeguarding and protecting children.

“At Tarian, we have specialist officers who work tirelessly to protect children online as well as target those perpetrators, such as Anthony.

“It is our absolute priority to protect and keep children safe in our communities.

“If anyone has been a victim of child sexual abuse, I urge you to report it to your local police force via 101. We will always follow up allegations of abuse, no matter when they occurred. Victims can talk in confidence to experienced investigators and we can also help them get access to a range of other support services.

“If you have concerns about your use of the internet or inappropriate thoughts or behaviour about children or if you are worried about how someone you know behaves around children or are worried about their use of the internet then the Lucy Faithfull Foundation provide a free, anonymous and confidential Stop It Now! helpline on 0808 1000 900 for advice, support and information.”