Kenneth Charles Curtis

A convicted sex offender, Kenneth Charles Curtis, was discovered operating a children's ride at Coney Beach Amusement Park in Porthcawl, south Wales, in a clear violation of his legal restrictions. The 52-year-old, who was subject to an interim Sexual Offenders Prevention Order imposed by a district judge on 21 May 2013, was caught engaging with a nine-year-old girl while working the ride on 12 June 2013.

The order prohibited Curtis from approaching any child under 18 or entering public parks, play areas, or children's recreational areas. Prosecuting at Cardiff Magistrates' Court, Sian Phillips described the incident as a 'blatant breach' due to the fairground's obvious appeal to families and children. Plain-clothed police officers approached Curtis while he was talking to a couple and their young daughter, leading to his immediate arrest and charges for breaching the order and failing to notify police of his address after its imposition.

Curtis, who listed his address as Parc Prison in Bridgend, pleaded guilty to the offences. The interim nature of the order stemmed from his ill health at the time of imposition, with the full order scheduled to be finalised the following month. He faces up to five years in prison and was remanded in custody until his sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on 16 July 2013.

Patrick Evans, managing director of Coney Beach Amusement Park, expressed shock at the incident, stating he had no prior knowledge of Curtis's background. He highlighted challenges faced by employers under the Data Protection Act, which prevents police from disclosing such information. Evans noted, 'We are very vigilant, we have 24-hour security and we are watching people very carefully. We would like to be able to do more but there's not much we can do.' This case, reported by WalesOnline on 31 March 2013, underscores ongoing concerns about monitoring sex offenders in public spaces frequented by children.