A 60-year-old man from Ystalyfera, Steven Loveridge, has been sentenced to six years and seven months in prison for a series of calculated sex offences against girls as young as nine years old. Described by the prosecution as a 'determined paedophile who has an entrenched sexual interest in young girls', Loveridge's depravity was uncovered following incidents of indecent exposure in local stores.
The offences began to surface on 1 December 2024, when Loveridge targeted a nine-year-old girl at the Asda store in Ystalyfera. He followed the child and exposed himself, leading to a police investigation by South Wales Police. A week later, on 8 December 2024, a similar incident occurred at the Home Bargains store in Ystradgynlais, where Loveridge masturbated while following two girls aged 12 and 13, exposed his penis to them, and asked if they wanted to touch it. The girls promptly reported the matter to an adult, and Loveridge fled the scene.
Dyfed-Powys Police arrested Loveridge on 9 December 2024 in Ystradgynlais on suspicion of indecent exposure and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. He was charged and remanded in custody. Upon searching his property and digital devices, officers discovered a disturbing array of evidence revealing the extent of his premeditated planning. This included two multi-coloured dice and a pack of modified playing cards used in a 'game' to determine the age of victims and the nature of offences. Certain dice colours corresponded to age groups, such as blue for 'playgroup age', while cards were marked with terms like 'kids', 'follow', 'pursuing', and 'girl incoming'. An audio recording from his phone confirmed this chilling methodology.
- Annotated maps of local areas, including playing fields, parks, and schools, marked with escape routes and CCTV locations.
- Internet searches for school start and finish times.
- A library of 469 indecent images of children, including 82 Category A images, dating back to 2007.
Loveridge pleaded guilty to all seven charges at Swansea Crown Court on 13 January 2025 for the exposure and incitement offences, and at Merthyr Magistrates Court on 4 April 2025 for possession of indecent images. Sentencing occurred on 22 May 2025, where Judge Catherine Richards stated: 'Your sexual interest in young children has existed since 2007. In recent years, you have been building up to contact sexual offences with meticulous planning. There is currently, plainly, further risk of you committing specified sexual offences, and a significant risk of you causing serious harm as a result.' In addition to the custodial sentence, he received a six-year licence period, a 15-year restraining order, and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
DC Andy Leonard, the officer in the case from Dyfed-Powys Police, commented: 'The handwritten notes and audio recordings made by Steven Loveridge himself suggest that the offences he committed against the young girls in Ystradgynlais and Ystalyfera are just a glimpse of what this monster could be capable of. While the offences he has been sentenced for today are hideous enough alone, I believe the timing of his arrest was critical to preventing the escalation of his dangerous and criminal behaviour.' The investigation involved collaboration with South Wales Police and the Crown Prosecution Service, highlighting the premeditated nature of Loveridge's actions and the ongoing risk he posed to children in the community.