Guy Brigdale

A man from Swansea has been imprisoned following his conviction for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child through online messages sent to a decoy account. Guy Brigdale, aged 34 and residing in Fforestfach, was caught after exchanging explicit content with what he believed to be a 14-year-old girl in January 2025.

The case came to light when Brigdale initiated contact and sent messages that included attempts to engage in sexual communication, incite sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15, cause a child to view sexual images, and arrange to meet a child under 16 after grooming. These actions formed the basis of multiple charges to which he pleaded guilty. Additionally, Brigdale breached a pre-existing Sexual Harm Prevention Order, compounding the severity of his offences.

• Attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child
• Attempting to cause/incite a girl aged 13-15 to engage in sexual activity
• Attempting to cause a child aged 13-15 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity
• Attempting to meet a child under the age of 16 following grooming
• Breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order

Following his guilty plea, Brigdale received an extended sentence of 12 years, reflecting the court's recognition of the potential harm posed by his behaviour. The prosecution was handled by South Wales Police, who emphasised the abhorrent nature of the communications in a statement released on 14 May 2025.

Detective Sergeant Samuel Stanway of South Wales Police commented: “The messages sent by Guy Brigdale, to an individual he believed was a child, were abhorrent. There is no place for anyone who willingly engages in sexual communication with a child in our society. It is very fortunate that this wasn’t a real child involved in the conversation, as they could have been posed a great danger by someone like Guy Brigdale. The right place for him is prison, as is highlighted by this lengthy sentence.” This operation underscores ongoing efforts by law enforcement to protect children from online predators through the use of decoy accounts.