Gavin Carter

Gavin Carter, a 45-year-old man from Cardigan, engaged in online sexual communication with what he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, resulting in his prosecution at Swansea Crown Court.

On 26 June, Carter initiated contact via social media with an account named 'Lilly', which was actually a decoy operated by a paedophile hunter group. Upon disclosing his age as 45, the decoy responded that she was 14. Undeterred, Carter provided his phone number, shifting the conversation to WhatsApp. There, he expressed desires to join her in the bath, discussed kissing and sexually touching her, and on the same day sent a video of himself masturbating. Four days later, on 30 June, he sent another such video and instructed the 'girl' to perform a sex act with a banana, requesting to see it.

The sexual exchanges continued briefly before Carter ceased responding. On 12 July, the paedophile hunter group confronted him at his home, prompting police attendance and his arrest. During police interview, Carter denied any sexual interest in children but admitted sending the messages after learning the purported age and soliciting sexual images. He pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child, attempted incitement of a child to engage in sexual activity, and two counts of attempting to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Prosecutor Ian Wright outlined the case at Swansea Crown Court, highlighting the explicit nature of the communications. In mitigation, Dan Griffiths described Carter as a 'lonely, isolated individual' living as a recluse, with excessive alcohol consumption linked to his numerous prior convictions, none of which were sexual. Griffiths noted Carter's realisation of wrongdoing, as he cut off contact a week before arrest and expressed self-disgust to officers. A pre-sentence report corroborated his isolated lifestyle.

The court imposed a 20-month suspended sentence for two years, alongside a six-month alcohol treatment programme, 150 hours of unpaid work, and 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days. Carter must register as a sex offender for 10 years and is subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same duration.