Richard Wayne Harris

A former police inspector from Ammanford, Richard Wayne Harris, aged 63, has been remanded in custody following admissions to multiple offences involving the making and possession of indecent images of children. Harris, residing at 60 Brynmawr Avenue, was originally scheduled for sentencing at Swansea Crown Court on Thursday for 16 offences related to 1,877 pornographic pictures of children as young as four. However, the night before his sentencing, he was re-arrested after police uncovered additional indecent material during a further search of his home.

The initial investigation began in December when officers visited Harris's home and seized devices containing the horrific images. At a hearing in Ammanford magistrates' court last month, Harris pleaded guilty to making and possessing the 1,877 images. Prosecuting, Dennis Davies informed Llanelli magistrates that the re-arrest stemmed from the discovery of a new computer not identified in the first search. This laptop held 60 indecent images, including disturbing pictures of eight-month-old children.

Harris appeared before Llanelli magistrates and admitted to five additional offences relating to these 60 images. His defence representative, Peter Jones, argued that the images were downloaded during the original period of offending but had evaded initial detection. Jones explained that Harris acquired a new computer and, while reviewing contents from an old CD and hard drive with the intention of disposing of them, viewed the material. Although Harris deleted the images, forensic experts recovered them from the device. 'He intended only to check what was on them and dispose of them,' Jones stated. He further clarified that the offences did not occur while Harris was on bail but were merely discovered during that time.

Retired from Gwent Police, Harris was brought before Judge Peter Heywood at Swansea Crown Court on Monday, where he was remanded in custody pending a full sentencing hearing. The combined offences will now be addressed on 28 January. Dyfed-Powys Police conducted the investigation, highlighting the severity of child sexual exploitation material. This case underscores the ongoing efforts to combat such crimes, even among former law enforcement personnel.