David Rees

David Rees, a 48-year-old resident of Henson Street in Newport, Wales, was involved in a disturbing online grooming incident last summer. Believing he was communicating with a real 12-year-old schoolgirl named 'Hannah', Rees initiated contact and proceeded to engage in explicit sexual conversations despite being informed of her age.

Prosecutor Jeffrey Jones detailed the case at Cardiff Crown Court, explaining that Rees contacted 'Hannah' in August 2023. 'She told him straight away she was 12 but he inquired if she was happy to continue,' Jones stated. Undeterred, Rees flattered the supposed child, calling her 'gorgeous and sexy', and escalated the discussion to include references to masturbation, encouraging her participation. He explicitly asked if she wanted him to perform oral sex on her, describing how 'nice it would be for her', and raised topics of penetrative and digital sexual activity.

In reality, 'Hannah' was an undercover officer from Gwent Police, setting up a sting operation to catch potential child sex offenders. Rees, who has a prior conviction for handling stolen goods from March 1999, pleaded guilty to the charges of attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempted sexual communication with a child.

Defence barrister Nigel Fryer described the case as 'sad', portraying Rees as 'not a sophisticated individual' who is 'vulnerable and would struggle in a custodial setting'. Fryer noted the antiquity of Rees's previous conviction and called his actions 'utterly foolish'.

Judge Christopher Felstead, presiding at Cardiff Crown Court, adjourned sentencing to 9 February 2024 for an addendum pre-sentence report to assess the feasibility of a suspended prison term. 'This is a case which clearly crosses the custodial threshold,' the judge warned Rees, emphasising that no promises were being made. 'It is in your interest to co-operate with the pre-sentence report author.'

Pending sentencing, Rees was granted bail with strict conditions: he must register as a sex offender, is prohibited from unsupervised contact with anyone under 18, must notify Gwent Police of any new telephone numbers, and cannot delete his internet history. The case, reported by the South Wales Argus, highlights ongoing efforts by Gwent Police to safeguard children from online predators.