On 31 August 2022, police attended an address on Richard John Road in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, following intelligence that indecent images were being uploaded from the location. During the search, officers examined devices belonging to all occupants and discovered a significant number of indecent images on Cheyenne Trice's iPhone.
Prosecutor Alycia Carpanini detailed that Trice had 36 Category A images, with 25 being videos, five Category B images, and two Category C images. Among the most severe Category A material was a video depicting an adult male orally raping a baby. Additionally, Trice possessed six extreme pornographic images, including one showing a man anally raping a Chihuahua.
Further investigation revealed communications on Twitter dated 16 August 2022, where Trice discussed child sex abuse videos with another user and shared a link to a video of a girl being raped. Her phone's search history also contained explicit terms related to such content.
In her police interview, Trice claimed ignorance of the images on her device and denied placing them there herself. However, she later pleaded guilty at Llanelli Swansea Crown Court to one count of distribution of a Category A indecent image, three counts of making indecent images, and possession of extreme pornographic images.
The court heard that Trice, now residing on Murray Street in Llanelli and aged 21, committed the offences between the ages of 13 and 18 and had no prior convictions. In mitigation, defence counsel Jon Tarrant acknowledged that Trice was 'not blameless' but argued her actions were influenced by unfettered internet access and a life lived 'in isolation' online. He requested support to steer her away from the 'dark insidious world of the internet' and noted a three-year delay in the case, during which she had not reoffended.
Judge Geraint Walters described the delay as 'a scandal' and, on sentencing, imposed a 12-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years. Trice was also ordered to complete a 12-month mental health treatment requirement and 20 days of rehabilitation activities. She must register as a sex offender and is subject to a sexual harm prevention order, both for 10 years.
This case was reported by the Western Telegraph, with court proceedings at Llanelli Swansea Crown Court.