A paedophile who was convicted of possessing indecent images of children absconded after he failed to keep probation services aware of his whereabouts. A judge told him he had been given a number of chances to avoid custody.
Rhys Jones, 31, was made subject to a community order at Cardiff Crown Court in 2022 after he was convicted of making indecent images of children. He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements, which required him to be monitored by the probation service.
A sentencing hearing on Wednesday heard Jones committed further offences by breaching the orders, and was sentenced to a suspended jail term of 18 months in February last year. He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work, 43m sessions of the Horizon programme, 55 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement, and a 90-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement. Get the latest Welsh news headlines delivered free to your inbox
But the defendant went on to breach that order after leaving his accommodation at the Three Saint Hotel, in Llantrisant, but did not keep the authorities aware of his whereabouts. He absconded between September 27 and October 2, but was subsequently detained, arrested and remanded in custody.
The court heard the probation service no longer considered the suspended sentence order as workable and believed the defendant was a risk to children and of committing domestic violence against family members.
Jones, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and failure to surrender. In mitigation, Sol Hartley said his client “regrets his actions, but described his personal circumstances at the time as “chaotic”.
Sentencing, Judge Paul Hobson said: “The court gave you a chance… You were given another chance.” He sentenced Jones to 10 months imprisonment. Due to the time he has spent on remand, the defendant will be released from custody shortly.
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