ANDREW GOLD FROM TENBY SENTENCED IN SWANSEA FOR SEX OFFENDER BEHAVIOR

Andrew Gold, a 41-year-old man with no fixed address, has been convicted and sentenced for serious online sexual offenses involving a decoy account. The case was heard at Swansea Crown Court, where Judge Catherine Richards described Gold as exhibiting 'devious and manipulative' conduct during the proceedings.

Gold faced charges related to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a minor and inciting a child to participate in sexual acts. After a trial that concluded on July 2, he was found guilty of both charges. The court subsequently sentenced him to a total of five years in prison, comprising three years of actual custody and an additional two-year period on extended licence.

During the sentencing, Judge Richards expressed her concern about the potential danger Gold posed to young boys, emphasizing the seriousness of his actions. The court was informed that Gold, who was previously residing in Tenby, had initiated contact with what he believed was a 14-year-old boy named Ryan. In reality, the account was a decoy set up by authorities to catch offenders.

The communication between Gold and the decoy began sometime between June and September of the previous year. The court heard that the conversations quickly turned sexual in nature. Gold initially made contact via a dating app before shifting to Snapchat, a platform known for its disappearing messages. It was on Snapchat that Gold sent a graphic image of his genitals to the decoy and encouraged him to send similar images. He also described sexual acts he intended to perform with the boy and urged him to masturbate.

Judge Richards highlighted Gold’s calculated approach, noting that he deliberately chose Snapchat for its privacy features, including the ability to delete messages and his own account, which he later removed. The judge described Gold’s actions as 'determined and calculated,' aimed at avoiding detection.

Prosecutor Georgia Donohue pointed out that Gold had prior convictions relevant to the case. The court was also told that although there was some discussion about meeting in person, this did not materialize. Defense lawyer Dyfed Thomas acknowledged that there was limited mitigation for Gold’s actions but argued that the measures imposed, such as a sexual harm prevention order and Gold’s registration as a sex offender, would help mitigate the risk he posed to the public. Mr. Thomas also mentioned that Gold would benefit from participating in the Horizon programme, a rehabilitation initiative.

In addition to the prison sentence, Gold was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, ensuring ongoing restrictions and monitoring to protect the community from further harm.