DARRYL PRICE AND SHOCKING SEX OFFENCE IN PORT TALBOT

A convicted sex offender named Darryl Price from Port Talbot has been involved in a disturbing series of events that included impersonation, reckless driving, and a blatant public indecency, ultimately leading to his arrest and prosecution. The incident has reignited concerns about his previous criminal behavior and his current involvement in similar misconduct.

According to court reports, Price took extensive measures to conceal his identity before engaging in his misdemeanors. He disguised his vehicle with counterfeit number plates, which he fitted onto a car—specifically a Ford Fiesta that actually belonged to his mother—in an attempt to evade detection by law enforcement. The car was parked on Margam Road in Port Talbot when the alarming incident occurred.

On the evening of March 18 this year, a female jogger was passing by and noticed the parked vehicle, which faced her with its passenger door ajar. Approaching cautiously, she observed a man sitting in the passenger seat with his trousers pulled down, masturbating and smirking at her. The man, later identified as Price, made an obscene gesture and told her to “put your hand on this,” an utterance that understandably caused the woman distress and alarm. She openly told him to “f*** ***,” and continued on her way. However, Price exited the vehicle and began to follow her on foot, which further heightened her fear. Subsequently, he returned to his vehicle, sped away dangerously, nearly colliding with another passing car as he hurried off.

This incident was immediately reported to the police, and the woman was able to provide a partial license plate number. Shortly afterward, a police officer on patrol in Port Talbot spotted a vehicle matching the suspect description and signaled it to stop. Instead of complying, Price accelerated aggressively, reaching speeds of approximately 80 miles per hour and overtaking several vehicles on the streets. His reckless driving culminated in him speeding across a zebra crossing on the wrong side of the road along the A48 dual carriageway toward the M4 junction. The pursuit was eventually called off by officers who could not follow him further.

Through investigation, authorities managed to obtain the full registration number of the vehicle. Checks revealed that the plates displayed by Price’s car did not match the car’s actual registration. The numbers corresponded to a Peugeot registered to a woman in Bridgend. During the investigation, officers learned that Price had previously mentioned to his offender manager that he had access to cloned plates, raising suspicion about his elaborate attempt to mask his identity.

Further searches led police to find the Ford Fiesta parked outside a garage in Cefn Cribwr. Inside the vehicle, they discovered a receipt from McDonald's, indicating the car was used shortly before the incident on Margam Road. CCTV footage from the McDonald's drive-thru confirmed that Price was the individual operating the car at the time of the indecent act. The fake plates were later recovered from farmland near South Cornelly, where tests confirmed Price’s fingerprints on them.

Additional evidence showed that the vehicle, which was indeed registered to Price’s mother, bore its legitimate plates just hours before the offences, suggesting that Price had deliberately fitted the fake plates that evening to commit the offences while avoiding detection.

Price’s arrest was made on March 25 when police officers spotted him walking through Pyle. He attempted to flee into nearby gardens but was chased and subsequently detained. At the time of arrest, Price was 29 years old and had no fixed address. His criminal record includes prior convictions for a series of serious crimes, notably a six-year sentence in 2017 for inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent. He also served time for drug-driving, weapons violations, and a previous conviction for exposing himself in 2018 when he masturbated in front of teenage girls from a van and made lewd comments.

He was out on license for the GBH charge when he committed the recent offences but has since been recalled to prison to serve the remaining part of that sentence. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Price had previously confessed to his offender manager that he had access to cloned number plates, a detail that further implicated him in his latest misconduct.

Defending Price, Rhodri Chudleigh explained that his client was living with his mother at the time of the offences and had been using her vehicle. He pointed out that Price is a father to three children by three different partners and works as a plasterer. Chudleigh acknowledged that Price’s use of cannabis may contribute to his reckless behavior but highlighted that while in custody, Price had completed multiple courses, including one focused on thinking skills.

The judge, Huw Rees, condemned the incidents as ‘disgraceful’ and emphasized the distress caused to the victim. He stated that Price’s actions not only demeaned the victim but also himself. Considering the guilty pleas, the court sentenced Price to a total of 15 months in prison—six months for exposure (with a one-third reduction for his plea), nine months for dangerous driving (with a quarter reduction), and six months for the number plate offence, which was to run concurrently. He will serve approximately half of this period in custody before being released on licence. Additionally, Price received a driving ban lasting 31 months and will remain on the sex offenders register for the next seven years.