DARRYL WILSON CAUGHT IN PORT TALBOT PAEDOPHILE STING AFTER ONLINE GROOMING PLOT

In a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online grooming and the vigilance of community groups, Darryl Wilson, a man from Port Talbot, was apprehended after attempting to meet what he believed was a 12-year-old girl. The incident unfolded at Port Talbot train station, where Wilson arrived expecting to meet the young girl he had been communicating with online. Instead, he was met by members of a paedophile hunter organization who had orchestrated the sting and carried out a citizen’s arrest.

According to the proceedings at Swansea Crown Court, the events took place in November of the previous year. Wilson, aged 47 at the time, had initiated contact with an online account under the pseudonym “Pussy cat” on the messaging platform Kik. The account was operated by a group calling themselves Welsh Child Protective Services, who had set up the profile to catch individuals attempting to engage with minors.

Prosecutor Craig Jones outlined that Wilson began a series of conversations with the account, which he believed belonged to a young girl. During these exchanges, Wilson inquired about her school, her friends, and her shopping habits. The account repeatedly stated that the girl was only 12 years old, but despite this, the conversation took a sexual turn. Wilson asked invasive questions about her development, such as whether she had developed breasts, if she had ever “played with a guy,” and if she would send him a photograph.

In a further disturbing development, Wilson sent a sexually explicit image of himself performing a sex act to the person he thought was a young girl. The court emphasized that the tone of the messages was clearly sexual, indicating Wilson’s intent and understanding of the nature of the conversation.

Matters reached a critical point at the end of November when Wilson arranged to meet the girl at Port Talbot station. The group behind the online profile had conducted research on Wilson, using his Facebook profile to identify his appearance and the type of vehicle he drove. When Wilson arrived at the station’s car park, he was approached by members of the group, who then performed a citizen’s arrest and contacted the police.

Wilson, who was described as having no fixed address at the time, had previously admitted to charges related to attempting to incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause a child to watch a sex act, and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. These charges came to light during his court appearance for sentencing.

Although Wilson had a criminal history from his youth, primarily involving burglaries, the court noted that he had no recent convictions, especially none of a sexual nature. The judge, Paul Thomas QC, pointed out that Wilson was the one who initiated contact, sent sexual messages, and arranged the meeting.

Taking into account his guilty plea, the judge granted a 25% reduction in his sentence and sentenced Wilson to 45 months in prison. Additionally, he was placed under an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to register as a sex offender for life, reflecting the severity of his actions and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.