CAERNARFON PAEDOPHILE EMYLN WILLIAMS JAILED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES AND CHAT SCANDAL

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Caernarfon, 60-year-old Emlyn Williams was convicted of possessing and sharing a vast collection of child abuse images and videos. The investigation was initiated after authorities received a tip from the National Crime Agency, which alerted North Wales Police about a Kik user in the region uploading illegal material. The social media platform Kik, based in Canada, has previously faced criticism for providing a haven for individuals involved in trading child exploitation content, with a British judge last year condemning its role in hindering police efforts to combat such crimes.

Williams, who was employed at a Tesco store in Caernarfon, was arrested at his workplace in March 2019. During the police interview, he shockingly described the vile online chats about abusing children as “banter,” claiming it was a way to obtain more “filth” from other users on the app Kik. Authorities found that Williams had accumulated a staggering 3,156 images and 1,430 videos depicting child abuse, which he exchanged with other offenders via Kik. Some of these images depicted children as young as a few months old being subjected to abuse, highlighting the severity and depravity of his actions.

Further investigations revealed that Williams also used WhatsApp to communicate with others involved in similar criminal activities. His devices contained a significant number of indecent images, with over 1,300 classified as Category A, the most serious level of child exploitation material. These images included both boys and girls aged between three months and 16 years. The evidence was presented at Caernarfon Crown Court, where the prosecution detailed the extent of Williams’ offending.

During the court proceedings, Williams did not enter a plea to several other charges related to the images found on his devices. His legal representative, Simon Killeen, stated that Williams deeply regretted his actions and was a “very sad figure.” Killeen emphasized that jail time would be a “severe punishment” for his client, who had already lost his job and fully admitted to police his involvement.

Judge Huw Rees addressed Williams directly, underscoring the real victims in such cases. He warned that any interest in such images fuels the demand for further abuse of children, making offenders complicit in ongoing harm.

As a result of his conviction, Williams was sentenced to 21 months in prison. Additionally, the court imposed a ten-year sexual harm prevention order, requiring him to register as a sex offender. Two smartphones confiscated during the investigation were also ordered to be surrendered.

Earlier in January 2019, Williams had pleaded guilty at Caernarfon Magistrates’ Court to making more than 1,300 indecent images of children at his residence in Tai Beuno, Clynnog-fawr. Prosecutor Diane Williams outlined that over 1,000 of these images were classified as Category A, involving children aged between three months and 16 years. The magistrates decided to transfer the case to the crown court for sentencing, as they deemed the charges serious enough to warrant higher-level proceedings. Williams did not contest several other related charges, and his solicitor confirmed he was willing to be remanded in custody pending his next court appearance scheduled for February 12 at Caernarfon Crown Court.