JACK GRIFFITHS FROM BURTON CAUGHT IN SEXUAL EXPLOITATION SCANDAL INVOLVING TEEN GIRL

In July 2017, a disturbing case emerged involving a man from Burton who targeted a vulnerable 14-year-old girl through social media. Jack Griffiths, aged 22 and residing at South Lodge, Burton, was found to have engaged in a series of inappropriate and illegal communications with the young girl, which culminated in him persuading her to perform a sexual act on camera.

According to court proceedings, Griffiths initially met the girl on Snapchat, a popular social media platform. Over several conversations, he persistently badgered her, urging her to send explicit photographs of herself. Despite her attempts to block him temporarily, Griffiths resumed contact, demonstrating a relentless pattern of harassment. The girl eventually sent him a photograph of herself wearing a bra, followed by a topless image, which escalated the situation further.

The exchanges between Griffiths and the girl grew increasingly explicit, with the two exchanging short videos. The situation drew attention within the girl’s school community, where rumors circulated that she was involved with an older man. This gossip reached her teacher, who subsequently spoke to her and her mother. The girl’s mother confronted her upon her return home, leading to an emotional breakdown.

Authorities traced Griffiths after the girl’s mother reported the incident. Police recovered the messages exchanged between Griffiths and the girl from his computer, confirming the inappropriate nature of their communications. The prosecution, led by Carina Hughes, outlined that Griffiths had knowingly sent the girl intimate photographs of himself, despite being aware of her age, and had incited her to engage in sexual activity.

During the court hearing at Swansea Crown Court, Griffiths admitted to two charges of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. His legal representative, Jim Davis, argued that there was never any real danger of the relationship progressing beyond digital exchanges, emphasizing that the interactions were limited to cyber activity.

Judge Keith Thomas sentenced Griffiths to a three-year community order. As part of his rehabilitation, Griffiths was instructed to complete 20 days of activities and attend a sex offenders’ workshop. The judge issued a stern warning, stating that if Griffiths failed to change his attitude, the community order could be replaced with a custodial sentence, underscoring the seriousness of his actions and the importance of addressing such behavior.