JAMIE WHELAN AND SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE IN NEATH

A notorious sex offender known as Jamie Roberts, also going by the name Jamie Whelan, has once again drawn serious public and legal concern due to his disturbing conduct involving vulnerable minors in Neath. Roberts was found hiding two children—a boy and a girl—inside a wardrobe in his bedroom, an act that highlighted his continued pattern of exploiting and endangering minors despite previous convictions and legal restrictions.

The initial incident occurred in Swansea on the early morning hours of December 21 of the previous year. Police in Swansea received reports that two teenagers, a girl and a boy, had failed to return to their respective care homes by their scheduled curfew the night before. These children had been placed in children’s homes, and their disappearance raised alarms for child safety authorities. The police investigation swiftly directed attention toward Roberts' residence in Skewen. At approximately 3:40 in the morning, officers knocked on Roberts' door, which was illuminated from within. When they attempted to make contact, their knocks went unanswered initially, but they noticed the blinds in one of the windows were twitching—a sign that someone was likely inside.

Persistent in their efforts, officers continued to knock until Roberts answered the door. Interestingly, Roberts, who was fully clothed at the time, claimed he had been asleep, offering no immediate explanation for the officers' presence. A search of his house followed, and it initially appeared that Roberts was alone. However, subdued behind a large pile of bedding and assorted clothes stacked in front of a wardrobe in one of the bedrooms, the officers discovered the missing teenagers concealed inside the wardrobe. The children were promptly returned to their care homes, and Roberts was taken into custody for further questioning.

During his police interview, Roberts, aged 35, provided a prepared statement claiming that the children had asked him to hide them. He further admitted that the minors had taken cocaine and amphetamine while in his house. Despite his assertions, Roberts was released under investigation, which meant he was not immediately charged but remained under supervision pending further inquiries.

The disturbing pattern of Roberts' behavior did not end there. A second incident took place on February 28, involving the same young male teenager, now joined by another male youth also living in care. Prosecutors revealed that Roberts had met with the two boys at Swansea railway station before bringing them back to his home in Skewen. During that evening, the three consumed alcohol together, and the two teenagers smoked cannabis in Roberts’ presence. Roberts then further suggested acquiring amphetamine, claiming it would “make you really horny.” The evening took a sinister turn when, at around 4 a.m., a heated dispute erupted, and Roberts allegedly chased the two boys out of his flat—reportedly at knife-point.

In response, one of the boys contacted his care home, and a staff member promptly drove to Skewen to retrieve him. Roberts was once again arrested. In his subsequent interview, he acknowledged that he had arranged to collect one of the boys from the station but claimed surprise upon finding the young person was not alone. This episode reinforced his ongoing breach of legal restrictions.

Jamie Paul Roberts, who resides on New Road, Skewen, Neath, has a long history of criminal behavior. Previously, he pleaded guilty to breaching a sexual harm prevention order when appearing before the court for sentencing. His criminal record includes 19 convictions spanning 22 separate offenses, many of which are sexual in nature. His earliest known conviction involved the indecent assault of a girl when he was still a juvenile—an assault carried out in public toilets on a beach. Years later, in 2005, Roberts was convicted at Swansea Crown Court for breaching a sexual harm prevention order, a conviction that was repeated when he was sentenced at Stratford Crown Court in 2007. However, the details of those breaches were not publicly disclosed.

In 2021, Roberts received a two-year community order for child abduction. This incident involved a young boy who had defied police warnings by staying in Roberts’ property, after concerns had been raised by the child's father regarding Roberts’ relationship with his son. Roberts’ troubled upbringing also came under discussion during the proceedings. His childhood was marred by instability; he was taken into care at the age of four and was prescribed anti-psychotic medication to manage his behavior. Over the years, he was placed with numerous foster families—ten different families across five foster homes—and endured bullying at school. His mental health diagnoses include personality disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression.

Additional challenges in Roberts’ life include being the victim of a serious assault in Cardiff’s Bute Park—a location renowned for the homophobic murder of Dr. Gary Jenkins—and having fallen victim to “cuckooing,” where criminal gangs take over residential properties, in his case, his Neath flat.

Judge Paul Thomas QC expressed his grave concerns about Roberts' actions, emphasizing that his contact with children from care homes was clearly motivated by sexual grooming behavior. The judge noted the significant risk Roberts posed to minors and indicated that, although the nature of his offenses warranted a lengthy sentence, an extended custodial term could not be imposed under the current circumstances.

Taking into account Roberts’ earlier guilty pleas, the judge reduced his sentence by 25%, resulting in a total sentence of four years in prison. Roberts was sentenced to three-and-a-half years for breaching the sexual harm prevention order, with an additional six months for the child abduction offense, to run consecutively. This means Roberts could serve up to half of his sentence in custody before being released on licence, after which he will be subject to supervision in the community. His continued or potential risk to children underscores the seriousness of his convictions and the need for ongoing monitoring.