JAMIE WHELAN ROBERTS SHOCKS SKWEEN WITH CHILD HIDEOUT AND DRUGS IN SWANSEA

In a disturbing series of events that have sent shockwaves through the community of Skewen and the surrounding areas, Jamie Roberts, also known as Jamie Whelan, was caught engaging in highly concerning and illegal activities involving vulnerable children. The incidents, which occurred over a span of several months, highlight the ongoing risks posed by individuals with a history of sexual offenses and the importance of vigilant law enforcement.

It all began in May 2022 when police in Swansea uncovered a deeply troubling situation. Officers responded to reports of two children, a boy and a girl, who had gone missing from their respective care homes. The children were found hiding inside a wardrobe in Roberts' bedroom in his residence in Skewen. The discovery was made after police knocked on Roberts' door at approximately 3:40 a.m. early on December 21 of the previous year. Despite the house being illuminated and the blinds twitching, Roberts initially refused to open the door, claiming he had been asleep. When he finally answered, he was fully clothed, and the officers proceeded to search the premises.

During the search, the officers initially believed Roberts was alone. However, their attention was drawn to a large pile of bedding and clothing stacked in front of a wardrobe in one of the bedrooms. Upon moving the items and opening the wardrobe, they found the missing children hiding inside. The teenagers were promptly returned to their care homes, and Roberts was taken into custody. In his subsequent police interview, Roberts, aged 35, provided a prepared statement claiming that the children had asked him to hide them and that they had taken cocaine and amphetamine. Despite this, he was released under investigation pending further inquiries.

Further troubling developments emerged in February 2023. On February 28, Roberts again involved himself with two teenagers, this time a boy and another male youth, both of whom were also in care. The prosecutor outlined that Roberts had met the boys at Swansea railway station and brought them back to his Skewen residence. That evening, the trio consumed alcohol and smoked cannabis, with Roberts suggesting obtaining amphetamine, claiming it “makes you really horny.”

However, the situation escalated at around 4 a.m., when an argument broke out, and Roberts allegedly chased the boys from his flat, reportedly at knife-point. One of the boys managed to contact his care home, and a staff member arrived to collect him from Skewen. Roberts was arrested once again and admitted to arranging to pick up one of the boys from the station, though he claimed he was surprised to find the young person was not alone.

Jamie Roberts, of New Road, Skewen, Neath, has a long history of criminal behavior. He has previously pleaded guilty to breaching a sexual harm prevention order, with a total of 19 prior convictions spanning 22 offenses, many of which involve sexual misconduct. His criminal record includes an indecent assault on a girl when he was a juvenile, involving an incident in public toilets on a beach. In 2005, Roberts was convicted at Swansea Crown Court of breaching a sexual harm prevention order, and he faced similar charges again in 2007 at Stratford Crown Court, although details of those breaches were not disclosed.

Most recently, in 2021, Roberts received a two-year community order after being convicted of child abduction. This offense involved a young boy who stayed at Roberts’ property despite a police-issued child abduction warning notice, which had been issued following concerns raised by the boy’s father about Roberts’ relationship with his son. The court, presided over by Judge Paul Thomas QC, expressed clear concern that Roberts’ interactions with children from care homes appeared to be motivated by grooming and sexual intent. The judge emphasized that Roberts posed a significant risk of serious harm to children but noted that an extended sentence was not possible under the current circumstances.

In sentencing, Roberts received a total of four years in prison. Due to his guilty pleas, he was given a one-quarter discount, resulting in a sentence of three-and-a-half years for breaching the sexual harm prevention order. Additionally, he was sentenced to six months for the child abduction offense, to run consecutively. Roberts is expected to serve up to half of this sentence in custody before being released on license, allowing him to serve the remainder of his term within the community, under supervision.