NEATH PAEDOPHILE JOHN HOWELLS SENTENCED FOR VILE SEX OFFENSES INVOLVING SOCIAL MEDIA PROM PHOTO

In April 2022, a disturbing case emerged involving John Howells, a resident of Neath, who was found guilty of a series of heinous sexual offenses that included the exploitation and abuse of minors and women. The court proceedings revealed a pattern of deeply disturbing behavior that spanned over several years, involving the manipulation of innocent images and the possession of a vast collection of illegal material.

According to court reports, Howells took a photograph of a girl’s prom night, which had been shared on her social media account, and used it without her knowledge or consent. He then edited this image into explicit and depraved adult pornography, superimposing her face onto images depicting sexual acts with other women, animals, and in some cases, with himself inserted into the scenes. These manipulations were part of a broader pattern of criminal activity that included downloading thousands of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, as well as secretly recording women and girls over a period of four years.

When police officers executed a search warrant at Howells’ residence in Neath in January 2020, they seized a total of 20 electronic devices, including multiple hard drives and laptops. Prosecutor Hannah George explained that Howells claimed the material found on his devices was for research purposes, specifically for a screenplay he was working on about sexual abuse and incest. However, forensic analysis revealed that six of these devices contained indecent images, with over 17,000 photographs and videos of child sexual abuse, alongside evidence of thousands of other images that had been deleted over time.

The investigation uncovered that Howells had deliberately and persistently viewed material involving themes of bestiality, incest, and underage girls. Police found numerous extreme pornographic images, including 'pseudo' images of children, many of which had been digitally altered by Howells to include photographs of real girls and women who were unaware their images were being exploited. In some instances, the defendant superimposed images of females into scenes of bestiality, while in others, he placed his own face onto male bodies within the explicit content.

Further evidence revealed that Howells had used a school prom photograph of a girl, shared on social media, in his illicit creations. Police also discovered stories written by Howells under a pseudonym, which featured themes of child rape and bestiality. At least one of these stories was available for purchase online. The investigation also uncovered that Howells had been secretly filming women and girls over a four-year period, raising serious concerns about ongoing voyeuristic behavior.

During police interviews, Howells maintained that the material was part of his research for a screenplay, claiming he wanted to understand the mindset of both abusers and victims. He admitted that some images on his devices were sourced from social media accounts. Victims whose photographs had been exploited described the profound psychological impact of his actions. One victim, whose prom photo was used, reported suffering from panic attacks and feeling that her memories of the event had been tainted and violated. Another victim expressed her fear and distress, stating she had deleted her social media accounts and no longer felt safe. A third victim revealed that her mental health deteriorated to the point where she had to leave university after discovering the extent of Howells’ offending.

John Craig Howells, aged 50, of Bryn Awel, Cimla, Neath, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including three counts of possession of indecent images across categories A, B, and C, possession of extreme pornography, prohibited images of children, and voyeurism. It was noted that he had a previous conviction unrelated to these offenses.

His defense lawyer, Dan Griffiths, described Howells’ behavior as “quite frankly beggars belief” and acknowledged the significant psychological harm caused to his victims. The lawyer also stated that since his arrest, Howells had been voluntarily working with the charity Stop It Now to address his offending and was motivated to change.

However, Judge Paul Thomas QC condemned Howells’ actions as “vile” and driven by “warped sexual attractions.” The judge dismissed Howells’ claim that he was conducting research for a screenplay as “risible.” While noting that Howells only had one old and unrelated conviction on his record, the judge emphasized that Howells had been “living a lie” for most of his life.

Despite the pre-sentence report indicating some remorse and highlighting charitable efforts, the judge stated that the severity of the offenses warranted a custodial sentence. He expressed surprise at the Crown Prosecution Service’s decision to only charge one count of voyeurism, given evidence of multiple incidents over several years. Nonetheless, the court was bound by the charges laid.

Applying a one-third reduction for guilty pleas, Howells was sentenced to 26 months in prison. He will serve up to half of this term in custody before being released on license to serve the remainder in the community. Additionally, he was ordered to be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years, restricting his access to the internet, and will be registered as a sex offender for the same period.