JOSEPH WRIGHT FROM ANGLESEY SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND DISTRIBUTION OF INDECENT IMAGES

In a disturbing case that highlights the ongoing threat of online child exploitation, Joseph Wright, a 29-year-old man from Red Wharf Bay on the island of Anglesey, was sentenced to a significant prison term after engaging in a series of heinous online activities aimed at a minor. The incident unfolded in November 2018, when Wright attempted to lure a young girl, believed to be just 13 years old, into engaging in sexual acts through social media platforms.

Wright initially made contact with the girl via Kik, a popular messaging app, under the false pretense of being a teenager named Morgan from Rhyl. As their online interaction progressed, he switched to Snapchat, another widely used social media platform, where he escalated his requests and sent explicit photographs of himself. Wright's intentions were clear: he wanted the girl to meet him in Bangor, a city in North Wales, for what he hoped would be a sexual encounter.

Unbeknownst to Wright, he was communicating with an undercover police officer, not a minor. His conversations revealed a disturbing willingness to pursue illegal and morally reprehensible activities. The police investigation was initiated after Wright's contact was flagged, leading to a police visit to his residence two months later. During this search, officers seized his computer equipment, which contained a horrifying collection of indecent images and videos of children as young as a few months old.

Prosecutor Myles Wilson detailed the extent of the material found, including 131 indecent images and 17 videos, with 14 images and 12 videos classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of abuse. Additionally, officers discovered 999 prohibited images and 403 videos, further underscoring the severity of Wright's offending.

During police interviews, Wright attempted to minimize his actions, claiming that his conversations with the girl were