LEUAN DAVIES FROM PONTYPRIDD SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND SEXUAL HARM OFFENSES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Pontypridd, Leuan Davies, a 21-year-old resident of Church Village, was found guilty of possessing and sharing highly illegal and disturbing images of children. The investigation began when authorities executed a search warrant at Davies' home on Valentine’s Day of the previous year, leading to the seizure of two mobile phones. During the search, Davies cooperated by providing police with the passcodes to his devices and a secure digital 'vault' where the illicit material was stored.

Officers discovered a total of 236 illegal images across various categories, including 55 in the most severe Category A, which depicts the worst forms of child exploitation. Additionally, there were 43 images in Category B and 138 in Category C. Among the material was an extreme image showing a person engaging in sexual acts with an animal, highlighting the severity and depravity of the content involved.

Prosecutor James Evans addressed Cardiff Crown Court, revealing that one of the most disturbing images depicted a young girl, approximately two years old, being raped. The court was also shown evidence of communications on Snapchat, where Davies exchanged messages with another individual who shared similar disturbing interests. These messages included explicit requests such as, 'Send me your youngest first' and questions like, 'Do you like really young?' The conversations suggested an intent to share and exchange such illegal images, further emphasizing the malicious intent behind Davies' actions.

Mr. Evans explained that due to the nature of Snapchat, some images were not recoverable, but the messages themselves conveyed the seriousness of Davies' misconduct. In one message, Davies explicitly stated, 'Send me one of your youngest and I’ll leave you alone,' and in another, he asked, 'Send me your youngest first… Do you like really young?'

Following the evidence, the court sentenced Davies to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid community work and participate in a 30-day rehabilitation program. Furthermore, Davies will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for five years, restricting his activities and monitoring his behavior to prevent further offenses. The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat child exploitation and protect vulnerable victims from such heinous crimes.