RAYMOND EVANS FROM BRIDGEND AND BRITON FERRY CAUGHT WITH ILLEGAL IMAGES AT LOCAL LIBRARY

In July 2019, a disturbing case emerged involving Raymond Evans, a known sex offender with a troubling history of criminal behavior related to sexual offenses. The incident took place in the South Wales area, specifically involving his activities in Bridgend and Briton Ferry, where authorities uncovered evidence of illegal activity linked to the possession and download of indecent images of young girls.

According to court reports, Raymond Thomas Evans, aged 51, was found to have engaged in the illicit downloading of photographs depicting young girls at beaches and swimming pools. These images were accessed using a computer at a local library, raising serious concerns given Evans' prior convictions and the restrictions placed upon him. Despite a court-imposed sexual harm prevention order that explicitly banned him from owning or using a computer to access the internet, police discovered a laptop in his bedroom during an unannounced visit to his residence in Briton Ferry, near Neath.

During the police search, officers found a Samsung laptop along with a memory stick. Evans initially claimed that he only used the device to watch DVDs and that it did not have internet access. However, upon further investigation at Cockett police station, the device was examined and found to be capable of internet connectivity. The browser history revealed no suspicious activity, but a particular file contained images of girls aged between seven and ten, captured at beaches or swimming pools. While the photographs themselves were not classified as indecent, the police officers' concern was heightened due to Evans' extensive history of sexual offenses.

In his police interview, Evans admitted to downloading the images from computers in a public library, claiming he liked the way the pictures looked but denied deriving sexual pleasure from them. His background is marked by a long history of sexual misconduct, including approximately 20 previous convictions related to sexual offenses or breaches of court orders. Notably, in September 2011, Evans was sentenced to 42 months in prison and placed on the sex offenders register for life after being convicted at Cardiff Crown Court of multiple indecent assaults on two young girls under the age of nine.

Further convictions followed, including a 20-month sentence in November 2014 at Swansea Crown Court for making and possessing indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornography. He was also subjected to a sexual offences prevention order to restrict his access to children. In January 2017, Evans received a two-year prison sentence after police found indecent images, including Category A images, on his computer during a raid at his Glynneath residence. The laptop was equipped with software capable of deleting internet history, complicating efforts to monitor his online activity.

Following his arrest, Evans admitted to an ongoing compulsion to view indecent images of children, stating he could not stop himself and had been engaging in this behavior for many years. His criminal record underscores a pattern of repeated offenses, leading to a series of court-imposed restrictions. Most recently, he was subjected to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order that prohibited him from borrowing, owning, possessing, or using a computer capable of internet access, except at a public library.

Judge Keith Thomas addressed Evans directly, stating that the only reason for the presence of the photographs on his laptop was for his sexual gratification. Given Evans' extensive criminal history, the judge concluded that a custodial sentence was necessary to protect the public. Recognizing Evans' guilty plea, the judge sentenced him to 12 months in prison for breaching the sexual harm prevention order. He was granted a one-third reduction in his sentence, meaning he will serve six months in custody before being released on license to serve the remaining six months in the community. This case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in monitoring and managing individuals with a history of sexual offenses, especially those who attempt to circumvent restrictions through digital means.