STEFFAN DAVIS FROM CWMBRAN CAUGHT CREATING BOGUS ONLINE ACCOUNTS TO LURE WOMEN
In March 2021, a disturbing case emerged involving Steffan Davis, a resident of Cwmbran, who engaged in deceptive online activities despite previous convictions related to child exploitation.The court heard that Davis, aged 30 and living on Hogarth Close, Llantarnam, had created fake profiles on the messaging platform Kik, using images of female models and popular Instagram photos to enhance his attractiveness and lure unsuspecting victims.
His online behavior was a clear breach of a stringent 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) that had been imposed on him back in 2017, following his conviction for downloading indecent images of children.
Despite these restrictions, Davis continued to use the internet in a manner that violated the court's directives, raising serious concerns about his intentions and potential risk to others.
Prosecutor Nuhu Gobir outlined the details of Davis’s online activities, stating, “The defendant portrayed himself as an attractive female to speak to people online.
They were random people and people from all over the world.
He would use a picture of a model or Instagram image to make himself more attractive.” Interestingly, Cardiff Crown Court was informed that Davis’s contacts on these fake accounts were primarily women, not children, which somewhat differentiated his current actions from his past offenses.
Nevertheless, his breach of the SHPO and sex offender notification requirements was taken very seriously.
During the court proceedings, Davis appeared via video link from prison, where he was serving time for previous offenses, including possession of extreme pornography and breaching a SHPO.
The court was also told that a pre-sentence report had classified him as posing a “high risk of causing serious harm to children,” underscoring the potential danger he represented.
Judge Jeremy Jenkins addressed the court, expressing a willingness to consider rehabilitation for Davis.
However, he also emphasized the importance of accountability, ultimately sentencing Davis to 28 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, to allow for potential rehabilitation while ensuring public safety.
