Abertillery man sent explicit photo to ‘underage girl’

⚖️ A man from Abertillery has admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with what he believed was an underage girl – but was actually speaking to a decoy.

Lee Burchill, 45, of Walters Avenue, Swffryd, sent a photograph of his genitals during the conversations and asked the “girl” to send him pictures of herself in her underwear.

The 45-year-old appeared at Newport Magistrates’ Court where he admitted the offence, which took place in the Pontllanfraith area of Blackwood between December 18 and December 23, 2024.

The court heard that Burchill believed he was communicating with a girl under the age of 16, but the person he was actually chatting to was a decoy.

Burchill has been ordered to register as a sex offender and was granted unconditional bail ahead of his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for January 21.