Paedophile Jailed for Hiding Phone with Dating Apps

A convicted paedophile has been locked up for 10 months after hiding a mobile phone containing dating apps from police officers 📱⚖️

Kieran O’Connor, 23, from Blaenavon, breached his sexual harm prevention order when he concealed a Nokia smartphone in his flat’s meter cabinet last month. The device had Snapchat and dating apps installed, with his internet history deleted.

O’Connor was first given the prevention order in September 2020 after contacting an 11-year-old girl. He was previously jailed for 20 months in December 2023 for sending sexual messages to underage girls on Facebook.

His latest offences came to light when his flatmate alerted police on 14th May. When officers arrived, O’Connor initially denied the phone was his before it was discovered hidden away.

The defendant admitted three counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order at Newport Crown Court.

His barrister Jac Brown said: “He was very candid in his police interview – he had tried to conceal the phone from them. I would ask that he be given the maximum credit for his early guilty pleas.”

Judge Eugene Egan told O’Connor: “You have breached your sexual harm prevention order several times since it was imposed on September 9, 2020. You have appeared before court for doing so in April 2021, December 2021 and December 2023 – and here you are again today.”

The judge added: “You have a proven track record of ignoring the order. The only sentence that can be imposed today is one of immediate custody. This was a deliberate breach.”

O’Connor will be released on licence at around the halfway point and must pay a victim surcharge.