Pendine pensioner jailed for abducting teen and drug offences

A 73-year-old man from Pendine, Carmarthenshire, has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison after admitting to a string of serious offences including child abduction, making indecent images of children and being concerned in the supply of drugs.

Richard Knight was arrested after a worried mother contacted Dyfed-Powys Police in the early hours of Monday 11 April 2022, concerned for the welfare of her 15-year-old daughter. The teenager had made a distressed phone call saying she wanted to come home after being given drugs at Knight’s house.

Officers rushed to the address but got no answer at the door. Growing increasingly concerned for the girl’s safety, they forced entry and discovered a cannabis grow inside – but no people. It later emerged Knight had driven the teenager home in his car before returning to the property, where he was arrested on suspicion of drink driving, possession of cannabis with intent to supply and supplying cannabis to the victim.

A further search of the property uncovered a variety of controlled drugs believed to be for personal use, along with several digital devices which were seized.

The victim later told officers she believed Knight knew she was 15 years old and that he was aware she would not be telling her mother where she was going. She described the range of drugs she had been given, including some provided to her on a fruit pastel sweet. CCTV enquiries confirmed Knight had been seen buying fruit pastels from the local Spar shop that same afternoon before picking the teenager up and driving her to his home.

A forensic examination of the seized devices and drugs led to Knight being further arrested in December 2022. Work by the Digital Forensics Unit uncovered a total of 1,101 unlawful images on his devices, with 122 falling into category A – the most serious type of indecent image.

Drugs experts valued the cannabis grow at between £6,000 and £20,000. Six different types of Class A drugs were also seized from the address.

Following a lengthy and complex investigation, Knight was charged with 12 offences including child abduction, possession of indecent images of children and being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.

He admitted the drug offences on 10 April 2025 and entered further guilty pleas to three counts of making indecent images of children at a second hearing on 12 May 2025. Knight denied the child abduction charge and a trial was listed at Swansea Crown Court for Monday 12 January 2026 – but he changed his plea immediately before the trial was due to begin.

Detective Constable Jon Gouldson, who investigated the case, said: “This was a very serious case involving a man who groomed a young and vulnerable girl for his own satisfaction.

“There is no doubt that Richard Kight knew that taking this 15-year-old girl into his home was wrong and ultimately amounted to child abduction.

“Taking a child without a parent’s permission is a crime. There are no grey areas here.

“It is unlawful to take, or keep, a child under the age of 16 without permission of their parent or someone who has parental responsibility for them.

“We welcome today’s sentencing and want to be clear that arranging to take a child without a parent’s permission, or creating/possessing indecent images of children is illegal and has serious consequences.

“Today’s result shows that we will do everything we can to investigate these crimes and bring such offenders to justice.”