Cardiff Crown Court (Image: Wales Updates)
Last Updated: 1 hour ago
A man who told a “13-year-old child” he loved her and wanted her to be his girlfriend has been sentenced after being caught by paedophile hunters.
Daniel Wheatstone, 38, of Park View, Pontypool, was snared in an online sting operation before being arrested by police in August 2022.
⚖️ The sting
Cardiff Crown Court heard how Wheatstone had been communicating with what he believed was an underage schoolgirl – but was in fact an adult decoy operated by paedophile hunter group Dank Dragon.
Prosecutor Martha Smith-Higgins told the court the defendant sent increasingly sexualised messages to the decoy, telling her he would teach her how to masturbate and suggesting they should run away together.
“He asked her to be his girlfriend and that he loved her and that they should share a hotel room as boyfriend and girlfriend,” Miss Smith-Higgins said.
“The defendant told her that sex is for everyone, not just adults.
“He said he loved her and wanted to kiss her.”
The charges
Wheatstone admitted attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.
He also pleaded guilty to possessing 13 prohibited images of a child and 94 extreme pornographic images depicting bestiality.
The defendant had no previous convictions.
Mitigation
Defence barrister Peter Donnison told the court Wheatstone has a learning disability as a result of a brain injury and claims benefits.
He highlighted a “significant and unexplained” four-year delay in the case being brought to court and asked the judge to take this into consideration.
Mr Donnison added: “The defendant feels shame for his offending and he would struggle in custody.”
Sentence
Judge Christopher Felstead handed Wheatstone a 12-month community order with a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
He must register as a sex offender for five years and was made the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order. Wheatstone was also ordered to pay £600 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.
