A PRISON term has been handed down to a Powys man who sent sexually explicit Snapchat images to a police officer he thought was a 12-year-old girl.

Trevor Anthony Hughes, from Caersws, was jailed for 17 months at Mold Crown Court on Thursday, November 11, having pleaded guilty previously to two charges of engaging in sexual activity with a child.

Hughes, 41, started a conversation in a teen chatroom with someone he believed was a 12-year-old girl called Amelia in November 2019 – but it turned out to be an undercover police officer working to identify individuals with a sexual interest in children.

The offences occurred between November 6 and December 9, 2019, and saw married Hughes bombard the 'girl' with images of his genitals and he repeatedly asked her to send naked images to him.

The defendant, then 39, was traced to his home via his IP address and arrested on July 23, 2020.

Hughes, who has since moved out of Powys to Glynneath, just over the border, initially denied being involved, but changed his plea to guilty when appearing at the crown court on October 12. He admitted two charges, one of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child aged 13 or under and another of attempting to incite a child aged 13 or under to engage in sexual activity.

Prosecutor Sion ap Mihangel said Hughes had initially told the girl he was 19, but then days later said he was 17.

“The defendant soon moved the chat in a sexual direction,” said Mr ap Mihangel.

“When the issue of age was brought up, he said he thought she was 15, but she said she was 12. She asked to switch the conversation to WhatsApp or Instagram but he told her ‘this is better as the pics don’t stay’.

“On one occasion he asked for an upskirt type picture but she said she wouldn’t send one as she was worried she might be talking to a ‘proper old man’.

“On another occasion he tried to pressure her to send pictures, saying he wouldn’t send pictures to her if he didn’t trust her, and he promised he wouldn’t save them.”

Hughes also suggested that he could “maybe be her first”, alluding to her virginity, and said he’d be willing to drive to meet her.

Although Hughes denied being the individual named in the conversation, police discovered underwear seen in the pictures at his home.

Brian Treadwell, acting for Hughes, said his client had no previous convictions, cautions or reprimands against him.

“The fact the defendant engaged in this behaviour is embarrassing for him,” said Mr Treadwell.

“When the defendant knew she was 12, he did not discontinue contact, so he is culpable. He has expressed significant remorse, including to his wife, who is here today and continues to support him."

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Mr Treadwell said Hughes accepted he has an alcohol problem that needs addressing, adding that he possessed a good employment history but was sacked from his job of 10 years when the offences were disclosed to his employer.

“These offences were very much out of character and the activity ceased upon his arrest," he added.

Judge Rhys Rowlands told Hughes: “You believed you were messaging a 12-year-old girl. It was in fact a police officer tracing people who are out trawling the internet such as yourself seeking contact with children for their own sexual gratification.

“There was no child involved but, had they been, then potentially very great harm would have been caused to her.

“As far as you were concerned you were dealing with a young girl, this was in your mind, yet you thought nothing of corrupting that child had she existed. You were 39, there was a very significant disparity in your ages; if she’d existed you would have been old enough to be her father.”

Judge Rowlands said Hughes had been frank in a pre-sentence report interview with the probation service, which had provided an “insight into the depraved nature of your distorted thinking”.

Hughes was also served with a sexual harm prevention order that will last for 10 years.