Wrexham teenager escaped prison despite SHPO breach

Gareth Roberts, of Foxwood Rise in Wrexham, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Thursday June 13.

On May 21, before Wrexham magistrates, the 19-year-old pleaded guilty to breaching the SHPO which was imposed on him in June 2023.

This was for inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and creating and distributing indecent images of children.

Rosemary Proctor, prosecuting, explained that Roberts was given a 20-month sentence in a detention center given his age at the time, as well as a 10-year SHPO sentence and notification requirements.

In August 2023, he was sentenced to a further 10 months in custody for drug offenses before being released on January 18 this year and placed in accommodation in Bangor, Gwynedd.

In February he was back in Wrexham, at his mother's address – which he had informed the police about – and she visited him.

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They returned his phone which had been seized during the investigation into the drug offenses (but which showed no evidence of drug trafficking).

All apps were deleted from the phone, except for Instagram, which Roberts claimed he “forgot the password for.”

On February 22, police returned to the address for another visit and found Roberts using both Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) on the device, as well as three email accounts.

The SHPO was put in place to prevent him from having any contact of any kind with anyone he knows or believes to be under 18, whether directly or indirectly through social media.

He told police he “should have informed them” of this and “didn’t think he had breached his SHPO”, adding that he was using the platforms to “talk to friends”.

The court was told that because it was believed officers believed Roberts could not access his Instagram account, the app was left installed on the phone. The SHPO violation related to the installation of application X.

Maria Masselis, defending, said Roberts had acted “immaturely” and now knew “he had to notify the police before he did anything”.

Judge Nicola Saffman said it appeared Roberts had been “left confused” by some of the guidelines.

Roberts was sentenced to a four-month detention period, suspended for a year and must pay £427 costs.