Sex offender jailed over secret laptop

A SEX offender who tried to mislead police officers about what devices he used to access the internet has been locked up for 20 months.

Reginald Peter Williams was jailed for nine years in 2006 for serious sex offences and was made the subject of a 15-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), a judge at Caernarfon Crown Court heard on Monday.

Initially, the 63-year-old (pictured), from Maes Gwyn, Beaumaris, was banned from using any device that could access the internet, but this order was later relaxed provided he make available any device to police officers on request.

Elen Owen, prosecuting, told the court police attended Williams’ home in February and were shown a phone and a personal computer.

“The officers were acting on information received that Williams had a laptop and asked him again if there were any further devices in the property,” she said. “They were told there were none.

“When told of the information they had received, he changed his account and the laptop was produced. It was seized by the officers and Williams later made full admissions when he was interviewed.”

Richard Edwards, defending, said Williams had been too embarassed to show the officers the laptop as he had been using it to look at pornography.

Mr Edwards pointed out the device had been examined and no further offending had been identified. “This was a breach of the order, and not a breach which led to to further offences,” he said.

Williams, the lawyer added, realised a prison term would be imposed.

Ms Owen told the court Williams had breached the order on two previous occasions.

In 2011, he had received a caution after using a computer to access the internet at a public library. The following year, he was jailed for 12 months after admitting setting up a Facebook account.

Jailing him, Judge Huw Rees said the matter was too serious to be dealt with in any way other than custody.

“This was a flagrant and deliberate breach of a court order, and not for the first time,” he said.

An application to extend the SHPO will be made at a later date.