How predator continued his vile spree

2003 Jailed for three years for indecently assaulting a girl of six. 2005 Released on licence. August 2005 Accused of touching a girl on the bottom and making inappropriate comments to children while on licence. He was not recalled to prison. September 2005 “Risk of harm” increased to high. January 2006 Abducted a girl of three from her home in Cardiff, two days after his licence expired.

The girl’s parents received a call at 3am the following morning to say she had been thrown from his car. CAMPAIGN Mirror’s call for paedo law June 2006 Jailed for life after admitting kidnap, three counts of sexual assault and dangerous driving. At Cardiff crown court he got a life sentence with a 12-year tariff, taking into account his guilty plea. The girl’s mother branded the sentence an “insult”.

Days later the then Home Secretary John Reid called the sentence “unduly lenient”, sparking a political storm.

The Mirror began a campaign for a “two strikes” law, so paedophiles who commit a second serious sex attack are never released from jail. July 2006 The Attorney General decided not to refer Sweeney’s sentence to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the judge had followed sentencing guidelines.