Sex offender breached internet order three times

A SEX offender had online conversations with underage teenage girls, asking one if they were “looking for anyone” and if they wanted to “go out with him.”

Alexander Lee Beecham, aged 20, of Clos Sant Paul, Llanelli, held the conversations on Facebook Messenger just weeks after a crown court imposed a ban on him using the internet as part of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He pleaded guilty to breaching the order three times when he appeared before Llanelli Magistrates Court.

The order was placed on Beecham by Swansea Crown Court on March 8 and he breached it twice by having online conversations with a female under the age of 18 between May 15 and May 17, and again holding conversations with another female under 18 years old between June 9 and 17.

Beecham was also in breach of the order by failing to disclose to police he was using a device with internet access - namely an Apple iPod. That charge was dated May 21.

Prosecutor Linda Baker argued Beecham should be sentenced at crown court due to the seriousness of the offending, adding: “There are three breaches here of an order made on him in March by the crown court.

“That order runs until May 7, 2024. Police found he had a device that could use the internet, an iPod.

“On it they found email addresses linked to the defendant and also regular online searches and the investigation revealed he had been speaking to two young females on Facebook Messenger.

“The nature of the conversations had no sexual content, but one of them was to a 15-year-old girl to whom he asked if she ‘was looking for anyone’ and ‘will you go out with me’.

Defence solicitor Richard Morgan said Beecham had a “cognitive deficit” and needed help with thinking skills which he is due to be assessed for shortly. He added: “My client was confused at the terms of the order, which was why he breached it so soon after it was imposed.

However, Mr Morgan argued: “One of the Facebook messages was sent to him in the first instance, they contacted him.

“He responded by asking if they were ‘looking for anyone’ which is of concern understandably.”

The court heard Beecham was receiving support from the Wallich charity in Llanelli which helps vulnerable people.

A support worker was present at the back of the court during the hearing.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction and sent Beecham to Swansea Crown Court where he will appear on August 1 to be sentenced. He was granted conditional bail.