Former police inspector from Barry jailed for inciting internet child sex abuse

Geraint Lloyd Evans, 48, was suspended and later sacked by South Wales Police after he admitted the charge against him.

The former inspector, who formerly lived at Purdey Close in Barry and Coychurch in Bridgend, was a highly respected officer, commended for bravery.

But he was roundly condemned by a judge on Friday who, jailing Evans, described him as having lived a "lie clothed in respectability".

Evans admitted a single charge of encouraging others to sexually assault a child under 13, back in October. He also admitted possessing 179 images of extreme pornography.

He was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on December 23 with three others who were all guilty of an identical charge.

The court heard how Evans had used internet chatrooms to contact paedophiles who encouraged him, and were encouraged themselves, to carry out depraved acts.

Judge Paul Thomas accepted that neither Evans nor the other three men ever put their fantasies into practice. But he said a negative side of the internet was that "sick-minded individuals like you four can get easily in touch and fuel and encourage each other's depravity".

Evans was jailed along with Leslie Asser, 54, from Ross-on-Wye, and Wayne Barnes, 50, from Neath. Asser received a 30-month jail term and Barnes one of 27 months.

Both had already admitted encouraging others to commit sexual assault on a child under 13.

Also present was Keith Bold, 47, formerly from Neath Abbey, who was already serving a 28-month sentence for having more than 6,000 images and 181 movie clips of child abuse on his computer. He received an additional 18-month sentence.

The court heard that it was a raid on his home which triggered the police investigation which finally caught Evans.

John Hipkin, prosecuting, said "worrying conversations" were discovered on Bold's home computer. At the time the other parties were anonymous and it took months of work for police to track down who they were.

Among the conversations was one between Bold and Evans in which Bold expressed a wish to have "young to play with".

Evans answered "My mate has some pervy mates who could oblige but only once they know you're genuine."

Tim Evans, in mitigation for Evans, said the former inspector's life had gone into a downward spiral after he was run down trying to arrest car thieves. He was injured by a car a second time in the line of duty and began to suffer depression and drink "vast amounts".

He said Evans "lost touch with reality" and "now did not recognise the man who had written the disgusting messages".

Passing sentence, Judge Thomas said: "You were respectable men with families but egged each other on to commit sexual acts against children."

To Evans he added: "You were a man the public ought to have looked up to.

"I accept that you were an admirable police officer who suffered injury on more than one occasion.

"For several years you lived a lie clothed in the respectability of a police officer and purporting to have moral superiority over others."

INQUIRY

AFTER the sentencing on Friday, the Independent Police Complaints Commission announced that its inquiry into Evans was now concluded.

IPCC Commissioner for Wales Tom Davies said: "I would like to commend the SWP investigation team for the excellent job they did in investigating Evans' depraved actions, and also in closing down a nasty ring of men abusing children.

"Evans was in a position of great responsibility and trust as a police inspector, which he abused. He indulged in criminal behaviour against children and also broke police standards of professional conduct.

"The vast majority of police officers across Wales continue to have the highest standards of integrity and will doubtless share my revulsion at Evans' actions.

"This case shows that police officers are not above the law and will be brought to account when they offend," he added.

"This investigation has also shown that there is no hiding place for people who behave in this way on the internet."