Conwy,Bryn Hyfryd Park, North Wales - charity worker and businessman ordered to register as sex offender

Published date: 19 December 2016 | 

Published by: Staff reporter
Read more articles by Staff reporterEmail reporter

A highly successful North Wales businessman has been jailed today after a court heard how he had a deep rooted sexual interest in under aged boys.

Defendant Peter Mark Hewson, 67, was described at Mold Crown Court as a pillar of his society who carried out charity work and for 35 years had been the owner of Conwy Landrovers.

But he admitted trying to get two boys to indulge in sex acts over the Internet and possessing and distributing indecent images of boys.

Hewson, of Bryn Hyfryd Park in Conwy was jailed for 16 months and ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years.

A ten year sexual harm prevention order was made.

Judge Niclas Parry said Hewson posed a high risk of harm of sexual abuse and emotional trauma to boys.

Hewson admitted making 229 category A images – the worst kind – between January 2006 and July of last year, together with 97 category B images and 318 category C images.

The distribution charge involved 54 category C images of boys.

He admitted two charges of attempting to cause a child to engage in the sexual touching over the internet dated back to November 2010 and January 2013.

Prosecuting barrister Simon Mills said the offending took place over a nine year period.

When police searched his home in September of last year he denied an interest in under aged child porn.

But an examination of his computers revealed that he had downloaded images and films, had distributed images, and had engaged in highly sexualised chat logs and live web cam sessions over Skype, some with people who said they were under aged.

There were no complainants as such – none of the others had been identified.
Hewson claimed in web chats that he had se. with a boy of 14, encouraged another person to arrange for him to meet up with two boys and when he received one particular image had reacted by saying “wow, hot lad.”

A forensic examination showed more than 300,000 Skype messages in total, but not all of which were sexual.

The prosecutor said they must have taken place while he was at home with his wife in another room.

• Follow and like the Rhyl Journal Facebook page by clicking here

He had been viewing images of children aged as young as 14. Only a handful was recoverable and he searched for images using various terms including “pre teen models”.

The distributed images had as a matter of precaution been charged as the least serious categories because they had not been seen although some of the titles used suggested very young boys being raped.

He had engaged in conversations with two others encourage them to indulge in sexual acts and he had invited people to meet him for sexual activity in Blackpool where he had an apartment.

Defending barrister Gareth Roberts said that Hewson, who had no previous convictions, was deeply ashamed for the offences and for bringing shame and embarrassment on his family who had done nothing but love and support him throughout his life.

He was profoundly remorseful at his sordid behaviour and was anxious to receive help and counselling which Mr Roberts said could be provided under a suspended sentence. He had not been near a computer since his arrest.

Mr Roberts said he was not only a successful businessman as the owner of Conwy Landrovers for 35 years but he was a pillar of his community.

He charities and had allowed his landrovers to be used by meals on wheels in bad weather to ensure the service could continue.

His wife and daughter were standing by him. His daughter believed if her father had lived in a different age he could have pursued an open and healthy homosexual relationship rather than spending years in denial.

Mr Roberts said the defendant started using the internet for conversations about se. and it progressed to him talking about children and unlawful images.

He had already started counselling for his depression and it had taken a certain amount of courage to speak about his offending behaviour.

Judge Parry said that the serious offences confirmed a deep rooted sexual interest in children.

In addition to the images which involved children as young as four, he had downloaded and distributed some images and he had engaged in sexual activity during live web cam sessions and incited two boys under 16.

The evidence pointed to an entrenched pattern of seeking opportunities to satisfy fantasies about sexual interaction with children.

The greatest mitigation was his guilty pleas. The judge said it was a personal tragedy for the defendant and his family.

He was a man of good character was a strong work ethic and community conscious who found it difficult to come to terms with life after an enforced retirement through ill health.

The defendant was a good father and references showed there was another side to him.

http://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/news/170377/conwy-charity-worker-and-businessman-ordered-to-register-as-sex-offender.aspx