A MAN from Gwynedd has been jailed for attempting to speak to who he thought was a child online, but was actually an undercover police officer.
Stephen Francis Mitchell, 38, of Llanegryn, was sentenced to three years and 11 months’ imprisonment at Caernarfon Crown Court on Monday (June 8).
Mitchell was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) in 2018.
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But in September 2023, he breached the order when he began using an online chat to speak to who he believed to be a 12-year-old girl.
He asked her to send photos of herself to him.
Mitchell was arrested, and an examination of his digital devices found 286 indecent images of children, including the most serious classification.
In November 2025, he then exposed his genitals at a train station, in view of members of the public.
While under investigation, officers found he had further breached his SHPO by downloading applications that he was prohibited from accessing.
Mitchell also had further indecent images, police discovered.
He pleaded guilty to breaching his SHPO, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, making indecent photographs of a child, and outraging public decency.
A new SHPO, of indefinite length, was also issued on Monday.
Detective Inspector Jon Rich, of the Noth Wales Police’s management of sexual and violent offenders unit, said: "Mitchell showed a flagrant disregard for the law by continuously trying to make contact with children, possessing indecent images of children and by breaching his SHPO.
“His sentence serves as a warning to others that we will work tirelessly to secure convictions against those who pose a danger to children.
“We continue to monitor offenders closely and any breaches will be dealt with swiftly and robustly."
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