A man in Anglesey, James Owen, was discovered to have disturbing videos and images on his phone, showing people engaging in sexual acts with animals and a young girl being abused. The shocking content was found by North Wales Police during the seizure of Owen’s devices. The images included extreme pornographic material depicting intercourse with animals, as well as a graphic image of a girl aged between eight and ten being abused, classified as the most serious category A offence.
Owen, aged 30, admitted to charges of making an indecent photograph of a child and possessing extreme pornographic videos and images involving animals after his arrest in 2022. The sentencing hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court revealed that the animal subjects in the videos included a horse, a dog, and a tortoise. North Wales Police came across Owen while conducting investigations into other suspects.
During the search of Owen’s devices, the authorities found four images and 24 videos of individuals engaging in sexual acts with live animals. His defence lawyer, Sion ap Mihangel, stated that Owen acknowledged the seriousness of his actions and the harm caused by such behaviour. The court was informed that Owen had not reoffended since his arrest and expressed deep remorse for his actions.
Judge Timothy Petts determined that Owen posed a low risk and acknowledged the positive testimonials provided by his family and friends. Owen was given a suspended sentence of six months for 18 months, along with requirements to perform 100 hours of unpaid work, attend a programme for sex offenders, undergo alcohol treatment, and engage in rehabilitation activities. Additionally, he was instructed to adhere to sexual harm prevention orders and notification requirements for seven years.