Man jailed after breaching court order by contacting ‘child’ online

A man has been jailed after attempting to contact a child online in breach of a court order designed to protect young people.

Stephen Francis Mitchell, 38, of Llanegryn, was sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court on June 8 after admitting a series of offences including breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, making indecent images of children and outraging public decency.

The court heard that Mitchell was already subject to a SHPO imposed in 2018 when he began using an online chat platform in September 2023 to communicate with someone he believed was a 12-year-old girl.

The “child” was in fact an undercover police officer.

During the conversations, Mitchell asked for photographs to be sent to him.

Following his arrest, officers examined his digital devices and discovered 286 indecent images of children, including some in the most serious category.

The investigation later uncovered further offending.

In November 2025, Mitchell exposed his genitals at a railway station in view of members of the public.

While police inquiries were ongoing, officers also found he had breached the terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order by downloading applications he was prohibited from using. Further indecent images of children were also discovered.

Mitchell pleaded guilty to the offences and was sentenced to three years and 11 months in prison.

The court also imposed a new Sexual Harm Prevention Order with no end date.

Detective Inspector Jon Rich, of North Wales Police’s Management of Sexual and Violent Offenders Unit, said Mitchell had shown a “flagrant disregard for the law”.

He 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 Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

“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.”