Sex offender who has admitted making indecent images of children refuses to attend court
Sex offender who has admitted making indecent images of children refuses to attend court
A sex offender who illegally hid a laptop under a kitchen counter and has admitted making indecent images of children, refused to attend court for sentencing.
Joey Morgan, 53, of Ithon Road, Llandrindod Wells, pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children, breaching his sexual harm prevention order and a single theft charge when he appeared at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, July 11 2026.
Morgan is subject to indefinite notification requirements and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) after being convicted in 2019 of making indecent images of children.
In 2021, he was further convicted for breach offences and possession of indecent images of children, while living in the Gwent area.
He was due to attend at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court today (Friday) to be sentenced.
But Her Honour Judge Lucy Crowther said he had refused to attend and 'apparently he was busy'.
She said there was some work needed on the number and categorisation of the images in the charges, before the case could proceed.
On Monday, July 6, plain-clothes officers witnessed the 53-year-old using a black Acer laptop, which had not been registered with police, in the public area of a Llandrindod hotel.
Under the conditions of his SHPO, Morgan was prohibited from owning any devices for using the internet or storing data, unless he notified the police within three days of purchase.
By Thursday, July 9, the black Acer laptop still had not been registered with police and Morgan was arrested in Llandrindod Wells on suspicion of breaching his sexual harm prevention order.
With the suspect taken into custody, a team of search officers, detectives, and a specialist digital detection dog from South Wales Police, carried out an intensive search of his address in Llandrindod Wells.
At the property, the digital detection dog found the black Acer laptop hidden underneath the kitchen counter, concealed by a removable wooden plinth.
Search officers also found an SD card under the hallway carpet, and a hand-held games console tucked away at the back of the mailbox in the communal area of the property.
None of the devices had been registered with police.
Digital forensics work uncovered that the SD contained hundreds of indecent images which included Category B and C images.
He also confessed to stealing the games console during his police interview.
Morgan was charged with two counts of breaching his sexual harm prevention order, two counts of making indecent images of children and one count of theft. The 53-year-old admitted to all the charges against him.
Judge Crowther adjourned the case until Friday, September 18 when Morgan will be offered an electronic link.
In the meantime, the case will remitted back to the magistrates court for corrections to be made to the number and categorisation of the images in the charges before it will be sent back to Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court ready for sentencing.
Detective Inspector Anthea Ponting of Dyfed-Powys Police’s Offender Management Unit said: “There is no doubt that Joey Morgan is a dangerous individual who does not abide by the orders issued by the court and the requirements placed on him.
“I am grateful to the team of specialist units that worked together to bring Morgan back before the courts to sentence him for his offending. We await the result.”