April 2022

Man caught with missing underage girl in his flat jailed for grooming and having sex with victim

A man who was caught with a missing underage girl in his flat was jailed today for grooming and having sex with his victim.

Darcy Tyler Cole was sentenced to four years at Caernarfon Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child under 16-years-old.

Cole, who was described as a “child in a 20-year-old man’s body” had an “unhealthy interest in teenage girls. As well as the jail term the judge handed him a sexual harm prevention order to control his behaviour which would be in place for the rest of his life.

Cole’s crimes were uncovered when North Wales Police tried to find a teenage girl who had been reported missing in north east Wales last October, prosecutor Sion ap Mihangel told the court. Detectives analysed mobile phone data and tracked her movements to Anglesey.

The court heard officers visited Cole’s home on Maes y Llan, Amlwch and after a short delay the door was opened. They explained that they were looking for the girl and Cole said: “She’s here and safe”.

They found love bites on her neck and Cole was arrested on the spot and at this, the victim was upset, the court heard. Enquiries showed the man and victim had had regular contact of a sexualised nature on social media.

There was a discussion about school, pictures of the girl in her school uniform, and a graphic video of Cole The prosecutor said the girl said they had first met in person in north east Wales and she said she liked the way he treated her.

On one occasion he had got a bus, a train and a taxi to collect her and bring her back to his flat. He told police he accepted they had kissed and given each other love bites