Crynant man jailed for child sex offences after grooming schoolgirl

Liam Peat, of Heol y Graig, admitted two counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and 15. He changed his plea from not guilty to guilty at the start of his trial at Swansea Crown Court in May.

The court heard Peat began messaging the victim via Snapchat when he was 19. Their conversations became sexual, and he went on to meet her in person. The pair had sexual intercourse on multiple occasions after she turned 14, with the court told that protection was rarely used.

The offending culminated in the girl becoming pregnant. She initially did not feel able to make a formal complaint, but later contacted police in April 2023 to pursue the case.

Peat was arrested and initially claimed he believed the girl was older, but later admitted knowing her true age.

Police statement

Detective Constable Annie Rees, of South Wales Police, said:

“Liam Peat maintained that he did not know the age of the victim up until the first day of his trial. However, changing his plea to guilty proves that he was well aware of her age and of the fact that what he was doing was illegal.

This will have caused an immense level of trauma for the victim and her family. We hope that with this sentence they can come to terms with what Liam Peat has done and can begin to move on with their life.”

Peat was sentenced to 45 months in prison. He will serve up to half in custody before being released on licence, and will be a registered sex offender for life. He was also made subject to a 10‑year sexual harm prevention order.

South Wales Police said it hoped the case would reassure survivors of sexual abuse that they will be listened to, treated with dignity and respect, and supported throughout the judicial process.

Anyone affected by sexual abuse who is not yet ready to report to police can find information and details of support services on the South Wales Police website.

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