He said he wanted to get himself into trouble and he certainly achieved it

Neville Braithwaite, 48, told someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl she would look 'sexy' in her school uniform

[walesonline]

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Philip Dewey Court Correspondent

16:42, 20 Jul 2026

[A custody image of a man in his late 40s with closely shaved black hair greying at the sides and a stubbly grey beard]

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Neville Braithwaite(Image: South Wales Police)

A paedophile who sent sexualised images and messages to who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl claimed he knew he was talking to a decoy and "wanted to get himself into trouble".

He told the decoy he wanted to "take her on a date" and said she would look "sexy" in her school uniform.

Neville Braithwaite, 48, of Merthyr Tydfil, made contact with a Facebook account in the name of a girl and was told early on in their conversation that she was 14 years old.

In response the defendant said: "There's no way you look older than that or I just couldn't see past those eyes of yours."

A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Monday heard Braithwaite said they would "have to keep the chat clean" before sending a photo of himself with two females who he claimed were his daughters. Dont miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here.

The defendant added: "It's a shame you wasn't older I'd take you on a date. You're attractive I could stare into those eyes all day."

Prosecutor Hannah Head said Braithwaite told the decoy he "could get into trouble" for speaking to her but "it would be nice to take her on a date and treat her".

When asked why he could get into trouble he responded: "Because you're underage and they'd try to do me for grooming." The defendant added: "Only two years babe have you got Snapchat?"

The conversation moved to Snapchat where Braithwaite's messages became more "overtly sexual".

He gave encouragement to the decoy to "play" while watching videos he had sent her. These included videos of the defendant masturbating, of a woman performing oral sex upon him, and of a woman masturbating.

The defendant said: "Delete those I wouldn't want anybody else to see them." He added: "Don't forget the sexy pic of you in your school uniform tomorrow. You in your school uniform is sexy."

On May 14 Braithwaite was visited and detained by Dank Dragon, a so-called "paedophile hunter" group, and the police were called to his address.

A search of his home resulted in the discovery of a small amount of cannabis and amphetamine.

During his police interview the defendant said he was "disgusted" with himself but claimed he had "decided to play hell" and give the paedophile hunter group what they wanted.

He claimed he was a "fan" of Dank Dragon and wanted to see how it worked and he knew the person he was speaking to was a decoy.

Braithwaite also said he "wanted to get himself in trouble" because he wanted to get help.

Despite these claims he later told the probation service he was attracted to pubescent girls aged between 13 and 14 years old.

Referring to a separate incident police were called to reports of a break in at the Triumph building in Merthyr Tydfil on December 10 last year.

The police found three men, including Braithwaite, inside the building and he claimed he used to work at the building and was "exploring".

He also told police he had found a claw hammer and had picked it up. This was eventually found in his rucksack along with a head torch and night vision binoculars.

Braithwaite, of Enoch Morrell Close, Troedyrhiw, later pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, burglary, and two counts of possessing Class B drugs.

The court heard he has 21 previous convictions, a number of which are for theft offences.

Defence barrister Matthew Thomas said his client's main mitigation was his guilty plea and he has spent 22 weeks on a curfew while on bail.

Sentencing, Judge Wayne Beard said: "Even though you knew you could get into trouble you made flirtatious and suggestive comments and your offending became overtly sexual."

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Braithwaite was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and sex offender notification requirements for 10 years each.

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