Brandon Hopkins, 25, approached two young girls in Poplar Park, Fairwater, Cardiff, in May last year and offered them £60 for sex. Cardiff Crown Court heard that the girls, aged 12 and 13, were left 'petrified' by the encounter.
Incident in the Park
Prosecuting barrister Abigail Jackson told the court that the girls initially felt uncomfortable when Hopkins walked near them and ran in the opposite direction. Hopkins followed them, asked their ages, and when they refused to answer, he told them he thought they were 'fit' and offered £60 for sexual intercourse.
The girls called him a 'weirdo' and a 'paedo' and arranged for one of their mothers to collect them. The mother drove around the area, spotted Hopkins, and contacted the police.
Arrest and Interview
When officers arrived, they found Hopkins crying and on the phone to 999. He was arrested and taken into custody. In police interview, he admitted being in the park and talking to the girls but denied asking for sex or having a sexual interest in children, claiming he was 'exercising as part of a weight loss regime.'
Victim Impact
A victim impact statement from one of the children's mothers revealed that her daughter was 'in constant fear' of seeing Hopkins again.
Guilty Plea and Sentencing
Hopkins, of Parc Prison, pleaded guilty to inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. Defence barrister Martha Smith-Higgins said Hopkins accepted he would remain in custody and noted his guilty pleas were entered 'sensibly.' She added that he was using his time in prison positively, completing a business course and planning to take impulse control courses.
Judge Lucy Crowther said: 'The reality is since a sentence I imposed on you in September 2024, you have done little but to continue with criminal offending which is centred around sexual obsession with children.' She sentenced Hopkins to four and a half years in prison, with a further four years on extended licence, and imposed a sexual harm prevention order.
