Sex offender jailed after hiding two children in his bedroom wardrobe

A convicted sex offender hid two teenagers who had gone missing from a children’s home in his bedroom wardrobe.

Jamie Roberts, 35, was investigated by police in South Wales after the two teenagers failed to return home to their respective care homes by the allotted curfew times in December last year.

Investigations led officers to Roberts’ flat in the village of Skewen, Neath, at 3.40am, where a search of the property was carried out.

They noticed a big pile of bedding and clothes stacked up in front of a wardrobe in one of the bedrooms – and the two missing children were found inside.

The teenagers were returned to their care homes and Roberts was arrested.

He told police the children had asked him to hide them, and that they had taken cocaine and amphetamine.

Roberts was released under investigation but on 28 February this year he met up with two vulnerable boys living in care – including the one discovered in his flat weeks earlier – and took them back to his flat.

During the evening the trio drank alcohol and the two teens smoked cannabis, and Roberts suggested getting amphetamines as it "makes you really horny”.

At around 4am, an argument broke out and Roberts chased the boys from his flat – apparently at knife-point.

One boy rang his care home and a member of staff drove to Skewen to collect him.

Roberts was again arrested and admitted arranging to pick up one of the boys from the station, but said he had been surprised to find the youngster was not alone.

Roberts, who also goes by the name Jamie Whelan, is currently subject to a sexual harm prevention order after being convicted of child abduction.

He has 19 previous convictions for 22 offences including a number for sexual offences.

Ian Ibrahim, defending, told Swansea Crown Court that Roberts had lived with 10 different foster families growing up and been diagnosed with a number of conditions including personality disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression.

Judge Paul Thomas QC said he had no doubt Roberts' contact with the young children from care homes had been sexually-motivated grooming behaviour and that it was clear he posed a risk of serious harm to children.

Roberts, of New Road, Skewen, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years for breaching the sexual harm prevention order, and another six months for the previous child abduction offence.