In 2026, a 35-year-old man was sentenced to an extended term of eight years at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court after travelling from Lancashire to South Wales to sexually assault a young child while carrying a knife.
Samuel Hyde, originating from Lancashire, appeared before the court for sentencing on Thursday 29 October 2026, having formally entered guilty pleas to an indictment comprising child sexual offences, public weapon possession, and repeated court order violations.
The prosecution outlined that Hyde initiated digital contact with the female victim in late June, engaging in illicit sexualised communications over the course of approximately a week. On Tuesday 30 June, Hyde travelled hundreds of miles from Lancashire to Treherbert in Rhondda Cynon Taf to meet the child. Upon meeting the victim, who was under the age of 13, Hyde subjected her to sexual assault by touching.
The young victim demonstrated exceptional bravery by breaking free from Hyde, escaping the scene, and immediately raising the alarm to seek assistance. South Wales Police officers were deployed to the area, locating Hyde a short distance away and detaining him. A search of his person revealed he was carrying a bladed knife in public.
Subsequent police checks confirmed that Hyde was a convicted sex offender actively subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) handed down at Preston Crown Court in November 2019. Under the terms of the order, Hyde was strictly barred from communicating with or contacting any child under the age of 16 without appropriate supervision.
Hyde formally indicated guilty pleas to:
One count of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching
One count of engaging in sexual communication with a child
One count of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order
One count of possession of a knife in a public place
Detective Constable Gareth Thomas of South Wales Police commented:
“Samuel Hyde’s behaviour towards his victim was shocking and completely unacceptable. He took advantage of them and showed complete disregard for their wellbeing. We commend the bravery of the victim in coming forward to disclose what Hyde did to them. If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual abuse, please do not hesitate to report it to police.”
Passing sentence, the Crown Court judge addressed the predatory nature of travelling across jurisdictions to target a vulnerable child, the gross violation of existing court orders, and the significant risk posed by possessing a bladed article during the commission of the offence.
The judge sentenced Hyde to an extended sentence comprising four years’ immediate imprisonment followed by an extended licence period of four years, alongside statutory notification requirements under the Sex Offenders Register and an enhanced Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Image – Anonymous Artist Impression
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