A man has been sentenced to jail for targeting a four-year-old child in a supermarket and waiting for an opportunity to sexually assault him. Matthew Thomas, 29, followed the boy’s family at an Aldi store in Caldicot, touching the child inappropriately before grabbing and pinching his clothing. Newport Crown Court heard that Thomas behaved in a calculated and persistent manner, taking advantage of moments when the child’s grandfather was not looking.

Prosecutors described how Thomas closely followed the child and his grandfather for about 12 minutes. CCTV footage from the supermarket captured Thomas touching the boy multiple times. At one point, the grandfather realized his grandson was missing and heard him calling out. It became evident that the child was confused and separated from his family, with the grandfather not noticing Thomas’s proximity or actions.

Following the incident, the family transitioned to online shopping due to the trauma. The child’s mother expressed concerns about the long-lasting impact on her son and the family’s heightened vigilance. Thomas, who pleaded guilty to the assault charge, was described by his representative as remorseful, citing a troubled childhood marked by exposure to domestic violence and exploitation, along with learning difficulties and mental health issues.

The court learned that Thomas had a prior conviction in 2024 for sexual offenses against a child. During sentencing, Judge Carl Harrison condemned Thomas’s deliberate actions, noting that he repeatedly targeted the child and waited for opportunities to commit the assault. The judge praised the child’s bravery in alerting his grandfather and authorities to the incident. Thomas was sentenced to 18 months in prison, along with a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order against the victim.