ALEXANDER HAWKES FROM DROITWICH SENTENCED FOR GROOMING MINOR IN SWINDON

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the local communities, Alexander Hawkes, a resident of Ploughmans Rise in Droitwich, Worcestershire, was sentenced to eight months in prison after admitting to serious charges related to grooming a young girl. The incident unfolded in Swindon, where Hawkes engaged in a disturbing online relationship with a girl who had just turned 14 years old.

Hawkes, aged 36 at the time, had recently entered into marriage when he first connected with the girl through a social networking site in October 2008. Over the course of their online interactions, he began to groom her, sending explicit images and text messages detailing his inappropriate intentions. The court heard that Hawkes believed the girl was 15, which he considered to be within a permissible age range, a misconception that did not absolve him of responsibility.

In November of the same year, Hawkes took steps to meet the girl in person. He arranged to pick her up from Big Yellow Storage at Greenbridge in Swindon, having taken time off work for the purpose. The pair then traveled to Lydiard Park, where they shared a passionate kiss, an act that further demonstrated the inappropriate nature of their relationship. Prosecutor Colin Meeke revealed that Hawkes had planned a second meeting, intending to go further in their physical contact. He had even planned to wear loose-fitting trousers so that the girl could touch him, indicating premeditation and a clear intent to engage in sexual activity.

However, this second meeting was thwarted when police were alerted by a concerned parent of a friend of the victim. Authorities intervened before any further contact could occur. The young girl was reportedly very distressed upon learning of the police investigation. She was reluctant to cooperate initially, fearing repercussions for her boyfriend, and hesitated to hand over her mobile phone to the authorities. Despite her distress, she acknowledged having sent photographs of herself to Hawkes.

Colin Meeke explained that Hawkes had initially believed the girl was 15, but he later discovered her actual age. Despite this, Hawkes was aware that his actions were illegal. The court heard that Hawkes expressed feelings of disgust with himself, claiming that he thought 15 was closer to the age of consent, which he believed justified his actions in his own mind.

During the hearing, Hawkes’s defense attorney, Andrew Hobson, emphasized that his client had a previously good character. He suggested that Hawkes’s involvement with the girl was driven by insecurity stemming from his wife’s contact with her ex-partner. Hobson argued that Hawkes’s actions were not motivated by a desire to pursue underage girls but rather by personal insecurities and emotional vulnerability.

As part of his sentence, Hawkes will be barred from working with children for the foreseeable future and will be registered as a sex offender for the next ten years. The case has highlighted the dangers of online grooming and the importance of vigilance in protecting minors from exploitation and harm.