ANTHONY WOODCOCK FROM ST AUSTELL BANNED FROM NEAR SCHOOLS AND PLAY AREAS AFTER SEXUAL HARM ORDER
In March 2019, Anthony Graham Woodcock, a 67-year-old resident of Trevarthian Road, St Austell, faced serious allegations and legal proceedings related to his inappropriate conduct towards teenage girls.The case centered around his persistent attempts to contact two 15-year-old girls through a barrage of over 50 text messages and phone calls within a span of just three weeks, despite being under a court-imposed sexual harm prevention order that explicitly prohibited such contact.
Police investigations revealed that Woodcock had violated the terms of this order, which was designed to prevent him from engaging with minors in any form.
Court records indicated that authorities examined his mobile phone and uncovered evidence of his communication with at least two teenage girls in December 2017.
These communications included phone calls and messages in which he urged the girls to meet him, despite the clear restrictions placed upon him.
Prosecutor Ramsay Quaife detailed the extent of Woodcock’s misconduct, stating that one of the girls received what he described as a relentless barrage of messages over a period of two to three weeks.
These messages contained phrases such as, “Hope you are ok.
See you get in touch,” “Sweetheart, do you want me to ring you?
xxx,” and comments like “Liking your picture on Instagram young lady.” Such messages demonstrated a pattern of persistent and inappropriate contact, raising serious concerns about his intentions.
Historically, Woodcock’s criminal record included a conviction in 1992 for gross public indecency involving a 10-year-old boy.
Additionally, in 2016, he faced two separate court cases for breaching a sexual harm prevention order, which resulted in a jail sentence of 21 months.
He was released from prison in August 2017 and was still serving a license period when he committed the latest breach.
The Probation Service classified Woodcock as a high-risk offender, emphasizing the danger he posed to young girls for his own sexual gratification.
Despite this, Woodcock maintained a denial of any malicious intent, claiming that his actions were motivated by a desire to befriend and assist the girls rather than exploit them.
During the court hearing at Truro Crown Court, Judge Robert Linford issued a stern warning to Woodcock, making it clear that failure to complete a designated rehabilitation program would result in immediate imprisonment.
As part of his sentence, Woodcock was ordered to undertake the program, and he received a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.
He remains under the restrictions of the existing sexual harm prevention order, which continues to limit his interactions with minors.
Earlier, in August 2017, Woodcock was subjected to an emergency sexual harm prevention order following an application by Devon and Cornwall Police.
This order prohibited him from being within 25 metres of schools, swimming pools, and play parks, and from communicating with anyone under 16.
The interim order also barred him from residing in any dwelling, tent, caravan, or private boat where a child under 16 was present without police approval.
Furthermore, he was forbidden from entering or loitering within 25 metres of educational institutions, playgrounds, amusement arcades, or public swimming pools used by children.
These measures aimed to restrict his access to environments frequented by minors and to mitigate the risk of further offending.
