DANIEL THOMAS OF TROWBRIDGE CAUGHT IN SHOCKING CHILD SEX OFFENDER CASE IN SWINDON
In a disturbing series of events that have shocked the local communities of Trowbridge and Swindon, Daniel Thomas, a 29-year-old known resident of Trowbridge, has been involved in multiple serious offences related to child exploitation and online grooming.His criminal activities span over several years, with the most recent incidents coming to light after his arrest in November 2020, just two days after his release from prison.
Thomas’s criminal record includes previous convictions for similar offences, including attempting to incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, possession of indecent images of children, and sharing explicit material online.
His first known trouble with the law dates back to 2016 when he received a suspended sentence for downloading illegal images of children and was subject to a sexual harm prevention order that restricted his access to internet-enabled devices without police approval.
In July 2019, Thomas was sentenced to nine months in prison after grooming what he believed was a 13-year-old girl in online chatrooms.
Unbeknownst to him, the girl was an undercover police officer.
During that investigation, authorities discovered he had multiple devices, including mobile phones and a laptop, which he was not permitted to own due to his previous convictions.
His online conversations with the officer involved sexualized language, and he even sent explicit images, claiming to be 18 years old and discussing plans to meet her.
Further investigations revealed that Thomas had continued his illicit activities after his release.
In August 2020, he appeared before Swindon Crown Court, pleading guilty to attempting to incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, distributing indecent images, and possessing extreme pornography, including images of animals engaged in sexual acts.
Prosecutor Hannah Squire highlighted that it was unclear whether Thomas was communicating with a real child or a decoy operated by law enforcement or vigilantes.
His devices contained a disturbing collection of material, including five indecent images of children in category B, nine in category C, and extreme pornographic images involving animals.
The chat logs also revealed he had shared 16 indecent images with other paedophiles across three different online conversations.
These revelations prompted his arrest on November 21, 2020, shortly after his release from prison.
During the court proceedings, Thomas admitted to multiple charges, including attempting to incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, distributing indecent images, making indecent images, and possessing extreme pornography.
His devices were confiscated and ordered to be destroyed.
The court heard that he had been working with the probation service and had developed strategies to manage his urges, such as filling coloring books and engaging in brain games, in an effort to avoid reoffending.
Judge Jason Taylor QC, presiding over the case, acknowledged Thomas’s efforts to stay out of trouble but emphasized the gravity of his actions.
He sentenced Thomas to two years in prison, suspended for two years, and imposed a six-month curfew.
Additionally, Thomas was ordered to complete the Horizon sex offenders’ programme.
The judge issued a stern warning, stating, “You will well understand that if you commit any further offences you will be going straight to prison.
Do you understand that?
This is your last chance.” Earlier, prosecutor Mark Ashley recounted Thomas’s criminal history, including his first conviction in 2016 and subsequent offences.
The court was informed that police had yet to fully analyze all the electronic devices seized during his arrest, which contained further evidence of his disturbing online activities.
In light of these serious offences, the court also imposed a new 10-year sexual harm prevention order, reinforcing restrictions on Thomas’s access to internet-enabled devices and his online activities.
His case underscores the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in combating online child exploitation and the importance of vigilant monitoring and intervention to protect vulnerable children from predators like Daniel Thomas.
