DEAN PETLEY CAUGHT IN LEAMINGTON SPA: HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE ONLINE REVELATIONS IN WARWICKSHIRE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Leamington Spa and the wider Warwickshire area, Dean Petley, a 30-year-old automotive engineer, has admitted to serious criminal conduct involving the sexual exploitation of children through online platforms. The investigation, carried out by the National Crime Agency (NCA), uncovered a disturbing pattern of abuse facilitated by Petley's interactions with individuals involved in child exploitation.

According to court records and official statements, Petley met two women via an adult services website that offered escort and webcam services. Over a period spanning from January 2017 to February 2018, Petley paid one of these women, Jodie Little, who used the online alias ‘devil bitch 666’, a total of £750. His payments were directed towards her engaging in sexual abuse of two young children, an act that has led to severe legal repercussions for all involved.

Jodie Little, a 30-year-old originally from Huddersfield, was subsequently convicted and sentenced in August to 12 years and four months in prison for her role in the crimes. The investigation revealed that Little, also known by the online moniker ‘DomTabooSlut’, committed her offences while residing in northern Cyprus. Her crimes were committed on the same adult services website, which facilitated her interactions with Petley and others. She admitted to nine offences, with eight of these convictions secured under Section 72 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, a legislation designed to prosecute British nationals for crimes committed abroad.

The probe into Little’s activities uncovered new leads that eventually linked Petley to the offences. In October of the previous year, Petley was identified as a customer of Little’s, leading to his arrest. Evidence obtained from online chat logs and electronic files showed that Petley had explicitly requested Little to perform sexual acts in front of children. Among the materials recovered were ten electronic files sent by Little, one of which depicted her sexually abusing a very young girl and included graphic discussions about the child's rape.

Further investigations intensified in May of this year when Petley was rearrested after authorities discovered additional incriminating evidence on an encrypted hard drive found at his residence in Leamington Spa. The hard drive contained screenshots of conversations with the second woman over a two-year period, as well as explicit images and videos. Notably, investigators found a nearly ten-minute-long video showing the woman abusing a young girl, with multiple instances of penetrative sexual activity performed in front of the victim across at least ten different dates over three years. The hard drive also contained five indecent images of children.

The evidence detailed instructions from Petley to the woman on how to carry out the abuse, as well as discussions about financial compensation for her actions. The hard drive’s contents painted a disturbing picture of ongoing abuse, with the woman performing acts in front of the child while Petley watched remotely. The investigation culminated in Petley's court appearance, where he pleaded guilty yesterday at Isleworth Crown Court to 11 charges related to child exploitation and abuse. The unnamed woman involved in the offences has also been charged but has yet to enter a plea.

Petley is scheduled to be sentenced on November 8, with the case continuing to unfold as authorities seek justice for the victims and ensure that those responsible are held accountable for their heinous crimes.