EMYR PEPPERELL FROM HIGHNAM GUILTY OF SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE

In October 2021, a disturbing case unfolded involving Emyr Pepperell, a 30-year-old tennis coach from Highnam, Gloucestershire, who was found guilty of engaging in predatory and inappropriate communications with a young girl. The incident highlighted serious concerns about child safety and the conduct of individuals entrusted with youth activities.

According to court proceedings, Pepperell, who was at the time serving as an assistant coach at Ross on Wye Tennis Centre, knowingly engaged in explicit and sexual conversations with a girl who was only 13 years old. The prosecution described him as a 'predatory paedophile,' emphasizing the calculated nature of his actions. The case revealed that Pepperell was aware of the girl’s age, yet he continued to pursue sexual advances through online messaging, which included graphic content and threats.

The court heard that Pepperell initially began communicating with the girl when she was just 12, claiming to be 16, and he stated he was only 19 at that time. Over the course of their interactions, the messages became increasingly sexualized. Evidence presented indicated that Pepperell even used geotagging features to obtain the precise location of her home, raising serious concerns about his intentions and the potential risk to her safety.

One particularly alarming incident involved Pepperell calling the girl via FaceTime while her younger sister was present. During this call, the girl was able to catch a brief glimpse of Pepperell, which led her to believe he was much older—more like 25 years old, with dark blond, messy hair. She challenged him about his age, but he retaliated with threats, including showing her on another device a Google Street View image of her house, and warning her not to block him or he would come to her home when her parents were absent.

The girl recounted that Pepperell sent her lewd videos and repeatedly asked her to send explicit images of herself. She refused to send such images but did send pictures of her face and other body parts to avoid further escalation. Throughout their five-week communication, Pepperell continued to threaten her, expressing a desire to have sex with her immediately, even after she disclosed her true age.

Her mother discovered the messages and intervened on December 3, 2019, confronting Pepperell directly. During this confrontation, Pepperell falsely claimed he lived in Bath, which the mother doubted due to the travel distance, and he denied knowing her real age. The mother then reported the matter to the police, leading to Pepperell’s arrest. Police seized his electronic devices, which confirmed the explicit nature of his messages and his continued sexual interest despite knowing her age.

The girl provided testimony that her initial contact was initiated after a social media friend mentioned that a male acquaintance was interested in her. She described how Pepperell’s appearance and voice made her suspect he was much older than he claimed. She also recounted how he threatened her, saying he knew her family’s movements and would come to their house, which caused her significant distress and fear.

Following a five-day trial, a jury composed of nine women and three men deliberated for over four hours before unanimously convicting Pepperell of engaging in sexual communication with a minor for sexual gratification between November 30 and December 3, 2019. The jury also considered a second charge related to encouraging the girl to take indecent images of herself, but they failed to reach a verdict on that count after more than seven hours of deliberation.

Judge Recorder Suzanne Chalmers scheduled sentencing for November 23. Pepperell was released on unconditional bail and is currently registered on the sex offenders’ register pending sentencing. The Ross on Wye Tennis Centre issued a statement clarifying that Pepperell was dismissed immediately after the allegations surfaced and has not been associated with the centre since then. They emphasized their commitment to child safeguarding and confirmed that Pepperell had completed all necessary safeguarding training at the time of his employment, and the centre took swift action once the allegations became known.