JASON HICKS AND HIS SHOCKING ONLINE GROOMING IN TEIGNMOUTH AND DEVON

A former police trainee from Teignmouth has been sentenced to prison for a horrifying series of crimes involving the grooming of up to one hundred young girls, some as young as nine years old. The investigation revealed that Hicks, 31 years old, engaged in a prolonged pattern of sending sexual messages and explicit images of himself via various online platforms. His actions not only involved inappropriate communication but also included requesting explicit photographs from his victims, many of whom he targeted on TikTok before shifting their conversations to Snapchat.

Hicks’s criminal activities came to light after a mother in Wiltshire discovered disturbing messages on her nine-year-old daughter's phone. Concerned about the nature of the communications, she reported her findings to the police. This led authorities to trace the messages back to Hicks, who was in training to serve as a police officer for Devon and Cornwall at the time.

The police quickly responded by arresting Hicks and suspending his training, ultimately dismissing him from the force without notice. A subsequent search of his home uncovered an alarmingly large collection of indecent images and videos of children—over 1,200 in total—stored on multiple electronic devices, including his laptop and iPad.

Throughout their investigation, officers determined that Hicks had approached approximately one hundred young girls worldwide via TikTok, claiming to be a 17- or 18-year-old sixth former. The predator exploited the anonymity offered by TikTok to initiate contact, then persuaded victims to continue their conversations on Snapchat, where messages and images could be deleted automatically. This tactic hindered the police from retrieving the full extent of his communications, although Hicks later admitted to having approximately 100 contacts in total.

Criminal charges against Hicks included attempting to engage in sexual communication with minors and inciting them to engage in sexual activity. Among his victims were a thirteen-year-old girl from America whom he asked to film herself and two eleven-year-olds from Sweden whom he encouraged to send nude or semi-nude images. His use of Snapchat was strategic, as its disappearing messages meant police could only recover a fraction of the communications. Hicks confessed to most of his actions during police interviews, admitting that he had been sexually attracted to children since he was a teenager but expressed disgust and remorse over his own conduct.

Hicks acknowledged his misconduct dating back to 2012 during his first police interview. He described feeling relieved after being caught, a tragic reflection of his awareness of the severity of his deeds. He quickly pleaded guilty to thirteen charges in Exeter Crown Court, which included allegations of attempting to communicate sexually with children and enticing minors to engage in sexual conduct.

A psychiatric report conducted during the case revealed that Hicks suffered from a severe compulsive sexual behaviour disorder and was experiencing depression at the time of his offences. The court deemed him a dangerous offender, which means his release would require ongoing oversight by the parole board.

Among the most disturbing offences was his online relationship with a nine-year-old girl from the South West, with whom he engaged in sexually explicit communication between March and April 2021. Hicks had falsely posed as an older teen on TikTok and then continued the inappropriate exchanges on Snapchat. The girl’s parents discovered her communications with what they believed was an adult male and promptly contacted the police. Investigators identified Hicks as the culprit, discovering he was still in training and had not yet worked in a public-facing police role.

The Devon and Cornwall Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team and Professional Standards Department swiftly executed a search warrant at Hicks’s home on January 20, 2022. Following a rapid misconduct process, he was dismissed from the police force in February 2022 and was placed on the College of Policing Barred List, barring him from future policing roles.

Further charges included attempts to engage in sexual communication with children and attempts to incite them into sexual activity—specifically, four counts of each, relating to interactions with children believed to be between 11 and 13 years old, occurring between December 2021 and January 2022. Although these victims have not been publicly identified, investigations linked their IP addresses to locations in the USA, Sweden, and Yorkshire.

Hicks also pleaded guilty to three counts related to the possession of indecent images of children, with the material involving youngsters as young as eight years old. The images ranged from less severe to the most serious category, with authorities confiscating 127 images classified as Category A.

As part of his sentence, Hicks was issued a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to have his digital devices destroyed. He faces a potential three-year extension on parole supervision should he be deemed safe for release at the end of his prison term.

Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Steve Parker expressed condemnation of Hicks's actions and praised the bravery of the young victims and their families who reported the crimes. He emphasized the force’s commitment to justice, stating, "We remain committed to bringing perpetrators of such offences to justice, and those responsible will always be investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law."

The investigation was led by Detective Inspector Simon Foster, who highlighted the police’s proactive approach in safeguarding children from online predators. He underscored the importance of warrants and specialized units working tirelessly to arrest and prosecute offenders, thereby protecting vulnerable minors.

David Barnes, the District Crown Prosecutor for CPS South West, added that Hicks’s manipulation involved pretending to be a teenage boy to entice young girls into sending explicit images. His guilty plea was the result of a swift and thorough investigation, which demonstrated the police and prosecution’s dedication to protecting children both online and offline. Both TikTok and Snapchat were contacted for comment regarding this case, though no response was provided at the time.

In summary, this case underscores the dangers lurking on social media platforms and the importance of vigilant law enforcement working to combat online sexual exploitation and grooming. Hicks’s crimes have shocked and saddened the community and serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing need for enhanced protections and monitoring of online interactions involving minors.