JET ENGINEER JAILED FOR CHILD SEX PLANNING IN CHELMSFORD
A 58-year-old jet engineer who was ensnared through an undercover police operation has been sentenced to six years in prison.Phillip Heward was taken into custody at Chelmer Village Retail Park in Chelmsford on March 13 after traveling many miles to the city.
During the court hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court, it was revealed that law enforcement officers had created an online profile under the name 'Courtney,' claiming to be a 25-year-old with a six-year-old daughter.
The conversations between Heward, who is from Milton Keynes, and the profile centered on arranging a sexual encounter involving the profile’s allegedly young daughter.
The court clarified that no actual child was in danger.
Heward, a father of two, showed signs of emotion at times during the sentencing on Friday, June 12.
He will be required to serve at least two-thirds of his six-year sentence before the Parole Board can consider granting him early release, which, if approved, would mean serving the rest of his term on supervised release (license).
Prosecutor Marc Brown explained that the police's online profile was active on a website and Telegram.
The conversations started on February 23 and continued almost daily until February 27, when ‘Courtney’ proposed a meeting on March 11.
In the subsequent days, their discussions progressed, and Heward expressed he "hoped it would be a regular thing." He also stated that he would bring condoms and lubricant for the planned meeting.
On March 11, Heward drove from Milton Keynes to Chelmsford, where officers were waiting.
He arrived at the retail park’s car park around 11:17 a.m., ahead of a scheduled meeting at McDonald's, and was immediately arrested.
A search of his Peugeot yielded Durex condoms, sex toys stored in a red holdall, and a Mini Egg Easter egg.
Heward was taken into police custody and remained silent when questioned.
The prosecution emphasized that the supposed six-year-old would be vulnerable and noted Heward’s awareness that her mother was offering the child, suggesting careful planning.
Heward was charged with attempting to arrange a child sexual offence, a charge he admitted in April.
Judge Jamie Sawyer commented that Heward actively participated in the discussions and traveled a considerable distance to carry out his plan to assault a six-year-old girl, which he took seriously.
Heward was sentenced to six years in prison plus an additional year on extended license.
Following two-thirds of his sentence served, the Parole Board will determine his eligibility for early release, with the remainder to be served under supervision.
