PHILLIP TAYLOR FROM HULL AND WELLS SENTENCED AFTER RUNNING FROM JUSTICE THREE TIMES

In a case that highlights the persistent efforts of law enforcement to bring offenders to justice, Phillip David Taylor, a man originally from Hull but later residing in Wells, has finally been sentenced after a series of failed attempts to evade police capture. The lengthy saga began when Taylor was exposed by a dedicated paedophile hunting team, which uncovered his online activities and led to his eventual arrest.

In September 2020, Taylor faced multiple serious charges at Taunton Crown Court, including two counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and two counts of attempting to communicate sexually with a minor. The court was informed that Taylor, who used the alias ‘Flip Flop,’ had contacted the online profiles of at least 20 underage girls, sending them sexually explicit messages. Unbeknownst to him, many of these profiles belonged to decoys operated by paedophile hunting groups, who had set up the sting to catch him in the act.

The team, known as Team Impact, collaborated with the UK database team to organize a sting operation. In late 2017, they located Taylor’s address in Wells, Somerset, and arranged to interview him about his internet activity. During the interview, Taylor displayed a dismissive and arrogant attitude, showing little remorse for his actions. He downplayed the severity of his offending and the potential harm to young girls. His attitude was so brazen that the team reported he echoed the behavior and attitude of Jimmy Savile, a notorious figure in the UK. When questioned about Savile, Taylor responded that he believed ‘Jimmy Savile was innocent,’ revealing a disturbing lack of understanding or concern about the gravity of his own crimes.

Following the sting, Taylor was arrested but was released on bail while police continued their investigations. However, he failed to comply with bail conditions and went on the run for approximately 13 months. Despite efforts to locate him, Taylor evaded law enforcement until he was eventually apprehended again. A new court date was set, but he failed to appear once more, leading to a warrant for his arrest. He was later caught by police and re-bailed, only to disappear again before his next court appearance.

His repeated absences from court resulted in multiple failed attempts to bring him before the judge. After a series of failures to appear, Taylor was finally located and brought before Taunton Crown Court, where he faced justice last week. The court sentenced him to 22 months in prison for his crimes. Additionally, a 10-year sexual harm prevention order was imposed, requiring him to register as a sex offender for a decade. This case underscores the importance of persistent law enforcement efforts and the serious consequences faced by those who attempt to evade justice after committing such grave offenses.