ROGER SLADE FROM ST AUSTELL CAUGHT TRYING TO MEET 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN FOSTER CARE IN TRURO

In a disturbing case that unfolded in November 2020, Roger Slade, a 45-year-old man from Truro Road in St Austell, found himself at the center of a serious criminal investigation involving online grooming and attempted child exploitation.

Slade was caught after a vigilant paedophile hunting team, known as ‘Totnes Justice,’ set up a fake Facebook profile pretending to be a 13-year-old girl in foster care. The team’s operation aimed to expose individuals attempting to engage in illegal activities with minors, and their efforts led to Slade initiating contact with the fake account.

According to the prosecution, Holly Rust, the case’s lead prosecutor, detailed how Slade first reached out to the fake profile in February of the previous year. At that time, Slade, who was reportedly homeless, sent a message saying “nice” and inquired about the girl’s age, to which she responded that she was 13. Slade then asked for a photograph, continuing the conversation by requesting images of her vagina and sending a disturbing picture of his own penis. He also asked her if she wanted to have sex and discussed the possibility of meeting in person, including a question about kissing.

Throughout the online exchange, Slade’s intentions became increasingly clear as he encouraged the girl to send explicit images and expressed a desire to meet. Despite the conversation turning sexualized, he claimed he was deleting the messages and advised her to do the same. The predator’s actions culminated in him agreeing to meet the girl, believing he was about to carry out a sexual encounter.

However, Slade’s plans were thwarted when members of the paedophile hunting teams ‘Totnes Justice’ and ‘UK Database’ confronted him at the designated meeting spot. He waited calmly with the team members until police arrived, at which point he was arrested on suspicion of attempting to meet a minor for sexual purposes.

At Truro Crown Court, Judge Simon Carr delivered the sentence, emphasizing the seriousness of Slade’s actions. The judge noted that the fake Facebook account was set up to simulate the vulnerability of a 13-year-old girl in foster care, and that Slade had engaged in a lengthy conversation with her, which became sexualized over time. The court heard how he encouraged her to send explicit images and sent a photograph of his own genitals, all while deleting messages and instructing her to do the same.

Judge Carr pointed out that Slade had claimed he intended to “play it safe” during the meeting, but the court interpreted this as evidence of his intent to have sex. The judge acknowledged the mitigating factors in Slade’s case but ultimately decided that a suspended prison sentence combined with mandatory treatment was appropriate. Slade was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, and was ordered to complete a rehabilitation activity requirement and an alcohol treatment program. The judge warned that if Slade reoffended, he would face the possibility of serving most of his sentence in prison, and he was cautioned not to hide behind his alcoholism as an excuse for future crimes.