SPAIN-BASED CHILD GROOMER JAILED FOR LANCASHIRE VICTIM
A paedophile in Spain who police say groomed and exploited a vulnerable 12-year-old child online "for his own sordid sexual interests" has been jailed.
Lancashire Police stated that Thomas Freret targeted the child for sexualised chats, pictures, and videos, and attempted to conceal his actions by instructing his victim to delete messages.
The offences occurred in Lancaster in 2020.
Freret, aged 39, was sentenced to six years at Preston Crown Court after admitting to charges including sexual communication with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual conduct, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).
Police revealed that Freret resided in Elche, Spain, until his arrest on November 10, 2024.
He had previously been issued a SHPO in 2013 to prevent him from using the internet to contact or try to contact any child under 16.
At his sentencing, Freret was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and imposed with a new 10-year SHPO.
Detective Sergeant John Barton commented: "Freret groomed and exploited a vulnerable child for his own sordid sexual interests.
Despite living abroad, officers worked tirelessly to ensure he was brought to justice in Lancashire, and now he is behind bars where he belongs."
This is a probabilistic continent or country-group signal from public name datasets. It is not proof of nationality, ethnicity or personal background.
Likely region signal
Europe
Continent
from France
- based on first and surname
62.2%
confidence
First-name region
Europe
France
29.6%
Surname region
Europe
France
94.8%
Court Outcome
Conviction and Sentencing Details
Sentenced
Detected legal outcome
his actions by instructing his victim to delete messages. The offences occurred in Lancaster in 2020. Freret, aged 39, was sentenced to six years at Preston Crown Court after admitting to charges including sexual communication with a chi...
Prison sentence
A paedophile in Spain who police say groomed and exploited a vulnerable 12-year-old child online "for his own sordid sexual interests" has been jailed
Court order
six years
Freret, aged 39, was sentenced to six years at Preston Crown Court after admitting to charges including sexual communication with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual conduct, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO)
Court order
He had previously been issued a SHPO in 2013 to prevent him from using the internet to contact or try to contact any child under 16
Sex Offenders Register
life
At his sentencing, Freret was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and imposed with a new 10-year SHPO
Court order
for life
At his sentencing, Freret was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and imposed with a new 10-year SHPO
