BARROW MAN THOMAS HALFPENNY JAILED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN BARROW

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Barrow, Thomas Christopher Halfpenny, a man well-known for his active involvement in local amateur dramatics, has been sentenced to prison after admitting to serious child sex offences involving a 12-year-old boy.

Halfpenny, commonly known as Tommy, appeared at Preston Crown Court last month to plead guilty to charges of sexual grooming. The court proceedings revealed that the offences took place when Halfpenny was approaching his 30th birthday, and the victim was only 12 years old.

The court heard that the grooming process began when Halfpenny first initiated contact with the young boy over the internet. During their online conversations, the boy was honest about his age, revealing that he was a 12-year-old first-year student at a local secondary school. Despite this, Halfpenny immediately shifted the tone of their interactions to a sexual nature.

Over the course of several weeks, Halfpenny engaged in repeated conversations with the boy, knowing full well that he was under 16. The grooming escalated as Halfpenny arranged to meet the boy in person. He instructed the boy to meet him outside a local park, where he would pass by and give a nod, allowing the boy to follow at a discreet distance to avoid suspicion. This method was intended to facilitate the meeting without raising alarm.

Subsequently, Halfpenny directed the boy to his home on York Street in Barrow. When the boy arrived, Halfpenny claimed that the front room was being decorated and suggested they go to the bedroom instead. During this encounter, Halfpenny's actions became increasingly inappropriate, and he continued to communicate with the boy online afterward. This included sending explicit images of himself and making comments about deleting the messages to conceal his actions.

The boy’s family grew suspicious of his behavior after discovering the sexually explicit messages and photos on his phone. Concerned, they examined the device and reported their findings to the police. Law enforcement officers responded swiftly, arresting Halfpenny at his home that very evening. The arrest took place at the after-show party of his latest production, 'Spamalot,' where he was a lead member of the cast.

Following his guilty plea, Halfpenny was sentenced to 14 months in prison. Additionally, he will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the next ten years, restricting his contact with minors and monitoring his activities to prevent further offences. The case has left the community of Barrow deeply unsettled, highlighting the importance of vigilance and safeguarding against such predatory behavior from individuals well-known within the local community.