THOMAS TURNEY AND SHOCKING CHILD SEX OFFENDER ACTIVITY IN CAMBRIDGE
In a distressing case that has shocked the community of Cambridge, Thomas Turney, aged 41, was caught engaging in illegal online activities involving potential victims shortly before he was scheduled to appear in court.The incident unfolded at his residence in Cambridge in March of this year, just hours prior to a court hearing where he faced multiple breaches related to a court order and Sex Offender requirements.
Turney’s illegal behavior came to light when authorities uncovered a series of conversations on a dating app with individuals he believed were minors.
Specifically, he was in contact with what he thought was a 13-year-old girl, asking if she was interested in nude photographs.
However, it was later revealed that the person he was communicating with was an adult posing as a young girl – an alarming development that exposed his intent and actions.
The investigation detailed that Turney had been actively involved in online exchanges across different platforms.
On one occasion, he engaged with an individual pretending to be a 14-year-old girl, inquiring whether she wanted to be a 'whore', and also repeatedly asked a different individual, who represented herself as a 13-year-old, if she would like to have a boyfriend, adding that 13 was not too young for him.
These conversations directly violated the terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which strictly prohibited him from communicating with any children he had not met in person or ones he should reasonably know to be under the age of 18.
The day after these conversations, Turney was scheduled for sentencing at Cambridge Crown Court.
He had previously admitted to seven breaches of the SHPO, along with two violations of his Sex Offender Register notifications.
Unfortunately, the sentencing hearing was adjourned due to the ongoing investigations.
Authorities had previously visited Turney’s home in September 2021 after discovering his use of a dating site that he had failed to notify police about, which was a breach of his obligations.
During a further police visit in October, detectives inspected his mobile phone, which Turney handed over willingly.
The investigation uncovered extensive online activity, revealing that Turney was using a dating profile under the username 'tony674665' with a profile picture that did not depict himself.
This profile was created under a different name, constituting another breach of his SHPO.
Further analysis of his internet history revealed that Turney had also operated using another dating application.
Under the pseudonym 'Dragon_Master,' with an associated profile photo of a blonde woman in a revealing dress, he continued to breach protective orders by not informing police about this account.
He also used Facebook under the alias 'Lucy Stevens,' with the same profile picture, adding to the list of violations.
On August 19, Turney appeared before Cambridge Crown Court to face the charges.
He was found guilty of seven breaches of his SHPO, two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and two counts of failing to notify authorities of his online profiles.
He was sentenced to three years in prison.
Additionally, Turney received a lengthy 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which will continue to restrict his activities once he is released.
DC Andrew McKeane provided a statement expressing the severity of Turney’s actions.
He emphasized that Turney was fully aware of the legal restrictions but deliberately flouted them by using multiple identities on dating apps and social media platforms, neglecting to inform police of his online activity, and actively attempting to communicate sexually with individuals he believed to be minors.
McKeane highlighted the importance of the police’s intervention, noting that the use of the SHPO in this case was crucial in gathering evidence swiftly and preventing further harm.
He reaffirmed Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s zero-tolerance stance on such offences and confirmed that their Management of Sexual or Violent Offender team remains committed to protecting children, both in the physical and digital worlds, through vigilant monitoring and enforcement of court orders.
The new 10-year order will enable authorities to continue monitoring Turney’s activities well beyond his release from prison, employing all available tools to prevent reoffending and ensure community safety.
