WESLEY MACIEL FROM SWINDON JAILED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES INVOLVING 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL
In March 2018, Wesley Maciel, a resident of Swindon, was sentenced to 14 months in prison after being convicted of engaging in sexual activities with a 14-year-old girl.The case drew significant attention due to the nature of the offenses and the circumstances surrounding them.
According to court reports, Maciel, who was on a temporary separation from his wife at the time, initiated contact with the young girl through a WhatsApp group dedicated to young members of the Abundante Vida church located on Cheney Manor in Swindon.
The communication quickly escalated as the messages became increasingly suggestive, including the exchange of explicit photographs.
Over the course of two consecutive nights, the teenager, who was determined to meet Maciel, sneaked out of her home by climbing through a window that squeaked loudly, and met him outside in his car.
It was during these clandestine meetings that the girl and Maciel shared kisses, and on the second night, they engaged in more intimate acts.
The girl’s decision to meet him was kept secret from her parents, but once she confided in friends back in Brazil, the information rapidly spread, leading her parents to discover what had transpired.
The court heard that the girl’s family knew Maciel through their shared church community.
Prosecutor Colin Meeke outlined that the pair’s families were familiar with each other through their attendance at the church.
The court was informed that the relationship developed over WhatsApp during the summer of the previous year.
As their exchanges grew more explicit, they arranged to meet in person.
The girl’s parents were asleep when she left her house, and she met Maciel outside in his vehicle.
Their initial meeting involved a kiss, but no further activity occurred that night.
The following day, Saturday, July 8, the girl again sneaked out and met Maciel, leading to a series of sexual acts.
The court was told that the girl expressed her reluctance to engage in full intercourse, and Maciel ceased his advances at that point.
Despite her age, the girl’s participation was described as consensual to the extent possible given her age.
Maciel later admitted to the police that the acts had taken place during an interview.
Maciel, who was living on Tennyson Street in Swindon at the time, pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual activity with a child.
His defense lawyer, Chris Smyth, explained that the incidents occurred during a two-month period when Maciel was separated from his wife.
The couple has since reconciled and now have a four-month-old child.
Smyth also noted that Maciel has been in the UK for over two years and three months, is a regular churchgoer, and is employed cleaning cars at a local dealership.
He expressed remorse, stating that Maciel understood the gravity of his actions and recognized that what he did was wrong.
However, he also highlighted that Maciel found it difficult to accept being labeled a paedophile, despite his guilty plea involving a 14-year-old girl.
Judge Jason Taylor QC sentenced Maciel to 14 months in prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender for ten years.
In his remarks, the judge condemned Maciel’s exploitation of his position of trust and emphasized the importance of protecting young girls from predatory behavior, even from themselves.
The court’s decision underscored the serious consequences of such offenses and the need for accountability in cases involving minors.
