WILLIAM ROWE FROM HAVERFORDWEST INVOLVED IN DISTURBING ONLINE BLACKMAIL CASE
| Red Rose Database
Haverfordwest Child Sexual Abuser
In February 2017, a serious online grooming and blackmail incident came to light involving William Thomas Rowe, a 22-year-old resident of Gerald Road, Haverfordwest. The case centered around Rowe’s attempt to manipulate a teenage girl into sending indecent images of herself, causing significant emotional distress.
Initially scheduled for trial before magistrates on January 30, Rowe unexpectedly changed his plea, opting to admit guilt to certain charges. He pleaded guilty to creating seven indecent pseudo-photographs of a minor on May 8, 2015, and to sending a Facebook message on May 7, 2015, that contained a threat intended to cause distress or anxiety to the victim. Notably, a separate charge of sending a message with indecent photographs was dismissed during the proceedings.
The court was informed that the victim, a teenage girl from the Norfolk area, had previously been persuaded to send images of herself in her underwear to another individual via social media in 2014. These images were later circulated on the internet, causing her further harm. Rowe, who did not know the girl personally, discovered these images online approximately a year later. He then contacted her through social media, attempting to persuade her to send an updated version of the photographs.
Rowe’s messages included a threatening statement, where he warned that he would send the original images to her friends if she refused to comply. He later sent a follow-up message claiming he was joking, adding, “lol, bet that scared you,” and provided a link to the images. The victim, unable to be named for legal reasons, reported the incident to the police. Authorities seized Rowe’s computer and uncovered a folder named after the girl, containing seven indecent images of her in underwear.
Prosecutor Ellie Morgan described the impact on the victim, emphasizing her emotional turmoil. She explained that the girl was distressed and frightened by the incident, with her confidence severely affected. Morgan stated, “Her confidence was really low and she could not stop crying. She stayed in her room and could not talk to her friends about it.” A victim impact statement was read aloud in court, revealing the girl’s deep emotional scars. She said, “I was in a real mess emotionally. He made me feel awful. I cut my legs with a razor several times because of this. I do not feel I have got over this at all.”
Defense lawyer Jonathan Webb argued that the entire incident lasted only about two minutes and that Rowe’s third message was an attempt to reassure the victim. Webb stated, “The first message caused some anxiety and distress, the other message was saying ‘I’m really, really sorry’.”
Sentencing was postponed until February 20 to allow for a report to be prepared. During the hearing, Rowe was warned that he would be required to register as a sex offender, reflecting the seriousness of his actions and the potential long-term consequences for his future.
Initially scheduled for trial before magistrates on January 30, Rowe unexpectedly changed his plea, opting to admit guilt to certain charges. He pleaded guilty to creating seven indecent pseudo-photographs of a minor on May 8, 2015, and to sending a Facebook message on May 7, 2015, that contained a threat intended to cause distress or anxiety to the victim. Notably, a separate charge of sending a message with indecent photographs was dismissed during the proceedings.
The court was informed that the victim, a teenage girl from the Norfolk area, had previously been persuaded to send images of herself in her underwear to another individual via social media in 2014. These images were later circulated on the internet, causing her further harm. Rowe, who did not know the girl personally, discovered these images online approximately a year later. He then contacted her through social media, attempting to persuade her to send an updated version of the photographs.
Rowe’s messages included a threatening statement, where he warned that he would send the original images to her friends if she refused to comply. He later sent a follow-up message claiming he was joking, adding, “lol, bet that scared you,” and provided a link to the images. The victim, unable to be named for legal reasons, reported the incident to the police. Authorities seized Rowe’s computer and uncovered a folder named after the girl, containing seven indecent images of her in underwear.
Prosecutor Ellie Morgan described the impact on the victim, emphasizing her emotional turmoil. She explained that the girl was distressed and frightened by the incident, with her confidence severely affected. Morgan stated, “Her confidence was really low and she could not stop crying. She stayed in her room and could not talk to her friends about it.” A victim impact statement was read aloud in court, revealing the girl’s deep emotional scars. She said, “I was in a real mess emotionally. He made me feel awful. I cut my legs with a razor several times because of this. I do not feel I have got over this at all.”
Defense lawyer Jonathan Webb argued that the entire incident lasted only about two minutes and that Rowe’s third message was an attempt to reassure the victim. Webb stated, “The first message caused some anxiety and distress, the other message was saying ‘I’m really, really sorry’.”
Sentencing was postponed until February 20 to allow for a report to be prepared. During the hearing, Rowe was warned that he would be required to register as a sex offender, reflecting the seriousness of his actions and the potential long-term consequences for his future.