Man guilty of child sexual offence jailed

A man from the West Midlands has appeared at Swindon Crown Court today (18 March) and been sentenced to more than six years having pleaded guilty to a sexual offence against a child. 

Thomas Brewerton, 25, from Cot Lane, Stourbridge, was arrested by SWROCU officers in November last year having travelled from his home to Swindon with the intention of sexually abusing a girl under the age of 13. Instead of meeting with the child whom he intended to sexually abuse, he was met by police officers.  

Brewerton pleaded guilty to arranging or facilitating the commission of an offence of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity (penetration). He was remanded in custody.

Today, the judge sentenced Brewerton to six years and four months and handed him an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). 

DI Dave Wells from SWROCU said: “This case represents an appalling intention to commit a devastating offence. Thomas Brewerton is a dangerous individual who sought to rape a child and my officers acted swiftly to detain him.

“My team is part of a national network of specialist officers who are across the internet looking to track down people with a sexual interest in children and intervene before any harm can occur. The sentence handed down to Brewerton today, along with the conditions of his SHPO, will help protect the most vulnerable people in our communities and keep them safe from sexual harm.” 

If you have concerns about child abuse or want to report a crime, you can contact your local police force via their website or by calling 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency. 

Thomas Brewerton