BRIAN WOOD SHOCKS LAUNCESTON AND SNODLAND WITH SEX OFFENSES AND INVASIVE PICTURES

In December 2022, a disturbing case unfolded involving Brian Wood, a man with a troubling criminal history, who managed to infiltrate the home of a compassionate family in Launceston, Cornwall, under false pretenses. Wood, aged 58, had previously been convicted of sexual offenses against minors and was on trial at Truro Crown Court for multiple violations of his sex offender registration requirements, breaches of a sexual harm prevention order, and allegations of voyeurism.

According to court proceedings, Wood falsely claimed to the Launceston family that he was facing homelessness and had no place to stay. Exploiting their kindness, he moved into a tent set up in their backyard. Despite his lack of fixed residence, Wood was found to have breached several conditions tied to his prior convictions, which included failing to notify authorities of his change of address, staying in a house with someone under 18, and having unsupervised contact with a minor.

Prosecutor Jason Beal detailed that the family’s daughter was only 11 years old at the time of the alleged incident earlier this year. He explained to the jury that Wood had introduced himself as being from Kent and claimed to have relocated to Launceston approximately 18 months earlier. In June, Wood confided in the family’s father that he was being evicted and would soon be homeless. After consulting with his wife, the family decided to allow Wood to stay in a tent in their garden, with the understanding that he would contribute a small amount for his keep.

Over the following month, Wood integrated himself into the household routine, spending his days inside the house. He would arrive early in the morning, often drinking beer throughout the day, and would join the family in the evenings for card games and more drinking. Occasionally, he performed odd jobs around the house and would sometimes be alone with the young girl. The family’s mother expressed discomfort about Wood being alone with her daughter but attributed her concerns to being overly cautious. However, evidence suggested that Wood appeared to deliberately engineer situations where he could be alone with the girl, and he was observed using inappropriate language around her.

The most serious allegation involved voyeurism. It was claimed that Wood secretly took photographs of the girl while she was in the lounge, sitting with her legs slightly apart on her laptop. The girl’s mother reportedly saw Wood covertly taking a picture of her daughter with a camera angled up her dress. When confronted, Wood was asked to leave the house, police were called, and he was subsequently arrested. That night, the girl’s mother conducted an online search of Wood’s name and discovered reports of his previous conviction. Further investigation revealed that Wood’s phone contained deleted images, some of which were inappropriate.

During police interviews, Wood acknowledged that he was aware of his obligations as a registered sex offender but claimed he lacked credit on his phone to contact authorities. He admitted to taking pictures of the girl but insisted they only captured her face and denied ever being alone with her. Wood maintains his innocence regarding the charges, which continue to be prosecuted.

In a related case from July 2016, Wood, then residing in Snodland, Kent, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison after being convicted of repeatedly molesting a young girl. The court heard that Wood, who has learning difficulties, had a history of sexual offenses dating back to his juvenile years, including previous assaults on a girl and a boy, and an uncharged groping incident involving an 11-year-old girl in 2006. Judge Jeremy Carey described one of the recent offenses as “a gross act on an innocent child,” emphasizing the severity of his misconduct. As part of his sentence, Wood was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely, barred from working with children or vulnerable adults, and subject to a sexual harm prevention order. His ongoing criminal behavior underscores the importance of vigilant monitoring and community safety measures.