CRAIG GORE, TAUNTON SOLDIER, INVOLVED IN ONLINE SEX OFFENCE IN UTTOXETER

In August 2012, a disturbing case emerged involving Craig Gore, a former soldier with a military background, who was found guilty of engaging in a sexual act in front of two young teenagers from Uttoxeter via the internet. The incident unfolded through a series of manipulative online interactions, where Gore used social media to deceive the victims.

According to court proceedings, Gore managed to infiltrate the girls’ social circles by pretending to be a 13-year-old girl on Facebook. He successfully posed as a peer, establishing a false online identity that allowed him to become a 'friend' of the two victims. The girls, aged 13 and 14, believed they were communicating with someone their own age, unaware of Gore’s true identity and intentions.

Over the course of their online conversations, Gore suggested a video chat, convincing the girls to activate their webcams. Once connected, the victims saw Gore performing a sexual act in front of their eyes. The distress and shock prompted both girls to immediately disconnect and inform their parents about what they had witnessed.

Law enforcement authorities launched an extensive investigation that lasted over a year, involving meticulous analysis of internet addresses and digital footprints. The breakthrough came when police executed a search at Gore’s residence on May 25, 2011, during which his laptop was seized for forensic examination.

Initially, Gore claimed that his online identity had been hacked, attempting to deny any involvement. However, investigators uncovered that he had deliberately contacted the girls through their Facebook profiles, establishing communication by claiming mutual friends and falsely presenting himself as a peer. Prosecutor Pat Sullivan confirmed that “what he did was to become a Facebook ‘friend’ by suggesting that they had mutual friends. None of the girls actually knew him.”

Gore, aged 33 and residing in Taunton, Somerset, faced charges of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. He pleaded guilty to two counts related to his misconduct.

In sentencing, the court imposed a three-year community order with supervision, mandated Gore to register as a sex offender for five years, and placed him under a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for a decade. The judge acknowledged Gore’s military service and personal hardships, emphasizing that his service in Iraq had exposed him to significant trauma.

Anthony Warner, representing Gore, highlighted his client’s background, noting that Gore, a father of three, had served in the Army, witnessing colleagues being killed and injured. After leaving the military, Gore worked in security, a job he left in 2010. Warner stated, “It is really not surprising that someone who has endured those experiences would be deeply affected.”

Despite efforts to seek help through a veterans’ charity, Gore’s behavior remained disturbed and troubling. Warner added, “Those things that happened to him while in the Army and working for the security company clearly played a part in what he did.”

Judge Patrick Thomas QC addressed Gore directly, acknowledging his service and personal suffering, but emphasizing the seriousness of his actions. “You have served your country bravely and well in extraordinarily difficult circumstances and suffered significant personal damage. No court is going to overlook that.”