FERNDALE PAEDOPHILE DARRIN BRAZIER SENTENCED FOR ONLINE ABUSE AND BREACHES IN SWINDON

In October 2020, Darren Brazier, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses, was sentenced to nearly four and a half years in prison for predatory behavior involving a minor. Brazier, who resides in Ferndale, had engaged in disturbing online conversations with a 14-year-old girl he met on a sex fetish website, exchanging explicit video calls and images that revealed his manipulative and predatory tendencies.

His actions came to light after a series of investigations that uncovered his pattern of offending. Brazier, aged 37 at the time, was already a three-time convicted sex offender, having previously been convicted in 2010 and 2019 for possessing indecent images of children. Despite being under court orders designed to restrict his access to children and the internet, he repeatedly breached these restrictions, demonstrating a blatant disregard for legal boundaries.

At Swindon Crown Court, Judge Jason Taylor QC delivered a stern sentence of four years and five months, emphasizing Brazier’s manipulative behavior and the serious harm his actions could cause to vulnerable minors. The judge highlighted that Brazier had maintained a façade of compliance while secretly engaging in illegal activities. He pointed out that the victim, a young girl from Scotland, was particularly vulnerable and in need of reassurance and protection, not exploitation and abuse. The judge remarked, “She needed reassurance and protection not manipulation and abuse to gratify your own sexual desires.”

Further details revealed that Brazier had taken screenshots of the girl during a shower while she was on a video call, an act that Judge Taylor described as deeply invasive and predatory. The court was told that the girl, who was only 14 at the time, had been deceived and manipulated by Brazier, who had also attempted to groom her emotionally.

Investigations traced the girl’s online interactions to Brazier, who had used the username “Woolfwood” during their conversations. In interviews, Brazier admitted to meeting the girl on the website Daddy Dom and Little Girl, where they exchanged explicit messages, nude images, and engaged in video calls during December 2019 and January 2020. His admission confirmed the predatory nature of his conduct.

Brazier’s criminal record includes previous convictions for possessing a significant number of child abuse images. In 2010, he was caught with over 100,000 images, and by 2019, his collection had grown to over a million. Police investigations revealed that he had used various devices, including a computer, tablets, and a mobile phone, to store and access these illicit materials. His devices contained images of children being raped, including some of the most serious category of abuse.

During a police raid in May 2019, officers found Brazier had deleted the Kik messenger app from his devices, in breach of his court order. They also discovered a hidden iPad under his duvet, which had been connected to the family’s WiFi, again in violation of his restrictions. Digital forensic analysis of his Google Pixel phone uncovered a small number of category C images, including screenshots of the girl during their video call.

The girl from Scotland was located and interviewed by police, confirming her online contact with Brazier. He claimed during police interviews that he had met her on the website Daddy Dom and Little Girl, and that they had exchanged explicit messages and images. He also admitted to the video calls, which further demonstrated his predatory behavior.

Throughout the proceedings, Brazier, who appeared via video link from Winchester prison, pleaded guilty to making indecent images of a child and breaching his sexual harm prevention order. While incarcerated, he was reported to have been helping other inmates with reading and writing and had obtained a cleaning job, supported by his family.

In addition to his current sentence, Brazier’s history of offending includes multiple breaches of court orders. In June 2020, he was warned that he could face immediate imprisonment after breaching his sexual harm prevention order by logging onto Kik Messenger and deleting evidence of his activities. Despite being given a suspended sentence in 2019, he continued to reoffend, building a collection of illicit images and engaging in online grooming.

His earlier convictions include a 2010 case where he was caught with over 100,000 images, and a 2019 case where he was found with more than a million images, including some of the most serious category. Despite these repeated offenses, Brazier was repeatedly given chances to reform, often through suspended sentences and court orders, which he ultimately violated.

His latest conviction underscores the ongoing danger he poses, especially given his history of manipulating and exploiting vulnerable minors online. The court’s decision reflects the seriousness of his crimes and the need for stringent punishment to protect the public from further harm.