JACINTA BROOKS FROM WINCHESTER SENTENCED FOR THIRD CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN HAMPSHIRE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Winchester, Hampshire, sex offender Jacinta Brooks has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term after being found guilty of targeting minors for the third time. The 41-year-old, who was previously known as Duncan Smart before transitioning, was convicted of sending numerous sexually explicit messages to a 12-year-old girl, urging her to send nude images of herself for her own sexual gratification.

Brooks’ actions came to light after police investigations into a separate sexual allegation led to the seizure of electronic devices from her residence. Although she attempted to delete incriminating messages, investigators managed to recover screenshots of parts of the conversations, which ultimately revealed her predatory behavior. Further examination of her devices uncovered a significant collection of indecent images of children, categorized across various levels of severity, highlighting her extensive involvement in child exploitation.

The court was informed that Brooks was aware the girl was underage but continued to communicate with her in a sexually explicit manner. Initially, she pretended to be a 14-year-old boy to conceal her true identity, but she later admitted her actual age during police interviews. When questioned, Brooks refused to cooperate, offering only a non-committal response and stating that she “couldn’t argue” about her attraction to children.

The victim’s mother, who is legally unable to be identified, delivered an emotional victim impact statement. She expressed her anguish, stating, “The fact that I cannot protect my daughter from this pathetic excuse of a [person] will haunt me forever.” She further revealed that her daughter had been forced to leave her school and had suffered severe trauma as a consequence of Brooks’ actions.

Brooks’ criminal history includes a previous conviction for attacking a child in 2003, which resulted in her serving over ten years in prison. She was released in 2016 and was subject to a sexual harm prevention order, requiring her to disclose all online accounts and passwords to authorities before creating new ones.

Judge Nicholas Rowland, presiding over the case at Southampton Crown Court, described Brooks as “a danger to children” and sentenced her to a minimum of 11 years in prison. The sentence was later extended by an additional five years, reflecting the gravity of her offenses. Brooks pleaded guilty to three counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and three counts of possessing indecent images of children. She is currently held at HMP Winchester.

PC Leon Simon commented on the case, stating, “Brooks is a dangerous individual and we are pleased this case has now come to a conclusion.” The authorities emphasized their commitment to protecting children and bringing offenders like Brooks to justice, ensuring that such predatory behavior is met with severe consequences.