JASON THOMAS GROOMED VULNERABLE CHILD IN PENDEEN FOR SEXUAL ACTS AT TRURO CROWN COURT

In March 2021, a disturbing case involving the grooming and sexual exploitation of a vulnerable young girl came to light in Cornwall. Jason Thomas, aged 40 and residing in Pendeen, appeared before Truro Crown Court to face sentencing after pleading guilty to serious charges related to his interactions with a minor.

Prosecutor Peter Coombe detailed the troubling circumstances of the case, revealing that the victim, a young girl, had developed a crush on Thomas. The girl was asked by a cousin about her ongoing text conversations, and she disclosed that she had been communicating with Thomas. According to her account, the two had engaged in sexual activity on three separate occasions. However, the prosecution clarified that Thomas himself admitted that the sexual encounter had only happened once, during police interviews.

The case unraveled further as the school authorities and police became involved. The victim confided that she had developed feelings for Thomas and that their relationship involved kissing, cuddling, and exchanging explicit photographs. These exchanges eventually led to meetings where sexual acts took place. During police interviews, Thomas confirmed much of what the victim described but claimed that he stopped during the sexual activity because he recognized it was wrong.

As investigations continued over the following two years, concerns arose that the victim might have re-established contact with Thomas. It was reported that those close to her discovered she had been exchanging messages with him again, including explicit photographs and sexual conversations. Prosecutor Coombe stated, “The victim said the defendant told her he’d be going to prison but said the sex was the best feeling he’d ever had and that he was glad they did it.”

Judge Simon Carr addressed the court during sentencing, emphasizing the gravity of the offences. He described the victim as a “very vulnerable child” who was clearly troubled and in need of protection, not exploitation. The judge condemned Thomas’s actions, stating that although the victim may have approached him out of her own feelings, she was still a child and he was an adult. The sexualized communication, which the court considered grooming, escalated to full sexual intercourse. The judge noted that the victim tried to protect Thomas, but the truth eventually emerged.

Furthermore, the court heard that two years after the initial offences, Thomas resumed contact with the victim, again engaging in sexual conversations and acts, including full intercourse. This ongoing contact was entirely Thomas’s responsibility, and his actions demonstrated a pattern of predatory behavior.

For his crimes, Jason Thomas was sentenced to five years in prison. Additionally, he was subjected to a sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to protect the community from further harm.