MICHAEL TRUST FROM TEWKESBURY ESCAPES JAIL AFTER POSING AS YOUNG GIRL AND POSSESSING CHILD SEXUAL IMAGES

In March 2015, a disturbing case involving Michael Trust, a 58-year-old resident of Greystone Close in Tewkesbury, came to light in Gloucester Crown Court. Trust, a father of two whose family was described as his entire world, faced serious allegations related to the possession of thousands of indecent images of children and the solicitation of underage boys via online platforms. The court proceedings revealed a pattern of disturbing online behavior that shocked the community and highlighted the dangers of internet-based child exploitation.

During the hearing, it was disclosed that Trust had engaged in posing as a 13-year-old girl named 'Sally' on Skype, a popular video calling service. Under this false identity, he actively incited teenage boys, including a 15-year-old from Sweden, to perform sexual acts on camera. The prosecution detailed how Trust also impersonated a 12-year-old boy, exchanging sexually explicit messages with boys aged 13, 14, and 15. These interactions took place over a period spanning from December 2010 to August 2013, with the defendant attempting to manipulate and exploit young teenagers through digital communication.

Authorities found a staggering 2,724 indecent images of children stored on Trust’s computer, with some of the images depicting very young children, including an eight-year-old boy and a boy aged just 10. The images were categorized into different levels of severity, with 201 classified as Category A, the most serious, 285 as Category B, and 2,238 as Category C. The images and the activities associated with them were all conducted remotely, with Trust never physically meeting the boys he contacted. The court emphasized that while the online nature of the offenses reduced immediate physical danger, the harm inflicted through the possession and distribution of such images was profound and lasting.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC addressed Trust directly, stating, “You have acquired a lot of photographs and some of them are really horrible. Because you see them on celluloid, as it were, you think it’s not real, but it is. If you saw it happening on the street, you, I am sure, would try to stop it and call the police. But these images you had were of real little children being horribly abused and tainted for life.” The judge acknowledged Trust’s family commitments and his apparent remorse, noting that he had ceased his activities voluntarily before his arrest. Despite the severity of the offenses, Trust was sentenced to a two-year prison term, which was suspended for two years. Additionally, he was ordered to participate in the Thames Valley Sex Offenders Programme for two years, complete 200 hours of unpaid community service, pay a fine of £500, and cover £500 in prosecution costs.

Earlier in January 2015, Trust had admitted to a series of related charges, including attempting to persuade underage boys to engage in sexual activities via Skype, making and possessing indecent images of children, and distributing such images. His tearful plea and the court’s subsequent warnings underscored the gravity of his actions. The court was informed that Trust had made contact with six boys aged between 13 and 15, attempting to coerce them into sexual acts over a period of nearly three years. The judge ordered a pre-sentence report to be prepared before sentencing on March 6, 2015, and warned Trust that prison was “almost inevitable,” though he was released on bail under strict conditions, including no unsupervised contact with anyone under 16 years old.