TIDWORTH MEDIC PETER HARRIES SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES AND ONLINE PREDATION

In June 2022, a disturbing case emerged involving a British Army medic from Tidworth who engaged in heinous online predatory behavior targeting a young girl. Private Peter Harries, aged 28, who served in the 1 Medical Regiment, was found guilty of attempting to incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and of possessing indecent images, including one classified as Category A, the most severe category of such material.

Harries believed he was communicating with a 12-year-old girl named Chloe via the messaging app Kik. Unbeknownst to him, he was actually conversing with two undercover police officers. The military court was informed that Harries was led to believe the girl was from the UK and was only 12 years old. During their exchanges, he made explicit offers, including paying her £5 for nude photographs, £10 to £15 for a video, and up to £100 for sexual activity. When Chloe asked whether her lack of sexual experience mattered, Harries shockingly responded that he would pay her £300 because it was her first time.

According to court proceedings, Harries, who has served in the army for nearly four years, was arrested in March 2020. An investigation uncovered indecent images on his computer located in his living quarters in Tidworth, Wiltshire. These images included one classified as Category A, indicating the highest level of severity. The police also discovered that Harries had attempted to persuade the fake profile to send nude images and engage in sexual activity.

During the online interactions, Harries claimed to be a medic working at a hospital in Wiltshire. He asked for her phone number, but when she refused, he provided a different number. The police traced this number back to Harries and his parents’ address, leading to his arrest. Following his detention, Harries refused to comment during police interviews but ultimately pleaded guilty to all four charges.

In sentencing, the military court handed Harries a 30-month prison term. He will serve half of this sentence in custody, with the remainder on license. Additionally, he has been dismissed from the British Army. The court also imposed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, requiring Harries to notify police of any change of address and his name indefinitely, as part of ongoing measures to prevent further harm.