PHILIP TREVENA FROM CONSTANTINE SENTENCED AFTER ONLINE SEXUAL PREDATION INVOLVING A MOCK TEENAGE GIRL IN CORNWALL

A 75-year-old man from Constantine, identified as Philip Trevena, has been convicted and sentenced following disturbing online communications with what he believed was a 14-year-old girl. The incident, which took place over a span of six days in October 2021, involved Trevena engaging in sexually explicit conversations with the individual he thought was a minor.

During this period, Trevena sent more than twenty messages, in which he inquired about the girl’s interest in sex and requested explicit photographs of her. He also asked her to perform sexual acts, including masturbation, and bizarrely, to use a carrot in a sexual context as part of their supposed encounter. As the messages progressed, Trevena expressed a desire to meet the girl in person, further escalating the seriousness of his intentions.

However, the person on the other end of the conversation was not a minor but an adult operating as a paedophile hunter. Once the conversation reached this point, the individual forwarded the entire chat transcript along with Trevena’s address to the police authorities in Devon and Cornwall. This action led to Trevena’s arrest and subsequent prosecution.

It is important to note that Trevena is already a registered sex offender, having served time in prison for engaging in sexual activity with a child within the last twenty years. His prior conviction has mandated his registration on the sex offenders’ register for life, underscoring the gravity of his criminal history.

During the court hearing at Truro Crown Court, Trevena’s defence lawyer, Katie Churcher, explained that her client had pleaded guilty to two charges: attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity, with the offender being over 18, and involving penetration. She emphasized that Trevena had acknowledged his wrongdoing and expressed a desire to seek help, citing his feelings of isolation and poor health as contributing factors. Churcher also mentioned that Trevena was in poor health, with upcoming tests for liver cirrhosis, and argued that he could be managed within the community rather than prison.

Judge Simon Carr addressed the court, describing Trevena’s offences as extremely serious. He highlighted that Trevena believed he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl, but in reality, he was speaking with an adult posing as a minor. The judge acknowledged the lengthy delay—three years—in bringing the case to court and took into account Trevena’s age and health issues. Nonetheless, he warned Trevena that if he reoffended, he would face immediate imprisonment.

While recognizing Trevena’s remorse and the efforts he was making with sex offender management programs, the judge emphasized the severity of the crimes. Trevena was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, and was ordered to complete 35 sessions of an accredited rehabilitation program, along with 30 days of community activity. Additionally, he was once again placed on the sex offenders’ register for life, with a sexual harm prevention order imposed for ten years, restricting his access to the internet and other related activities.

This case underscores the ongoing risks posed by online predators and the importance of vigilance and swift law enforcement action in protecting vulnerable individuals from sexual exploitation.