TARAN WOODWARD FROM STROUD ESCAPES JAIL AFTER SEX OFFENCES INVOLVING TEENS IN GLOUCESTER

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Stroud, Taran Woodward, an 18-year-old resident of the town, narrowly avoided imprisonment after admitting to a series of serious sexual offences involving minors. The incidents, which spanned over two years, included the covert collection of explicit images and disturbing online threats against vulnerable young girls.

Woodward appeared before Gloucester Crown Court in December 2018, where he pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual misconduct. The court was informed that he had taken a total of 1,360 indecent photographs of a girl, with 297 classified as the most severe, Category A images, depicting penetrative sexual acts involving a child. These images were captured between February 2016 and January of the following year. Additionally, he admitted to two charges of creating indecent images of a different girl during the same period.

Further allegations revealed that Woodward had engaged in threatening communications with another girl on September 20 of the previous year and had attempted to persuade her to participate in non-penetrative sexual acts on December 12, 2017. Prosecutor Giles Nelson detailed that police first became aware of Woodward’s activities in January 2018 after a report was made regarding the uploading of indecent images of children. Following a search of his residence, electronic devices belonging to him were seized and examined, uncovering disturbing evidence of his online interactions.

The investigation revealed that Woodward had been communicating via Skype with a girl who was just shy of a year younger than him. The communication reportedly began when she was 14 years old, with Woodward, then a youth himself, initiating contact. It was discovered that he had secretly captured images of their Skype chats, which included 297 Category A images, 231 Category B images, and 832 Category C images. The prosecutor emphasized that the girl had not consented to her images being taken, and she was reportedly horrified upon discovering the extent of the photographs stored on Woodward’s device. She had trusted him during their online conversations, a trust that was severely betrayed.

The case also involved a second girl, who was only 13 when the offences against her began. Prosecutor James Haskell explained that Woodward had started communicating with her when she was 12, asking her to send explicit images of herself. The girl initially refused but later sent further explicit photographs, believing she was in a genuine relationship with Woodward. However, the situation turned threatening when Woodward told her he would kill himself and expose her if she tried to end the relationship. He also claimed he possessed a video that would reveal her private images to others, further intimidating her.

Despite the seriousness of these offences, the court took into account that Woodward was a minor at the time of the crimes. Judge Ian Lawrie QC sentenced him to a three-year community order, which includes a programme requirement, thirty rehabilitation activity sessions, and 200 hours of unpaid work. The judge expressed disappointment, stating, “You have brought shame on yourself and worse than that shame on your family. In these twilight online relationships, you took advantage of vulnerable individuals. While you were also vulnerable to some extent, the court’s purpose is to teach you essential life lessons and to respect women.”

Woodward was also ordered to sign the sex offender register for five years and to comply with a sexual harm prevention order for the same duration. The judge warned that if he failed to adhere to these conditions or if he squandered this second chance, he could face a custodial sentence. The case highlights the dangers of online interactions and the importance of safeguarding minors from exploitation and abuse, especially in the digital age where such crimes can often go unnoticed until they reach the courts.