THOMAS PHILLIPS BURSLEM AND TRENT VALE SEX OFFENDER JAILED FOR ONLINE PREDATION AND SEXUAL ASSAULT

In a significant crackdown on online and offline sexual offenses, Thomas Phillips, a known sex offender from Burslem and Trent Vale, has been sentenced to prison after a series of disturbing violations of his legal restrictions and a recent sexual assault conviction.

Thomas Phillips, aged 40 and residing on Walley Place in Burslem, was previously placed on the Sex Offenders Register following a conviction for sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13 back in 2009. His criminal history and ongoing violations came under scrutiny when police uncovered a fake Facebook profile he had created, under the alias ‘Tom Thumb,’ which he used to communicate with children online. This discovery was made during his arrest last year for breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), a legal restriction designed to prevent offenders from engaging in activities that could lead to reoffending.

The police investigation revealed that Phillips had attempted to manipulate parents into allowing him to babysit their children without supervision. His actions raised serious concerns about his intentions and the safety of children in the community. Furthermore, Phillips was found guilty of perverting the course of justice by intimidating a woman into believing that her child would be taken away if she contacted the police following his arrest. These actions demonstrated a pattern of manipulative and coercive behavior aimed at avoiding detection and accountability.

During the sentencing hearing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, Recorder Peter Cooke addressed Phillips directly, stating, “You were seeking to manipulate the parents to spend time with the children. You maintain an unrealistic denial about what people have said about you.” The court was informed that Phillips’s behavior was a clear attempt to exploit trust and access vulnerable children.

As a result of his actions, Phillips was sentenced to a total of three years and seven months in prison. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness with which the justice system treats breaches of sexual offender restrictions and the protection of children from predatory behavior.

In a related case from March 2009, Phillips, then living on Harpfield Road in Trent Vale, pleaded guilty to the sexual assault of a young girl under 13. The incident occurred on November 23 of the previous year, and Phillips admitted to intentionally touching the girl by putting his arm around her and smacking her bottom. Additionally, he pleaded guilty to failing to notify police of his current address, violating sex offender registration requirements. This case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report, given Phillips’s prior conviction in 2004 for indecent assault on a female under 14, and he was remanded in custody pending sentencing.

Thomas Phillips’s criminal activities and subsequent convictions highlight ongoing concerns about the safety of children and the importance of strict enforcement of sex offender regulations in the Stoke-on-Trent area, particularly in Burslem and Trent Vale, where he has resided.