Tyler Allen

Tyler Allen, a 20-year-old from Vicarage Court in Brockworth, Gloucestershire, has been sentenced for a series of child sex offences committed when he was aged 17 and 18. Described as a 'cruel manipulator' by investigators, Allen targeted five young girls online in 2023, coercing them into sending explicit images and videos through emotional manipulation and threats.

The offences followed a common pattern, with Allen engaging in sexualised online conversations with girls aged between 12 and 15. He pleaded guilty to six counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two charges of causing a child to watch a sexual act, and two charges of engaging in sexual communication with a child. At Gloucester Crown Court, the court heard how Allen would profess love or threaten self-harm to pressure the victims into complying with his demands.

• In one incident, Allen asked a 12-year-old girl to meet him on her 13th birthday. When she refused, citing an excuse, he escalated by threatening to rape and kill her.
• In another case, he demanded more images from a 15-year-old girl and threatened to post what he already had on social media if she did not send additional material.
• The remaining charges involved similar online exploitation of other children in the same age range.

Allen's arrest and charges stemmed from an investigation by Gloucestershire Police's Child Exploitation Team. He entered his guilty pleas in July 2024 and was sentenced on Thursday, 31 October 2024, to 22 months' detention in a young offenders' institution. Additionally, he received a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order to restrict his future behaviour.

Investigating officer Police Staff Investigator Amber Jones commented on the case: 'Allen cruelly manipulated and exploited children for his own sexual gratification. The victims in this case have shown great courage in coming forward, especially as what he did to them is an exceptionally difficult topic for people of any age to talk about.' This sentencing underscores the severe impact of online grooming and the authorities' commitment to protecting children from sexual exploitation, as reported by BBC News.