Gawain Fallows

In 2019, Gawain Fallows, a 36-year-old man from Hampshire, was discovered to be in possession of a mobile phone containing a large number of indecent images of children. The device also revealed an extensive exchange of sexual messages with a 14- to 15-year-old victim, in which Fallows made requests for explicit images and videos.

While under investigation for these earlier offences, between March and April 2021, Fallows engaged in sexualised messaging with an undercover police officer who was posing as a 12-year-old girl. In August 2021, he continued this pattern by exchanging similar inappropriate messages with two undercover anti-paedophile activists posing as a 13-year-old girl and her 11-year-old younger sister.

On 16 March 2022, at Portsmouth Crown Court, Fallows was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months' imprisonment for 14 counts of various child sex offences. These included causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and making indecent images of children. He was also subjected to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The Solicitor General, Alex Chalk QC MP, believed the original sentence was unduly lenient and referred the case to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. On 8 June 2022, the Court of Appeal agreed, increasing Fallows' prison term to 5 years and 6 months.

Following the hearing, the Solicitor General stated: 'Gawain Fallows committed many sexual offences against children and his crimes merited a stronger sentence to properly reflect those offences. I hope today’s verdict sends a clear message that all child sex offenders can expect to receive the full force of the law.' This case was handled by the Attorney General's Office and published on GOV.UK on 8 June 2022 under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government.