Phillip Grace

Phillip Grace, a 43-year-old man from Milton Keynes, engaged in predatory online behaviour by sending sexualised messages to what he believed was a 12-year-old girl on Facebook. Unbeknownst to him, the account was a decoy operated by an online child activist group, designed to expose individuals attempting to groom children.

On 1 October 2023, Grace initiated contact and sent several explicit messages, including attempts to incite the supposed child to engage in sexual activity involving penetration. His actions were reported to authorities, leading to his swift arrest on 7 October 2023. Grace was charged with one count of attempting to cause or incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, namely penetration, and one count of an adult attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Grace pleaded guilty to these child sex offences at Aylesbury Crown Court on 10 November 2023. Following his plea, he was sentenced on 4 February 2024 to nine years and four months' imprisonment. In addition, he was issued with a sexual harm prevention order to restrict his future behaviour and protect the public, particularly children.

The case was investigated by Detective Constable Paul Cushing-Cena of Milton Keynes CID, part of Thames Valley Police. In a statement, DC Cushing-Cena described Grace's actions as 'predatory and profoundly disturbing', emphasising that the sentence reflected the serious risk he posed to children and the gravity of the offences committed. Thames Valley Police reiterated their commitment to safeguarding children and pursuing such offenders relentlessly to ensure justice is served.

This incident highlights the dangers of online grooming and the effectiveness of decoy operations in preventing harm to real children. The court proceedings took place in Buckinghamshire, within the jurisdiction of Thames Valley Police.