Renee Trelawney

An Accrington man, Renee Trelawney, aged 31, from Sharples Street, has been sentenced to 39 months in prison for possessing an indecent photo of a child, outraging public decency, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order on three counts. The incident occurred on 16 January 2023, near Mount Carmel High School in Accrington, Lancashire, where Trelawney targeted lone schoolgirls in uniform as they walked home.

Prosecutor Richard Howarth detailed how Trelawney approached three girls separately, showing them a photo of an 11- or 12-year-old child on his mobile phone. He falsely claimed the child was his daughter whom he had lost and needed help finding. Once engaged, he swiped to reveal pornographic images of the child, exploiting the girls' goodwill. CCTV footage captured Trelawney circling the school area on foot at a time when students were leaving, deliberately selecting isolated victims.

At the time, Trelawney was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) that prohibited him from contacting children under 16. Victim impact statements highlighted the profound fear inflicted on the girls. One victim stated: 'When it first happened, she was scared to go out, she was worried he would be let out and do something else. She thinks about it every day, and she speaks to her mum and dad about her worries.' Another noted the loss of newfound independence in walking home alone, while a parent expressed ongoing caution in monitoring her child's location.

In mitigation, Ellie Watson emphasised Trelawney's guilty pleas entered at the magistrates' court and his remorse. She said: 'He is remorseful, and he was disgusted with himself for his behaviour. He has been keeping himself busy in prison and has been employed in prison as a segregation lead and a diversity representative.' Watson also mentioned his engagement in talking therapies for mental health issues stemming from past trauma.

Judge Robert Altham, at Preston Crown Court, described the offences as troubling, noting Trelawney's escalating pattern of behaviour despite no prior contact offences. He remarked: 'You were on foot in the vicinity of the school and you can be seen on CCTV, completing a circuit near the school. You chose a time that you knew school girls would be leaving and you approached them with your mobile phone. You pretended you were looking for your daughter and cynically preyed on their good will to help another child.' Trelawney was classified as dangerous, receiving an extended licence period of four years, lifelong registration on the sex offenders register, and ten-year restraining orders protecting the victims.