Ex-Police Trainee Caught in Sick Child Abuse Scandal
Jason Hicks, 31, who was training to join Devon and Cornwall Police, has been jailed after pleading guilty to multiple child sex offences. He persuaded a nine-year-old girl to send explicit photos and tried similar vile tactics with four other children.
Shocking Discovery During Police Training
While still in training and yet to serve on the front line, Hicks’s dark crimes came to light. A police raid on his Bishopsteignton home uncovered over 1,200 indecent images and videos of children, including horrifying Category A material showing victims as young as eight.
In a police interview, Hicks admitted offences dating back to 2012 and said he felt relieved to be caught.
Groomed Kids Via TikTok and Snapchat
Hicks used social media to groom a nine-year-old girl from the South West. Posing as a teenage boy on TikTok, he moved to Snapchat to exchange explicit messages, eventually coaxing her into sexual activity.
Parents alerted police after discovering the online contact, leading to an investigation by the Paedophile Online Investigation Team. Hicks was arrested in January 2022, immediately suspended, and fired without notice the next month. He is now on the College of Policing’s Barred List.
More Victims and Harrowing Details
- Hicks faced 13 charges, including sexual contact with a child, inciting sexual activity, and producing indecent images.
- He attempted to communicate sexually with four other children, aged 11-13, via Snapchat.
- Investigators traced the other victims’ IP addresses to the US, Sweden, and Yorkshire, but they remain unidentified.
- The court handed Hicks a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered the destruction of all his digital devices.
- He will serve at least four years in prison, followed by three years on licence.
Police and Prosecutors Condemn Abuse
“Jason Hicks’s sentencing for these despicable offences is very welcome. I commend the bravery of the victim and her family for coming forward,” said Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Steve Parker. “All officers have a duty to protect vulnerable people. Hicks’s actions were illegal and he is now facing the consequences.”
“Our Paedophile Online Investigation Team is committed to safeguarding children, regardless of the offender’s position,” added Detective Inspector Simon Foster. “We work tirelessly to arrest, charge, and convict those who prey on the vulnerable.”
David Barnes, District Crown Prosecutor, said: “Hicks used social media to target young girls, posing as a teen boy to send explicit messages and photos. At least one victim was just nine years old. Women and girls deserve to feel safe online and offline, and we will continue to fight these horrific crimes.”
This case is a grim reminder that predators can lurk even where they’re least expected. Devon and Cornwall Police vow to keep up the fight against child abuse in all forms.
