Child rapist from Herefordshire jailed

An electrician from North Herefordshire who distributed videos of himself raping a young girl on the internet has been jailed for almost 16 years.

Thomas Gwilliam-Carter, 39, from Leominster, was identified by National Crime Agency investigators after child abuse images he’d posted were found on devices belonging to a U.S. suspect arrested by the FBI.

Chat logs showed that Gwilliam-Carter, using the online pseudonym ‘keepedging247’, told other paedophiles on the Wickr platform that he planned to drug a child to make raping her easier. He then went on to share videos of the abuse and later admitted that he had drugged the child with Phenergan, a mild sedative.

Gwilliam-Carter was arrested by NCA officers at his home address on 1 October this year, and his mobile phone was seized.

This was forensically examined and found to contain 3,651 indecent images of children (IIOC) in categories A-C (A being the most severe), some of which showed babies being raped. The child he’d raped has been safeguarded.

Gwilliam-Carter pleaded guilty to one count of rape of a child under 13, three counts of making IIOC and five counts of distributing IIOC at Worcester Crown Court on 7 November.

He was sentenced at the same court today (8 December).

NCA operations manager Phil Eccles said: “Gwilliam-Carter inflicted the most terrible abuse on a young girl and distributed videos he’d made of it online, all for his and other paedophiles’ pleasure.

“Child sexual abuse is a global threat and this case highlights why the NCA’s close cooperation with international partners is so vital in tackling it.

“We also work tirelessly to protect those affected by child sexual abuse and disrupt offenders who pose a sexual threat to children, ensuring they face justice.”