In 2018, the Offender Database recorded that 29-year-old Peter Curd was found guilty of attempting to send sexual messages to children after being snared by an online activist group. Curd—a married father-of-two from Colwill Road, Estover, Plymouth—sent pornographic images to social media users he believed were girls aged 13 and 14. It was reported that the “Predator Hunters” group operated the decoy accounts on the dating site Waplog and the messaging app Kik to flush out online predators.
The investigation established that Curd used multiple mobile phones to communicate with the decoys and even sent a photograph of his own face. Devon and Cornwall Police reported that the defendant arranged to meet one of the supposed 13-year-olds at a retail park near Hereford, though he failed to arrive at the location where group members were waiting to detain him. The prosecution reported that despite being repeatedly reminded of the decoys’ young ages, Curd continued to send sexually explicit material.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Curd attempted to evade justice by claiming his phone had been hacked by a stranger who intended to frame him. Plymouth Crown Court heard his “far-fetched” testimony that a broken handset he had dropped down a toilet must have been recovered and used by someone else to send the messages. The investigation established through phone records that the communications were linked directly to Curd, and a jury took just two and a half hours to unanimously reject his claims.
Judge James Townsend presided over the three-day trial, releasing Curd on bail to be sentenced on 3 January 2019 following the preparation of a probation report. For his actions in Estover and his digital conduct across various platforms, Curd was convicted of two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. The judge noted that the defendant would be subject to immediate notification requirements on the Sex Offenders Register and face strict future controls on his internet usage and access to children.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the records reported in England, the status of Peter Curd as of April 3, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Status: SENTENCED 2019 (Custodial term completed).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were active upon conviction.
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court; investigated by Devon and Cornwall Police.
- Criminal Record: Sexual communication with a child (2 counts).
- Origin: Colwill Road, Estover, Plymouth, Devon.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Curd is managed as a registered sex offender within the Plymouth area. Due to the nature of his conduct, which involved the deliberate targeting of children through dating apps and the use of multiple devices to mask his identity, his management remains a focus for local public protection units. Authorities state that his initial refusal to accept responsibility and his elaborate “hacking” defence indicated a high level of deviousness that required robust monitoring by the MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements) team.
As a convicted sex offender, Curd’s details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that the use of “paedophile hunter” evidence in this case was a key component in his apprehension. Any failure to comply with his internet monitoring requirements or any unauthorised presence on dating platforms in the Estover area will result in immediate investigation to ensure the ongoing safety of children from his demonstrated pattern of online grooming.
QUESTION – Given that the offender used multiple phones and a “hacking” defence to try and beat the charges, do you believe that any defendant who provides a demonstrably false “technical” alibi in a sex crimes trial should face an automatic 5-year sentence for perverting the course of justice?
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