In 2026, the Offender Database reported that Phillip Grace, then 43, of Cleavers Avenue, Conniburrow, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, was sentenced to nine years and four months in prison. On Wednesday, 4 February 2026, Grace appeared at Aylesbury Crown Court after being caught in a sting operation by an online child activist group.
The investigation established that on 1 October 2025, Grace sent several sexualised messages via Facebook to what he believed was a 12-year-old girl. The prosecution reported that the recipient was actually a decoy. The “reprehensible” communication involved an attempt to incite the child to engage in sexual activity involving penetration. Grace was arrested on 7 October 2025 and subsequently pleaded guilty to the charges during a court appearance on 10 November 2025.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Grace had actively sought out a child for “serious” sexual exploitation. The judge noted that the defendant’s intent to facilitate penetration with a girl he believed to be just 12 years old made the case particularly “vile.” The prosecution, supported by Thames Valley Police, emphasised that the evidence provided by the activist group was fundamental in removing a dangerous predator from the streets of Milton Keynes.
The judge noted that the lengthy custodial sentence of over nine years reflected the “serious” nature of the planned abuse and the risk Grace posed to the public. The prosecution emphasised that the defendant’s guilty plea was the only mitigating factor in an otherwise “reprehensible” set of circumstances. For his crimes in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, the court determined that he must be subject to the most stringent monitoring protocols upon his eventual release.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Phillip Grace was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Nine years and four months in immediate custody.
- SHPO: Made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are in effect for life.
- Convictions: Pled guilty to one count of attempting to cause/incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity (penetration) and one count of an adult attempting sexual communication with a child.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Grace is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Thames Valley Police and the prison estate. Due to the “serious” nature of his attempts to exploit a child under 13, his management in Milton Keynes is subject to high-level oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a lifetime member of the Sex Offenders Register, Grace must comply with mandatory notification requirements regarding his residence in Cleavers Avenue, Conniburrow, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Authorities state that his SHPO is a critical tool to monitor his digital activity and restrict his access to children for life. Any breach of his registration conditions, his SHPO, or his licence terms upon release will result in his immediate arrest and return to Aylesbury Crown Court.
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