In 2026, the Offender Database reported that Tobias Dadswell, then 21, of May Road, Gillingham, Kent, was sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment. On Monday, 19 January 2026, Dadswell appeared at Maidstone Crown Court for sentencing after admitting to a series of “vile” offences involving the coercion of a child and the possession of indecent images.
The investigation established that Dadswell was already subject to a Sexual Risk Order (SRO) when Kent Police visited his home on 16 June 2025. Officers suspected he had breached the order by possessing an internet-enabled phone, which Dadswell eventually surrendered. A forensic review of the device reported that he had been using messaging platforms to contact individuals selling indecent images of children and had engaged in sexual conversations with profiles he believed to be teenage girls, even requesting to meet them for money.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Dadswell’s most “despicable” conduct involved a teenager unknown to him on a video-based social media platform. He used “vicious” threats to spread rumours about the victim online unless they sent him indecent material of themselves—a demand the child complied with due to fear. PC Areolito Gashi emphasised that Dadswell’s decision to offend despite being under a court order proved him to be a “persistent danger to children.”
The judge emphasised that the “cruel” actions of the defendant had caused “serious harm” to a young person. The prosecution emphasised that Dadswell was initially charged with nine offences, with a further eight added as the complex digital investigation progressed. For his crimes in Gillingham, the court determined that Dadswell required a lengthy custodial sentence to reflect his disregard for previous legal restrictions and the predatory nature of his online activities.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Tobias Dadswell was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Five years in immediate custody.
- SHPO: A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed to take effect upon his release.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are in effect for life.
- Convictions: Admitted 11 counts, including causing a child to engage in sexual activity, breaching a Sexual Risk Order, and making indecent images of children. Five further counts were ordered to lie on file.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Dadswell is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Kent Police and the prison estate. Due to his history of bypassing civil orders to target children through social media, his digital footprint is under the highest level of scrutiny by the Public Protection Unit.
As a lifetime member of the Sex Offenders Register, Dadswell must comply with mandatory notification requirements regarding his residence in May Road, Gillingham. Authorities state that his new SHPO will place even stricter “vicious” legal barriers around his use of the internet and contact with minors. Any breach of his registration conditions, his court order, or his licence terms upon release will result in his immediate arrest and return to Maidstone Crown Court.
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