Worthing man jailed for online exploitation and possession of child abuse material
Charles Wood sentenced to over two years after deceiving and abusing young women and teenage girls through social media
A 34-year-old man from Worthing has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison after admitting to possessing child abuse material and orchestrating an extensive campaign of online deception and sexual abuse targeting young women and teenage girls.
Charles Wood appeared at Lewes Crown Court on 13 January, where he pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including possessing child abuse images and sharing explicit material without consent. Investigators found 30 images of child abuse in categories A, B, and C, along with one extreme pornographic image in his possession.
The court heard that Wood had gone to considerable lengths to manipulate and exploit his victims. He created a fake online identity, presenting himself as a teenage girl named ‘Riley.’ Using this persona, he built a large following on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and various dating sites.
To reinforce the deception, he employed a voice-changing app to mimic a young female voice in communications, which the court described as “chilling” for its ability to convince victims they were speaking to a teenage girl. Judge Van Der Zwart warned that Wood posed a serious risk to both children and young women, whether using his real identity or fabricated ones.
While posing as 'Riley', Wood established online relationships with teenage girls and young women, sending sexually explicit material and pressuring them to share images in return. Some of the content he obtained was subsequently distributed to other predatory individuals, who are still being investigated.
He also targeted vulnerable girls known to be selling content online, directing them to him under the guise of Riley and obtaining sexual images without payment. In some cases, he sent messages pretending Riley was self-harming or at risk of suicide, and even impersonated her mother under different names to continue the manipulation.
Wood’s offences fell under the Online Safety Act, including sending false communications intended to cause harm and sharing intimate images without consent, involving three identified victims.
He was arrested on 21 November 2024 and released on bail while the investigation proceeded. On 10 September 2025, he was formally charged at Worthing Custody Centre with eight offences, including possession of extreme pornographic content, possession of child abuse images, sending false communications to cause harm, and distributing private images without consent.
Following his guilty plea at Worthing Magistrates Court on 14 November 2025, Wood was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on 13 January 2026. In addition to his prison term, he received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order lasting 10 years, and the court ordered the destruction of all his electronic devices.
Investigator Rose Horan, from the Online Child Abuse Team, said: “Wood’s behaviour was deliberate, sophisticated, carefully planned, highly manipulative and cruel. He set out to manipulate and control young women and girls for his own sadistic and sexual gratification. The three victim impact statements helped to convey how psychologically damaging his actions were, leaving the victims feeling betrayed and violated.
“Wood’s offending is another unwelcome reminder of the dangers posed to children online. His devices contained moving images recording the sexual abuse of young children. These children, wherever they are in the world, live with the trauma of the abuse they have suffered.
"The Online Child Abuse Team continue to work with our partners to identify and apprehend offenders, while educating families on steps they can take to keep their children safe online."