A Wellington Man Who Pretended to Be an 11-Year-Old Online to Groom and Exploit Young Girls Has Been Jailed

Benjamin Woods, 36, was sentenced to six years and five months in prison for his crimes, which have left his victims and their families deeply traumatized.

Benjamin Woods, a 36-year-old man from Wellington, has been sentenced to six years and five months in prison for sexually exploiting young girls by posing online as an 11-year-old girl. The sentencing took place at the Wellington District Court, where Judge Ian Carter presided over the case. Woods targeted two pre-teen sisters, *Amy and *Ivy, and their mother, *Victoria, who shared their harrowing experiences with the media before the sentencing.

The family, who wished to raise awareness about the dangers of social media, revealed that Woods also targeted other children and distributed explicit material to online predators. His downfall came in January this year when a police informant in the United States engaged him in a conversation on TikTok, leading to his arrest.

Victims Describe Trauma and Loss of Innocence

The victims and their families described the profound impact of Woods' actions. One of the girls said she now feels "scared, isolated, and trapped," while her sister expressed a desire for Woods to receive 250 years in prison for the harm he caused. The mother, *Victoria, stated that Woods' actions have changed "every aspect" of their lives, forcing the family to move three times since the incident came to light.

"In one swift, disgusting moment, you took that away from me. You created doubt in my child’s mind and in my mind, so I would never be able to protect her again," the mother said in a statement read in court.

Woods' Downfall and the Evidence Against Him

Woods' downfall began when he was logged into his TikTok account, where he had created a fake persona as an 11-year-old girl. A police informant in the United States engaged him in a conversation, and when Woods asked, "Can you take your top off?", the informant alerted authorities. Police raided Woods' home the following day and seized multiple electronic devices, which later revealed 984 objectionable images and videos of children.

Forensic analysis of Woods' devices uncovered thousands of chat logs from various platforms, including Telegram, Justalk, TikTok, Discord, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and iMessage. These were used to distribute or obtain child exploitation material. Woods refused to provide passwords to investigators and had "no comment" when questioned.

The Court's Response and Woods' Sentencing

Judge Ian Carter acknowledged the impact of the victims' statements and the restorative justice report. He noted the significant mental, emotional, and financial toll on the families, including the need to move multiple times. The judge highlighted the vulnerability of Woods' victims, who ranged in age from 8 to 14, and the long duration of the offending, which spanned at least four years.

Woods was sentenced to six years and five months in prison on 12 charges, including possession of objectionable material, copying objectionable material, and grooming children. The judge ordered the destruction of the objectionable material and the forfeiture of the seized devices. Woods will also be placed on the sex offenders register.

Woods' Lawyer and His Client's Remorse

Woods' lawyer, Marty Robinson, stated that his client was remorseful and apologetic for his actions. Woods, who had interests in music and sang in a choir, acknowledged the seriousness of his crimes and expressed a desire to seek treatment for his "different psychology." Robinson noted that character references provided to the court painted a picture of a man who was supportive and helpful to those around him, leaving many in the public gallery surprised by the nature of the charges.

Despite his remorse, the court emphasized the severity of Woods' actions, particularly his distribution of explicit material to other online predators in exchange for more content. The judge concluded that the effects of Woods' actions were "wide-ranging and considerable," and that prison was an inevitable outcome.

As the sentence was handed down, Woods left the dock with his head down, and the courtroom remained quiet. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of online predators and the importance of vigilance in protecting children from exploitation.