Former Met officer who ‘systematically’ groomed then raped girl and woman jailed for 24 years

Former Met officer who ‘systematically’ groomed then raped girl and woman jailed for 24 years Gwyn Samuels, who committed crimes as James Bubb, befriended both victims online befriended both victims online A Metropolitan police officer who raped a girl and a woman after “systematically” grooming them both online has been jailed for 24 years. James Bubb, who now identifies as a woman named Gwyn Samuels, first sexually assaulted the girl when she was just 12 years old after befriending her online in 2018, the trial at Aylesbury crown court was told last year. The 28-year-old was also found guilty of raping a woman who the defendant first met online while posing as a 16-year-old girl, when the victim was 18. On Friday, Samuels, a former volunteer special constable, was sentenced to 32 years, made up of 24 years’ imprisonment and a further eight years on extended licence. In his sentencing remarks the judge, Jonathan Cooper, said: “You abused the most intimate trust of each of your victims. In each case you systematically groomed your victim, first to befriend them, then to abuse them, finally to bend them to your will.” Throughout the trial the defendant was referred to by their biological sex but during the first sentencing hearing last week, the judge said that since they have transitioned, they should be known by their new identity of Gwyn Samuels. The judge said he understands the defendant, who has been in the male prison estate while in custody, will remain there. Cooper said: “The key point is that you are a very significant risk to women. This is not predicated on your trans status, but on your criminal status.” The officer befriended the girl on the chat site Omegle in 2018 before meeting in person for the first time at a Christian festival a few months later. The defendant was a volunteer steward at the event, while the victim was wearing a colour-coded child’s wristband to indicate her age. Samuels sexually assaulted the girl at the event shortly before her ...