Winkleigh Man Jailed 12 Years for Online Child Sex Offences

Miles Goninon, 29, from the Winkleigh area of Devon, has been jailed for 12 years. He was sentenced at Exeter Crown Court after targeting vulnerable young girls online. Goninon incited them into sharing degrading sexual content and carrying out self-harm.

Court Proceedings

Goninon pleaded guilty to 25 offences. These included possession and distribution of indecent images of children (all categories). He also admitted engaging in sexual communications with children and causing a child to engage in a sexual act. Goninon was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order until further order. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

The court heard Goninon targeted numerous vulnerable young girls online through Snapchat. He gained their trust before abusing them. Goninon was found in possession of thousands of indecent images and videos of children spanning all three categories.

Police Investigation

The offending came to light when Police received intelligence. This reported that a user of a Snapchat account associated with Goninon’s email address had engaged in conversation with a child online. The user asked her for an indecent video of herself. The account was traced to Goninon’s home address.

Officers executed a warrant in June 2024 and arrested Goninon. A large number of devices were seized. These were later found to contain a huge catalogue of troubling child sex abuse material and explicit conversations with children. Investigation showed Goninon was operating multiple Snapchat accounts pretending to be teenagers. He had also distributed child abuse material to others.

Goninon was found in possession of hundreds of indecent videos and images of victims. He had requested and filmed these virtually himself. Some victims were identified from their Snapchat usernames. Home visits were then carried out by police. Victims of Goninon were placed around the world, with many not yet identified. Goninon denied any criminal wrongdoing in his interviews. The sentencing judge described Goninon as taking no responsibility for the horrendous impact his crimes had on his victims and showing very limited empathy.

Detective Inspector's Statement

Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Simon Foster said: “This was a complex and extremely disturbing investigation led by the Devon and Cornwall Paedophile Online Investigation Team.

“The officers involved have shown incredible dedication to identify and safeguard as many children as possible.

“Due to the nature of his offending, our specialist officers had to examine a huge amount of traumatic material to ensure all lines of enquiry were pursued.

“Miles Goninon showed no remorse or care for his victims and was driven by his sadistic desires to harm children.

“We welcome today’s sentence and hope this conviction serves as a stark warning to those with an unlawfully blurred view of consent and the wider implications of the sexual abuse of children.

“I would also like to thank all the identified victims in this case for their bravery and courage in coming forward. It’s not an easy thing to disclose something very personal to you, particularly when it relates to sexual offences.

“I hope this investigation highlights that the police take sexual allegations seriously, you will be believed, and we will always support you.

“We believe there are still hundreds of victims targeted by Miles Goninon that our specialist victim ID officers continue to try and identify.

“He often used his true name as usernames so if anyone feels they have been targeted by his offending, please get in contact so we can support you.

“We will never stop investigating online offences to safeguard children and protect the public from those who seek to hurt children. For those tempted to engage in this type of behaviour, our message is simple: we are watching you, you will be caught, and you can expect a knock at the door from us very soon.”

Support and Reporting Information

Support available If you have been affected by this article there is support available. You can visit victimcare-dc.org to access support services and information on your rights and how to navigate the criminal justice system. You can also call Victim Support on 0808 1689 111 or Devon and Cornwall Police’s Victim Care Unit on 01392 475900. Advice and support can also be found at: National Rape Crisis Helpline 0808 802 9999 Devon and Cornwall Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC) 0300 3034626 For more information please visit: http://www.dc.police.uk/Rape-SexualAssault If you suspect a child is in immediate danger from sexual abuse or exploitation call 999 now. If it’s not an emergency please use the “Report” button on our website http://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk or call 101. You can report child sexual abuse anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online https://crimestoppers-uk.org/

OFFICIAL SOURCE VERIFICATION: This article is based on an official press release issued by a Police Force. Document: News Article - Devon & Cornwall Police Source Link 

Related Content

MORE: Three Devon and Cornwall Police officers under gross misconduct investigation following custody death — https://trendwiremedia.com/2026/03/26/three-devon-and-cornwall-police-officers-under-gross-misconduct-investigation-following-custody-death/

MORE: Gwent Police Arrest Two Men in Child Exploitation Investigation — https://trendwiremedia.com/2026/04/09/gwent-police-arrest-two-men-in-child-exploitation-investigation/

MORE: Beds Police Operations Tackle Serious Violence, Organised Crime — https://trendwiremedia.com/2026/04/07/beds-police-operations-tackle-serious-violence-organised-crime/