Edward Gratwick who has been jailed for life (Image: PA)
A former police informer who spied on UK activists has been jailed for life after “nightmare” messages about raping children were revealed in court. Edward Gratwick, previously known as Nick Gratwick, was unmasked during his trial as a private intelligence agent hired by police in the 1990s to infiltrate environmental activists, green protesters, and animal rights groups.
Reports from that era highlight his role in monitoring or helping to thwart activities, including the high-profile Newbury Bypass protests involving eco-warrior Daniel “Swampy” Hooper. The 68-year-old from Mitcham, south London, was found guilty in October of 38 “abhorrent” offences following a six-week trial at Guildford Crown Court.
Gratwick had ‘shown no remorse,’ said Judge Claire Harden-Frost (Image: PA)
These included arranging or attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, distributing indecent images of children, and possessing indecent images of children. The online messages sent by this “very dangerous” man, who planned to rape children as young as six, are “some of the worst material” that specialist child abuse investigators “have ever seen”, a senior officer has said.
Police discovered Gratwick had plotted to travel abroad to rape children when they analysed thousands of messages on his phone. He had been using encrypted apps including Teleguard and Session to communicate with offenders in the UK and around the world, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.
In the messages, Gratwick discussed sexually abusing children with people he believed had access to girls aged between six and 10. He made frequent references to drugging potential victims so they would not remember anything, suggesting Rohypnol and GHB, which he described as “a good rape drug”.
Gratwick was arrested at Stansted Airport in March as he attempted to board a flight to Romania, after NCA officers were informed by international partners about a UK national messaging another person online about meeting up to sexually abuse a nine-year-old girl. When arrested, officers found items they believe he was planning to use to abuse children.
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A subsequent search of his home uncovered more than 1,300 indecent images of children on his devices, including 632 in the most serious Category A. Wayne Johns, head of child sexual abuse investigations at the NCA, said: “The material that’s been seen by my officers and has subsequently been put before the jury is some of the worst chat log material my officers have ever seen.”
He added: “He’s shown no remorse for the actions that he’s undertaken in this case.” Mr Johns described the life sentence with a 20-year minimum term, handed down on Friday, as reflecting “the significance of this offending and the seriousness of those offences that Gratwick was proposing to undertake”.
Addressing the defendant, Judge Claire Harden-Frost said: “You have shown yourself to be utterly manipulative, you have the tools to deceive and avoid detection.” She noted Gratwick had “shown no remorse” and that his offences “speak for themselves”.
Of one group of messages, she added: “Again this discussion is the stuff of nightmares, it is utterly depraved.” Messages seeking to arrange the rape of a child showed “just how dangerous you are” and what he was prepared to agree to in order to commit abuse.
Guildford Crown Court (Image: WIkicommons)
Gratwick claimed at trial he had been “seeking to investigate the world of child abuse”, but the judge said jurors saw through this “desperate attempt to avoid conviction”. The court heard he described himself as a “paedo tourist”, discussing “prices” for abusing children and travel arrangements.
In mitigation, defence barrister Kathryn Wilson called him “somewhat of a Walter Mitty character”, suggesting some fantasy element, and noted he had “proved very useful to investigating authorities” in the past. Gratwick pleaded guilty to possession and supply of a Class B drug but was found not guilty of one count of arranging or facilitating a child sex offence.
The offences spanned February 2023 to March 2025. CPS specialist prosecutor Robbie Weber said the abuse Gratwick described was “abhorrent”, showing intent to harm children and willingness to pay large sums, while also encouraging others.
NCA senior investigating officer Danielle Pownall called the chat logs among the worst seen, highlighting his lack of remorse despite overwhelming evidence. She thanked the jury for enduring distressing material and said work continues with international partners to identify those he engaged with and safeguard children.
