A volunteer Metropolitan Police officer who now identifies as transgender has been found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting a child following a trial at Amersham Law Courts.
Gwyn Samuels, 27, who was born James Bubb and changed names in December 2024, was convicted of multiple serious sexual offences against children. The defendant, of High Street, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, had been suspended from the force whilst facing trial.
The court heard disturbing evidence of how Bubb groomed victims after posing as a 16-year-old girl on the video chat website Omegle, where the defendant allegedly targeted two girls, including one aged just 12 years old.
Predatory Behaviour Online
Prosecutor Richard Milne told jurors that Bubb forced one victim to perform a public sex act that was interrupted when a dog walker passed by. The court heard the defendant told the child victim she “enjoyed being raped” during sexual encounters.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed Bubb met victims through the online chat platform whilst posing as a teenage girl. One victim told the court: “When I met James on Omegle, I didn’t know that it was James at first, they introduced themselves as a teenage girl.”
The prosecution stated that throughout the trial, the defendant and victims would be referred to by their biological sex when discussing the allegations. Bubb had denied all charges during the proceedings.
Pattern of Abuse
The offences occurred between January 2018 and April 2024, spanning a six-year period. Court testimony revealed Bubb began training with the Metropolitan Police in north London in 2020, during the time when some of the alleged offences took place.
One victim, who was 12 years old when the abuse began, told police in a recorded interview that she was “hidden” when in public with Bubb, who was 21 at the time. She described the defendant as looking “paranoid” when they were together in public spaces.
The victim testified about violent behaviour during sexual encounters, stating: “He had his hands around my throat. I tried to get words out but they weren’t coming out as easily.” She added that Bubb would sometimes hit and punch her during sex.
Police Restraint Techniques Used
During testimony, the court heard Bubb would sometimes use police restraint techniques on victims after returning home, though claimed not to use “full power” when doing so. The defendant also allegedly engaged in knife play, with one victim describing being blindfolded whilst Bubb ran what was described as a “large-ish knife” along her body.
When asked about using BDSM practices, one victim told the court: “James would use BDSM and kink as a way of creating control.” She described being “terrified” during encounters involving weapons, stating: “When a guy is trailing a knife down you telling you the things he could do with it and you are terrified and you don’t trust he would stop – the safe word means nothing.”
Background and Identity Change
The court heard Bubb had a “troubled” early life and was adopted at a young age. After completing A-levels, Bubb studied stage management at drama school before beginning training with the Metropolitan Police in 2020.
Bubb officially changed names to Gwyn Samuels in December 2024. When asked about the timing, Bubb told the court: “That’s when I started fully living in my current identity.” The defendant had been living as a woman and using female pronouns during recent court proceedings.
Metropolitan Police Response
The conviction raises serious questions about vetting procedures for police volunteers and the oversight of those in positions of trust. The Metropolitan Police has faced increased scrutiny in recent years over safeguarding failures and the conduct of officers.
A spokesperson for the force will likely face pressure to explain how someone accused of such serious offences was able to serve as a volunteer officer whilst allegedly committing crimes against children.
Charges and Conviction
The specific charges Bubb faced included:
- One count of rape relating to one complainant
- Two counts of rape relating to a second complainant
- Two counts of sexual activity with a child
- One count of assault of a child under 13 by penetration
- One count of rape of a child under 13
- One count of assault by penetration
A not guilty verdict was returned on one rape charge after prosecutors offered no evidence.
Grooming Tactics Exposed
The trial exposed the calculated methods used to target vulnerable children online. By posing as a teenage girl on Omegle, Bubb was able to gain the trust of young victims before beginning patterns of abuse that lasted years.
One victim’s police statement revealed she “did not realise at the time that she was being groomed,” highlighting the manipulative tactics employed. The abuse escalated from online contact to in-person meetings where serious sexual offences occurred.
Awaiting Sentencing
Samuels now faces a lengthy prison sentence for the crimes. Child sexual offences carry significant custodial sentences, particularly when involving multiple victims and abuse of a position of trust.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers children face online and the importance of safeguarding measures to protect vulnerable individuals from predators who exploit positions of authority.
Sentencing is expected to take place at a later date, when the full extent of the punishment will be determined by the judge who presided over the trial at Amersham Law Courts.
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Image Credit:
Amersham Law Courts, King George V Road — photo by Bryn Holmes, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)
