Social worker pleads guilty to child sex offences

Thomas Weller pleaded guilty at Lewes Crown Court on Wednesday

A former West Sussex social worker has been convicted of abusing his position to engage in sexual communications with vulnerable children.

Thomas Weller, 33, from Faygate, near Horsham, pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office when he appeared at Lewes Crown Court on Wednesday.

He had already admitted two counts of sexual communication with a child and one of attempted sexual communication with a child at previous hearings.

He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Lewes on 27 September.

Police began investigating on 3 March when sexual messages from Weller were found on the Snapchat of a vulnerable girl's phone.

Officers said the messages had continued despite the girl telling him she was a child.

He was found to have used his job as a social worker to access personal data and was arrested on 24 March.

Further sexual communications were found with another teenage girl on his Snapchat account.

Det Ch Insp Jon Gillings said: "Thomas Weller abused his position of trust and responsibility.

“I would like to thank both the children involved and their families for reporting this to the police and supporting this investigation through to its conclusion."

Sussex Police is continuing to investigate whether Weller abused other victims, he said.

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