Fights, stealing vehicles, vandalism, anti-social behaviour – that was the daily life for Rhys as a young child.

The criminal exploitation began around the age of eight, when he was approached on the street and offered a football and cash in exchange for holding on to packages.

This then became a regular occurrence, enticing him into the local drug network and subjecting him to violence and trauma for several years.

Now aged 27, Rhys has long left that life behind and for the past four years has been working as a youth mentor for exploitation charity Escapeline, educating young people about how child exploitation and grooming works and guiding them towards a better life.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner funds a focused deterrence project with Escaepline that provides lived-experience mentors to children who have been exploited into becoming involved in criminal behaviour in Wiltshire.

Rhys is now supporting our ‘Spot the Signs’ campaign, which aims to educate young people and those close to them on how to spot that exploitation may be taking over a young person’s life. 

For Rhys, who was exposed and desensitised to drugs during his childhood, early intervention and constant, non-judgemental support is key.

He says: “Prevention is better than cure. If you can prevent something from happening, it’s always better than trying to deal with the aftermath.

“If you can get to a child early on and educate them about it, and make them aware of what goes on in society, they will be more open to talking to someone because they’ve already been taught to speak to a trusted adult.

“A lot of parents don’t realise what their child is potentially involved in until it’s too late.

“I always say being a nosy parent is the best type – the more interest you have in your children’s lives, the better it will be. You will know more about them, what they’re getting up to, who they’re hanging around with.”

For Rhys, key signs that a child could be being exploited include:

Sudden changes in a child’s character, such as becoming more aggressive;
Quitting football or rugby to hang around with people you haven’t seen before;
Extra phones or sim cards
Coming home smelling of cannabis
He is also encouraging peers of children who may be being targeted to speak out.

Rhys continues: “Our duty as someone’s friend is to care for and protect them – that’s what makes someone a friend.

“If you see your friend being involved in something and you’re not speaking up about it, you need to ask yourself whether you’re part of the solution or part of the problem.

“Part of the solution is going to get them help, maybe telling a teacher or a trusted adult about your concerns, and part of the problem is sticking up for them or turning a blind eye.

“It’s not down to the peer to deal with it, but it does make a good starting point for the peer to bring their concerns to light.”

The ‘Spot the Signs, Stop the Crime’ campaign is a joint initiative by Wiltshire Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon.