Parents Issued Urgent Warning After Teenager Groomed on Roblox Gaming Platform
A mother has issued an urgent plea to parents to monitor their children's phone usage after her 14-year-old daughter was groomed by a sexual predator she met on the popular mobile gaming platform Roblox. The case has highlighted the hidden dangers lurking within seemingly innocent online games designed for younger audiences.
Predator's Systematic Grooming Campaign
Carlo Tritta, a 19-year-old from Bishopstoke, Eastleigh in Hampshire, has been sentenced to 28 months imprisonment after admitting multiple offences including making indecent images of a child and engaging in sexual communications with a minor. The court heard how Tritta first made contact with the Manchester-area teenager through Roblox in September 2024 before moving their conversations to other messaging applications including Snapchat, Discord and WhatsApp.
The grooming escalated rapidly with Tritta engaging in what prosecutors described as "highly sexualised" conversations with his young victim, exchanging intimate images and videos over several months. The abuse was only discovered in August 2025 when the girl's mother uncovered the disturbing messages and images on her daughter's devices.
Escalating Harassment and Intimidation
Even after his initial arrest, Tritta's predatory behaviour continued to escalate alarmingly. He breached his bail conditions by travelling to the victim's home, entering through the back door despite her requests for him to leave. The court heard how he sent letters, attempted phone contact, and made deliberate efforts to frustrate the criminal investigation against him.
Prosecutor Rachel Yarwood told Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court: "He also sent her letters, attempted to contact her by phone and made attempts to frustrate the criminal investigation." Tritta subsequently admitted to perverting the course of justice and received a 12-month suspended sentence in December 2025.
Relentless Campaign of Fear
Just three days after receiving his suspended sentence, Tritta returned to the victim's home, damaging a video camera installed for security. Hampshire Police later revealed that Tritta had manipulated his victim through "love-bombing" tactics, overwhelming her with relentless messages, gifts and food deliveries to create a false sense of relationship.
His campaign of intimidation included sending cards through Moonpig.com in attempts to persuade the girl to drop the case, and even reporting her mother to social services. The victim's mother told the court their family home "no longer feels like a safe space" and they had seriously considered moving due to the constant fear.
Devastating Impact on Victim and Family
In a powerful victim impact statement, the teenage girl described feeling "trapped and upset" and being "scared of going downstairs at night" because she feared Tritta would be waiting. Her mother described discovering the abuse after noticing her daughter becoming withdrawn, suffering disrupted sleep patterns and experiencing suicidal thoughts.
"I feel like my daughter has been in some kind of abusive, controlling, coercive relationship with somebody who's a lot older," the mother told the Press Association. "I don't feel safe in my own house, I've got cameras up, I've got to think about safeguarding, I've had to change times of school pickup, when I drop off, I just get jumpy in my own house."
Parental Warning About Gaming Platforms
The victim's mother issued a direct warning to other parents about the dangers of gaming platforms: "To me, I just thought it's a child's game. I did not think for one minute that these older people, paedophiles, are essentially grooming on these games and contacting these children."
She urged parents to maintain vigilance: "I try to tell as many people as possible. Watch what your children are playing; they can be dangerous. I thought, my girl, she gets high grades in school, she can be a bit of a moody teenager but she doesn't go out. I just thought how lucky am I that I've got my daughter at home with me and she's safe, but I'm in my bedroom and she's in the other and all this is happening to her."
Police and Prosecution Response
Detective Constable Jodi Bartlett, who led the investigation for Hampshire Police, stated: "Tritta's behaviour lays bare the terrifying realities of how criminals use the online world to target and harm vulnerable people. Do you truly know who you, or your child, is speaking to online? The victim in this case was just 14 years old."
Karina Lyon from the Crown Prosecution Service added: "Not only is Tritta a sexual predator but he has also exhibited deeply troubling behaviour by attending the girl's address in breach of his bail and a court order, damaging property and trying to interfere with witnesses. I hope today's outcome sends a clear message that the Crown Prosecution Service is determined to bring those who exploit children to justice."
The case has prompted renewed calls for stricter controls on apps designed for children and greater parental awareness of online safety measures. Authorities emphasise that gaming platforms should be safe spaces, particularly for younger users, and encourage open conversations between parents and children about internet usage.
