A college student who stalked two members of staff and filmed his victims to create deep-fake sexual images has been sentenced.
A court heard one staff member at Petroc college was left feeling “suicidal” while the other was signed off work with anxiety after Ethan Fenwick, 19, stalked them both physically and online.
Fenwick made “concerning” comments relating to race and misogyny and demonstrated “a hatred” for the LGBTQIA+ community, according to police. Officers also revealed the student used AI software to create virtual versions of the women, which he would talk to.
The teenager, of Swan Avenue, Tiverton, appeared at Exeter Crown Court for sentence on Tuesday after pleading guilty in September to two counts of stalking involving serious alarm or distress.
He was handed a three-year community order consisting of a rehabilitation activity requirement and 150 hours of unpaid work. The court also imposed lifetime restraining orders and a sexual harm prevention order.
Detective Constable Andrew Stacey, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said Fenwick’s behaviour was designed to “unsettle and ultimately terrify his victims”.
Judge Laura Collier said the student had a “longstanding diagnosis of autism”, and a psychological report described how the teenager was “unaware of how much knowledge you lack about normative and permitted social behaviour”.
The judge added Fenwick was “not someone who would cope well in a custodial environment” and decided a “lengthy community order is the most appropriate disposal”.
Petroc, now North Devon College, sits within the Exeter and North Devon Colleges Group following a merger with Exeter College this month.
A group spokesperson said they could not comment on individual cases relating to students or staff but added: “Safeguarding is paramount to us, and the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff underpins everything we do.”
Stalking began with prom request
The first victim reported Fenwick’s behaviour in July 2024, after he stopped her in a corridor and asked to take her to a prom. Fenwick, who was 17 at the time, was told the request was inappropriate.
When Fenwick turned 18 he asked the same woman on a date, who then caught him secretly taking a photo of her after she had again turned him down. He also sent her a friend request via social media.
The incident was reported to the college and Fenwick was instructed not to make further contact with her.
However, in November 2024, the victim received friend requests from two new Instagram accounts.
One account biography stated the person behind it was “planning on kidnapping” both victims to “make them mine”. The second stated the owner of the account wanted to “pin her against a wall to use her body”.
Police arrested Fenwick after suspecting the accounts belonged to him and seized multiple digital devices from his home.
Officers obtained records from Petroc college’s safeguarding lead that revealed Fenwick had made concerning comments about race and misogyny. Further records revealed he had been removed from another school and youth centre due to an “unhealthy obsession” with a teacher and youth worker.
Hidden filming and deepfakes
Police then spoke to other members of Petroc college staff. One told of Fenwick’s obsessive behaviour towards her, including deliberately moving chairs to position himself uncomfortably close.
The court heard Fenwick would “move to be near her” in the college common room and showed her “graphic and violent animé videos which caused her significant concern”.
The second victim in the case said she became aware of multiple occasions where Fenwick appeared to be filming the first victim.
Police said both staff members were left frightened and distressed.
One of the victims read a personal statement to the court, disclosing how the ordeal left her feeling “suicidal”. The second victim was prescribed medication for anxiety and depression and signed off from work.
Judge Collier told Fenwick: “Your behaviour has deeply affected the lives of two women during the course of their work.
“Women are entitled to go to work and feel safe and respected. No one has the right to take that from them.”
Investigators linked social media accounts used to message the victims to Fenwick’s home IP address. Officers also discovered Fenwick had attempted to conceal his activity by creating fake Instagram accounts and false persona email addresses.
Fenwick’s laptop was examined by a digital forensic unit which uncovered a “huge number” of pictures and videos featuring staff members and students aged 16 to 18.
A police spokesperson said: “Many of the images were digitally altered, collaged, and combined with pictures taken from social media.
“Particularly chilling examples involved the head of one of the victims being placed next to porn stars having sex.”
Police also found that Fenwick had secretly recorded his victims’ voices and used online tools to locate all social media accounts linked to them and others.
Using the covertly captured images and audio, Fenwick created AI-generated versions of his victims on a website that allowed him to interact with them through a chat function.
Det Con Stacey said: “Ethan Fenwick’s victims – who were simply trying to do their jobs – were left distressed and concerned by his behaviour which was designed to unsettle and ultimately terrify them.
“This investigation was highly digitally focused and employed a number of tactics to uncover a huge collection of images, videos and other digital evidence which were secretly captured, collaged and edited without the knowledge of the subjects.
“Fenwick used AI and other advanced software to manipulate the contents of his collections in a hugely concerning manner – including in a sexual way.
“We hope his victims can feel some closure and safeguarding from the sentencing and can now move forward with their lives.”
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