Latest Offenders Devon

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A 72-year-old former DJ, Nicholas Cooper, has been jailed for three years and four months after admitting multiple charges of indecent assault on a 12-year-old girl in the 1990s.

Then in his 40s and living in Mid Devon, Cooper groomed the vulnerable child while working as a DJ at parties and events. The offences began when he grabbed and kissed her on the lips; others occurred in his car, where he touched her bottom and breasts.

He preyed on the victim, making her write a card saying she loved him, and tried to conceal his actions by saying "nobody needs to know about this."

Prosecutor Rowan Jenkins noted "a degree of grooming." The victim, in a statement, described serious psychological harm she had bottled up for decades.

Defending, Lee Bremridge said Cooper, of Warren Close, Payhembury near Honiton, had previous good character and worked in agriculture and tourism.

Judge James Adkin told him: "Over a significant number of months you were involved in the sexual touching of this child."

Cooper must serve half his sentence in prison and sign the sex offender register for life.

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A 60-year-old man who sexually abused an underage girl has been jailed today, 19 September.

Paul Hemmings, from Newton Abbot, appeared at Exeter Crown Court where he was sentenced to nine years in prison. He will sign the Sex Offenders Register for Life and the court also granted a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Hemmings pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual activity with a child on the first day of trial in July and was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing.

The court heard that the offences against the 15-year-old victim took place over a period of three months.

Hemmings initially denied the offences and told Detectives that it was ‘fictitious’ and ‘made up’ but he later changed his plea at trial.

On sentencing Hemmings, the Judge told him that he had tried to minimise his conduct in blaming the victim and only felt remorse for himself.

Investigating Officer, Detective Constable Tamsyn Dingley said: “Hemmings exploited a young girl, who he knew was under the age of consent, and he knew what he did was wrong. Hemmings groomed and manipulated the victim and justice has been served in his conviction.

“My praise and thoughts remain, as always, with the victim for speaking up and telling us what had happened. I hope that she can now focus on herself and find some closure.”

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A man who sexually abused two young girls has been sentenced.

Jack Nepean sexually assaulted a seven-year-old girl left in his care in Crawley on New Year’s Eve.

An investigation in Devon also revealed how he had also abused a five-year-old girl there.

The victims have been praised for their “extraordinary bravery” for reporting their experience to police.

Nepean, aged 30, was jailed for a total of 12 years when he appeared for sentencing at Hove Crown Court on September 11.

He was told he would have to serve a minimum of two thirds of the sentence before he can be considered for parole.

The court also imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order to restrict his future access to children and devices.

Sussex Police investigated Nepean, who admitted sexual assault be penetration of a girl under 13 In Crawley, sexual assault by touching of a girl under the age of 13 in Crawley, making indecent images of a child in Sussex.

This took place when the girl was in Nepean's care on New Year's Eve from December 31, 2022, into January 1, 2023.

The offences were disclosed to police in early January 2023. Officers from Devon and Cornwall Police identified further offences linked on Nepean’s mobile phone and investigated further sexual offences committed by Nepean.

He admitted sexual assault committed on a five-year-old girl, making indecent images of the child, three counts of voyeurism, and three counts of possessing indecent images of children in category A, B and C.

Nepean, formerly of an address in Devon, has now started his prison sentence.

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A ‘HIGH RISK’ sex offender has been jailed after he went off the police’s radar and downloaded horrific child abuse movies on his phone.

Bradley Lulham is a registered sex offender because he was jailed for seven and a half years for raping two small boys a decade ago. It meant he had a legal obligation to tell the police where he was living.

He failed to do so on two separate occasions and was arrested living at a secret address after police went to investigate the downloading of a child rape video clip to its IP address.

They found Lulham had been living there for seven months while he was officially registered as residing in Dawlish. They also found child images and movies on his phone. 

Lulham, 30, previously known as Daines-Degroot, of Devon View, Dawlish, admitted twice failing to comply with the terms of the sex offenders’ register and three offences possessing indecent images of children. He was jailed for 16 months by Judge James Adkin at Exeter Crown Court.

He told Lulham: ‘There was a long period of non-compliance and potential for harm because the police could not track a known sex offender. There were moving images portraying very young children.

‘There is a serious and imminent risk of further image offences and a serious and imminent risk of further contact offences.’

Mr Lewis Aldous said Lulham first broke the terms of the sex offenders’ register in 2021 when he moved back to his mother’s house in Dawlish without telling the police and for a second time in 2023 when he lived with a vulnerable woman in Brixham and downloaded the new abuse images.

He had more than 300 images of which three were movies showing very serious abuse of a boy aged under five.

His previous conviction was for raping two young boys at a caravan park in Dawlish, for which he was jailed for seven years and six months

Mr Martin Salloway, defending, said Fulham has problems with his physical and mental health and it would be more in the public interest for him to tackle his issues in the community.

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A judge who jailed a man for more than six years after he carried out a string of offences - including robbing vulnerable sex workers and asking teenage girls to have sex with him in return for £2,000 - said it was "by no means pure chance" that the majority of his victims were females.

Luke Smerdon, aged 35, from Exeter Road, Ivybridge appeared at Plymouth Crown Court after pleading guilty to a slew of offences, including robbery, attempted robbery, six malicious communication charges and causing or inciting a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity.

Sentencing Smerdon, Judge Robert Linford said he noted that Smerdon had a previous offence for robbery in Ivybridge where he threatened a female shop worker with a knife.

He handed Smerdon a series of sentences for each of the offences, totalling 77 months - six years and five months. He was also made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Restraining orders were also put in place.

Prosecutor Bethany Rickerby outlined the offences, including sending malicious communications to several victims, including a hand-written letter posted through the letterbox of another Ivybridge man. The letter stated: “Stop giving cocaine to children - you don't see me very often but when you do I will rip you, your friend and your family to shreds" and was signed "your secret admirer". When confronted by this victim, Smerdon claimed he'd been paid £20 to put it through the man's letterbox.

A female victim received a Facebook message from a person calling themselves Shane Blackwell - a fake account which was set up by Smerdon - stating "If you ever slag me off in the Exchange [a pub] again I will ram a knife down your throat you silly little slag". When she asked who 'Shane' was, Smerdon replied: "I will wait for you one night after you finish your shift".

Another woman was sent a message on August 8 from 'Shane' saying "I'll give you £300 for a shag". The woman wrote back telling him not to contact her again, whereupon he replied, stating he would “pop round and see your c*** boyfriend later and smash your windows in”, adding “I'm going to get someone to f***ing rape you, you whore".

The woman was later told Smerdon had sent the messages and when she asked if he wanted to apologise, he said he was going to "wait a few weeks" and then send "wine and flowers", adding "I must've been super drunk. It was a joke".

At a later police interview he admitted creating the fake Facebook profile, claiming the messages were sent when he was drunk and he couldn't remember sending them. He said the tone of the messages to the women were due to his obsession with fantasies and murder mysteries.

He was released on conditional bail not to go into Ivybridge, but he then began drinking in Plymouth, which was where one of his victims lived, which the court heard left her fearful for herself and her family.

Ms Rickerby told the court that in 2023 Smerdon approached a sex worker in Plymouth paying her a pair of wireless headphones for oral sex. However, in early July 2023 he engaged her services again, this time offering her £40 for oral sex. They headed to an abandoned car where they completed their transaction.

However, the court heard this time he threatened to stab her if she did not return the £40. Fearful for her safety she handed back the money and fled. She later told police the tone of Smerdon's voice made her believe she would be hurt regardless of whether she gave the money back or not.

Two weeks later, Smerdon sought out another sex worker in Plymouth. He drunkenly offered her £50 for sex with a condom and they headed to a nearby industrial estate car park. On the way, they spotted the first sex worker who issued a warning to her fellow sex worker about Smerdon, saying he was "dangerous" and would try and take the money back, but this was ignored and put down to jealousy.

The woman refused to get into an abandoned vehicle, telling Smerdon she was afraid he would do something, like "try and knife" her, so they had sex beside a vehicle after she had put the money into her bra. However, as she walked away he grabbed her and attempted to put his hand over her mouth, grabbing at the money he'd given her. She fled and later found the first sex worker, whereupon they both contacted police. Officers later found Smerdon asleep in another vehicle in a car park.

During interview he made a series of claims, stating that with regards the second sex worker, they had agreed to have sex for £40 but while they were having sex she had "seen his Jack the Ripper tattoos which had caused her to panic and try and leave". He said that he took issue and try to get his money back and that he "may have held [her] by the throat".

He changed this story after he was shown CCTV footage of him grabbing at her beside the vehicle, claiming that she had asked him for sex and then changed her mind "midway through" and tried to leave, causing him to become angry and take the money back, resulting in a struggle. He insisted he could not have robbed her as "she was selling an illegal act anyway".

The court heard that in early July a woman in the Noah's Ark pub in Courtney Street had her bank card taken and later found it was used a number of times, totalling £656.46. When Smerdon was arrested on July 27, 2023 the card was found in his possession.

Ms Rickerby said the final offence took place on September 11, 2023 just outside of Plymouth Pavilions. At around 5.45pm a 15-year-old girl and two 16-year-old girls were standing on a grassy area and were approached by Smerdon - who appeared to be in drink - and asked them if they would have sex with him.

The 15-year-old pulled out her phone and recorded him as he first offered them £1,000 and then £2,000 for sex, as well as a pair of AirPods for oral sex. When he was told they were all 16 or under, he replied: "I'm not worried about that."

He began to ask each one individually for sex before one girl replied: "F***, no". After further refusals he finally walked away.

Ms Rickerby said Smerdon saw CCTV footage released by police and cut off his Electronic Monitoring Service (EMS) tag, fled his address before giving himself up to police a few hours later.

During interview he first claimed he was not the man in the CCTV footage video, claiming it had been dubbed over to sound like him, then claimed he had been set up by the girls who had been waiting for him on a street corner. He also denied he had been drunk. When he was shown the footage of him approaching the girls, he said he could not be sure it was him as he had blacked out.

However, when he was eventually shown the phone footage, he admitted to making up a "cock and bull story" and admitted asking them for sex. He said he was very drunk and thought the girls were 16 years old.

In mitigation, Smerdon's advocate said the incident involving the teenage girls was incitement but there was no contact and it was a relatively short incident. In addition, while in prison on remand he had addressed a number of his "difficulties".

Sentencing Smerdon, Judge Robert Linford said the malicious communications related to "frankly hideous threats of violence and more directed towards people to whom you seem to have borne a grudge".

He cited the violence, paying someone to carry out a rape, ripping a family to shreds, threatening to kill someone. He said these were "deeply disturbing, violent, frightening messages." Judge Linford said when arrested, Smerdon admitted them, claiming they were a joke that went too far, but "none of them were funny".

While on bail for those offences he then committed robberies, which Judge Linford said had a "theme - that theme was they were sex workers". He said Smerdon threatened to stab one and she had fled "terrified". He said the second female victim was warned by the first but "unwisely, but no doubt desperate for money" she carried out the transaction.

He said that he was again arrested and interviewed yet was "inexplicably admitted to bail, again".

The final incident, again while on bail, involved underage girls, but even after they told him their age "you did not care. You were like an animal, preying on young vulnerable girls for your own selfish sexual desires".

Lead investigator Det Con Adam Fitzpatrick said: "Luke Smerdon is a dangerous individual who has made multiple attempts to target women in Devon and Cornwall. The sentence he received today at court is the result of three cases and multiple officers hard work and dedication to bring him to justice."

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A depraved paedophile from North Devon has been jailed for 27 years for a 'campaign of rape' against two children. Tyrone Barton was convicted of multiple sexual offences at Exeter Crown Court.

The 64-year-old, from Barnstaple, admitted 12 offences. The judge said the most serious offence 'could only be described as evil'.

The court heard moving statements from both victims in which they described the trauma caused by offences. Afterwards, police praised their courage in coming forward and welcomed the sentence.

Prosecutor Simon Burns said the earliest offence dated back more than 20 years. Barton's behaviour included violence and threats. "It is hard to imagine a case of such depravity," said Mr Burns.

The offences came to light in 2022. Barton told police the accusations were 'probably true' and described himself as 'sick'.

The first victim said in a statement they had been psychologically traumatised by the abuse and finds it hard to trust people. The second will never forget what Barton did. Both are trying to rebuild their lives. "I am so angry with him," said one.

Judge Stephen Climie said Barton, of Woodville, carried out his sick crimes 'without a thought for anything other than your own sexual gratification'.

The court was told Barton was ashamed of his behaviour. The judge added: "I hear the expressions of remorse but view them with great suspicion." He said Barton had shown no remorse at the time he abused the first victim or when he deliberately targeted the second some years later.

"This is a case involving a campaign of rape against two victims." He said if each offence was sentenced consecutively the overall term would be in the range of a 100 years. The 27-year sentence reflected the totality of multiple crimes, including rape of children under 13, attempted rape and indecent assaults.

Devon and Cornwall Police released a comment on behalf of the officer in the case. It said: "We welcome the outcome of this case and would like to thank the victims for their strength in reporting. Their fortitude has resulted in this conviction and that now gives agencies the tools we need to prevent further harm."

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AN ABUSER who sexually assaulted two young children has been jailed after they went to the police more than 30 years after their ordeals, court reporter Ted Davenport writes.

Darren Medland touched the boy and girl when they were aged six to 12 in the 1980s and 1990s and he was only a few years older.

He carried out one sexual attack when he was on holiday at Butlins in Minehead.

His crimes remained undetected for decades until one victim contacted the police and the other came forward.

He denied all the allegations until the day he was due to stand trial at Exeter Crown Court earlier this year.

He was jailed after a judge told him that he had caused psychological damage which would blight the lives of the two victims.

Medland, aged 54, of Coopers Drive, Barnstaple, admitted 16 offences of indecent assault or indecency with a child and was jailed for eight years by Judge James Adkin at Exeter Crown Court.

He told him: Your offending has affected the victims entire adult life. One suffers from night terrors and flashbacks.

You have acquired another sexual conviction since these offences, so you cannot be considered of good character.

Miss Emily Pitts, prosecuting, said carried out most of the abuse while he was aged between 14 and 22 and living in Barnstaple in the 1980s. He carried out one assault while on holiday at Butlins in Minehead.

The assaults consisted of touching over and under clothes and the most serious offence would now be categorised as an assault by penetration of a child under 13.

Mr Nick Lewin, defending, said Medland had himself been the victim of childhood sexual abuse and had grown up in a dysfunctional household. He has managed to live a law-abiding life for most of his adulthood.

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A DISGRACED anaesthetist who downloaded more than 14,000 child abuse images from the dark web has been jailed after he was caught watching adult pornography during a hospital operation.

Dr Alexander Grice, was using his iPhone to watch a video of a topless woman undergoing surgery while he was supervising a real operation at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

A nurse reported him to the authorities and the police later found child rape videos on the phone.

He had downloaded so many images and movies that he had filled up its memory and transferred thousands to the hard drive of a computer.

The movies included some which showed very young children being abused while apparently in hospital but an exhaustive police inquiry showed he had downloaded rather than created them.

He used a Virtual Private Network to conceal his identity and used an Onion router to access chat rooms on the dark web where he accessed the material.

Grice was sacked by the hospital after an investigation and has since changed his surname to Knight and retrained to become an electrician. His wife has divorced him and he has been shunned by his family.

He was allowed to carry on working at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital despite being convicted of taking secret images at a shower block at a French camp site in 2017.

He was cleared by the General Medical Council after persuading them that he was suffering from a mental illness at the time which led to his actions and agreeing to receive treatment.

Former consultant Grice, aged 54, of East Street, Chulmleigh, admitted three counts of making, by downloading, indecent images of children, and possession of prohibited and extreme images.

He was jailed for a year and eight months by Judge David Evans at Exeter Crown Court. He was put on the sex offenders register and made subject of an order which enables the police to monitor his use of the internet, both for 10 years.

The judge told him: There was deliberate searching for such imagery and evidence that you were an avid user of chat rooms. Some of the victims were unconscious or drugged.

Many of the children depicted being raped were very young and vulnerable and some showed discernible pain or distress.

You are undoubtedly a person with personal qualities and achievements. You have lost your job, your career, your family and your good name.

Miss Mary McCarthy, prosecuting, said a police investigation began on May 20, 2022 when a fellow health care professional looked over his shoulder during an operation in which he was the consultant anaesthetist and saw him watching a clip on his phone of a topless woman on an operating table.

Police found more than 14,000 images or movies on his phone or hard drive, of which 3,423, were in the worst category, effectively showing child rape. Another 2,822 showed non-penetrative abuse, and 8,890 showed naked or partially naked children.

Mr Nick Wragg, defending, said Grice was suffering from serious mental health issues when he committed the offences, which have led to his wife divorcing him and his children distancing themselves from him.

He said: It has been a catastrophic fall from grace. He had been a very successful man and the impact on him has been very great.

He attempted suicide after his arrest but has since privately funded 42 sessions with a psychotherapist.

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A sick predator approached young children playing in the street and offered them cash to bite and hit him and kick him in the groin before sexually assaulting them.

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Wednesday how Gary Campbell withdrew 1,000 in cash in a premeditated plot to lure children as young as six into carrying out his vile fantasies.

The offences dated back to July 24 and 30 last year a court heard and involved four young children aged between six and nine.

Prosecuting, Trevor Parry-Jones said Campbell, of Dolton, had travelled down from his home in Devon to visit a friend in Warrington. After withdrawing the large sum of cash, the defendant headed to an area of Padgate on July 24, 2023.

CCTV footage recovered from Cheshire Police showed the defendant parking his car nearby to a subway.

He then walked two minutes to a suburban area, described by Mr Parry-Jones as somewhere that children would frequently play, that was nearby to a school and play area and loitered in the area before approaching two children under the age of ten.

Campbell asked the children for help in finding some money which he had already hidden and when the children found the money, he would then reward them with a 20 note.

When one of the children returned home and their mother found them to be carrying cash, she grew concerned and contacted the police.

A court heard how the 60-year-old deliberately targeted the two children again a few days later on Friday, July 28, approaching them on the street and asking them to kick him in the groin, bite and hit him in return for cash.

He then asked the children to urinate in a chocolate milk bottle which he put in his jacket.

Mr Parry-Jones added, He said he would set them a maths test and if they get it right, he would give them the money. The money was stuck in their waistbands.

Campbell took the money from their waistbands, looking at their genitals as he did before he proceeded to take indecent images of the children.

On a separate occasion on July 30, the defendant returned to the same area near to the subway and approached another pair of children, both aged under 10.

He used an alias name, Peter, and sexually assaulted both children, forcing the other child to watch the sexual acts as they took place. Campbell then paid each child more than 100 in cash each.

Cheshire Police officers when initially contacted on July 24 by one of the childrens parents in relation to the incident when Campbell first offered the two children money, had retraced the steps taken and scoured CCTV from the area which identified the defendant walking around the area each day from July 24 to 30.

AMPR CCTV also showed the defendant driving from Devon to Warrington.

The defendant was arrested on August 25 at his home in Devon and confirmed he had been in the Warrington area visiting his friend and helping to decorate his house, Mr Parry-Jones added.

The defendant was bailed before being arrested again on September 23, 2023. He was found in position of 27 indecent images on his mobile phone and his computer and other devices were taken by police.

He denied being in the Padgate area when questioned or talking to the children involved.

Appearing for sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday (February 28) Campbell pleaded guilty to six counts of causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, eight counts of sexually assaulting a child, four counts of paying for the sexual services of a child, one count of possession of indecent images of children, one count of taking an indecent image of a child, and two counts of causing a child to look at/watch images/videos of sexual activity

The victim impact statements of the parents of some of the children involved were read to the court and expressed the extent of the damage caused to the lives of the children targeted by Campbell.

A statement by one parent read by Mr Parry-Jones began, I want Gary Campbell to know that before my little boy met you, he was an outgoing child. Now he has no confidence at all.

I had to deal with social services in my home. I had to listen to all the horrendous things that had been done by a stranger.

If I could spend everyday holding him or hugging him I would. You have taken his childhood away from him and you had no right to do that.

I should not have to explain to a seven-year-old what a paedophile is.

A second statement from another parent echoed the harrowing effects the incident had on her son and her family.

She added: I was absolutely heartbroken when I found out of the incident.

I constantly think that something is going to trigger him at some point.

I am now unhealthily anxious when he goes out. I cannot shake the feeling that something is going to happen to him.

The last victim impact statement from a third parent began, It makes me sick that some one would do something so horrendous to my son. He has been traumatised by what has happened to him.

This whole ordeal has broken us as a family. We had only just started letting him out when this had happened.

Defending, Jeremy Rawson told the court his client has genuine regret and remorse following his offending and has been in a dark place for several years.

Mr Rawson explained how his client has blackouts and states he does not recall the events he is being sentenced for.

Honour judge Katherine Pierpoint addressed the defendant before sentencing.

She said: There were children playing in that area and you deliberately targeted them.

This was deliberate, pre-planned and predatory behaviour designed to entrap young children.

This is a prime example of grooming behaviour.

The police should be commended for their investigation into this matter.

I have considered with care the carefully prepared and emotional heartfelt statements of the mothers of these boys.

I hope you understand the widespread devastating effect you had had on these families and these boys.

The only person to blame here is you. These four boys have been brave and courageous speaking out and their families should be proud of them.

In my judgement you clearly have a sexual interest in children.

Judge Pierpoint served Campbell a 9-year immediate sentence for the offences with an extra five years on licence of which he will serve two thirds of before being considered for release on licence.

He will also be signed onto the sex offenders register for the rest of his life.

Following the sentencing, DC Danielle Taylor of Cheshire Police provided the following statement: This has been a complex and lengthy investigation which uncovered Campbell's horrific behaviour towards the most vulnerable members of society.

It became apparent throughout the investigation that Campbell was a devious sexual predator whose offending saw him prey on young boys, who he targeted whilst they were innocently playing outside.

Campbell failed to account for his actions on interview and has not shown any remorse throughout this investigation.

Thanks to the overwhelming evidence that we had against him, he has today received a custodial sentence.

All of the young victims have been so brave and should be commended for how they have dealt with the whole police investigation. I would like to pass on my sincere thanks to their parents who have supported the investigation from the outset. I am also grateful to the CPS for their assistance with this case.

I am confident that this sentence passed today will show the public that Cheshire Police take all reports of sexual offending seriously and that we will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.

I hope Campbell uses his time in prison to reflect on the devastating effect that his actions have had."

Description

Matthew Clarke gained the 14-year-old's trust before regularly meeting up with her at hotels around Devon, a court heard.

He emotionally manipulated his victim by saying he was depressed and used encrypted chat to keep their relationship a secret. After his arrest police found images on his phone of the pair having sex.

Clarke, 28, of Bank Lane in Brixham, has been jailed for four years for multiple offences of sexual activity with a child.

The judge told Clarke: "You embarked on a sexual relationship, a relationship you knew was not only unlawful but you must have appreciated had a potentially devastating impact on the victim. These offences were in part as a result of a degree of grooming."

Exeter Crown Court was told the pair met at a party where people who liked animals dressed in furry costumes. The teenager's parents attended with her and there was no sexual element to it.

Clarke was in a relationship with someone else but told the girl he was unhappy and only she could help him. The relationship turned sexual and Clarke would book them a room at the Premier Inn and other hotels.

He became more demanding about sex and also said he wanted to take pictures and video. He would emotionally manipulate the girl by becoming upset in order to get her to do what he wanted.

Clarke also told his victim she would get into trouble if the truth came out. The victim eventually confided in a friend and Clarke's manipulative and controlling behaviour came to light.

The victim said in a statement Clarke's behaviour had a devastating impact and feared nothing would make it right.

Clarke pleaded guilty to four charges of sexual activity with a child; one offence of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and three of making indecent images.

Detective Constable Natasha Elliott-Smith said afterwards: Through support of specialist trained officers, the complainant was able to provide a compelling victim testimony and this no doubt influenced the defendant's guilty plea.

I would like to thank the victim for their bravery in coming forward. I would also like to thank their family and friends who have provided ongoing support to them and assisted greatly with the police investigation. We hope this sentencing can begin to offer some closure for you.

This case once again shows the Polices commitment to supporting victims of sexual abuse, to thoroughly investigate offending of this deplorable nature, to protect the vulnerable in our society and bring offenders to justice.

Mr Paul Dentith, defending, said probation had requested he be given a community order and complete a sex offender programme. Clarke has no previous convictions, is ashamed of his behaviour and has mental health conditions.

He was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order until further notice and must sign the sex offender register for life.

Description

A creepy passenger who stared at a woman and her children while fondling himself on the bus to Cullompton has been sent to prison - a year after being convicted of an almost identical offence. Nikolay Nikolov was on his way home from some unpaid work ordered by the court when he sat himself close to a family on the top deck.

The 23-year-old Bulgarian was soon staring at the woman's breasts before shifting his perverted gaze to her three-year-old daughter. The woman told him to stop and moved seats but Nikolov followed them and carried on acting strangely.

The children told the woman that the man had exposed himself and CCTV later revealed he spent much of the journey between Exeter and Cullompton rubbing his crotch and masturbating.

Nikolov admitted outraging public decency when he appeared at court. The offence also put him breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed by the courts in 2022 for touching himself while staring at teenage girls on a bus.

Nikolov, of Fore Street, Cullompton, has now been jailed for 16 months. The judge said he had not learned his lesson from his previous sentence and was still a risk to the public.

The offence happened in September after Nikolov had completed a session of unpaid work and boarded at Exeter Bus Station. The woman, two children aged three and seven and her 13-year-old nephew, were upstairs on the back seat.

Nikolov sat in the row in front of them - ignoring many empty seats, said prosecutor Ms Hollie Gilbery. He started staring at the woman, trying to look down her top, and at the younger child. When she told him to stop he said he was sorry but 30 seconds was at it again.

The woman moved with the children to a different part of the bus but Nikolov crossed the aisle to get closer. He resumed his staring at the child and the woman went downstairs to tell the driver.

While she did that the older children noticed his exposed penis. CCTV revealed he had been fondling for a significant proportion of the journey. The woman called police who recognised the description and arrested him at his home.

He initially told police he had been masturbating on the bus but denied he was aroused by the other passengers.

Nikolov was banned from sitting next to females on public transport at the time because of his previous behaviour. He has breached his SHPO twice before and been punished with more unpaid work.

Mr Brian Fitzherbert said he had not been able to complete rehabilitation work with probation previously because of his lack of English. But he said his English language skills were not much improved. He is sorry for his behaviour and wants to stop.

Judge David Evans said Nikolov was not a good prospect for rehabilitation at the moment and his risk could not be managed in the community. The defendant will serve half of his sentence in prison and be subject to a SHPO for seven years.

The order bans him from following and sitting next to females on public transport.

Description

A pervert from Dawlish has been jailed for amassing a huge collection of child abuse images and videos downloaded from the dark web. Paul Powell, 56, also set up a spy camera to secretly film a woman in a bathroom.

Police seized computers from his home and found he had been looking at more than 50,000 images and movies showing the sexual abuse of children. About 3,000 were in the most serious category showing the worst type of depravity.

The defendant, of Springfield Gardens, has been jailed for two years and four months. The judge said Powell had been heavily addicted to viewing porn online and the material became more extreme over time.

Prosecutor Mr Nigel Wraith said police traced an IP address linked to illegal downloads to Powell. They searched his property in February 2022 and took away a number of devices.

A pervert from Dawlish has been jailed for amassing a huge collection of child abuse images and videos downloaded from the dark web. Paul Powell, 56, also set up a spy camera to secretly film a woman in a bathroom.

Police seized computers from his home and found he had been looking at more than 50,000 images and movies showing the sexual abuse of children. About 3,000 were in the most serious category showing the worst type of depravity.

The defendant, of Springfield Gardens, has been jailed for two years and four months. The judge said Powell had been heavily addicted to viewing porn online and the material became more extreme over time.

Prosecutor Mr Nigel Wraith said police traced an IP address linked to illegal downloads to Powell. They searched his property in February 2022 and took away a number of devices.

Analysis showed a large number of indecent images of children "downloaded from an extremely secure dark web network," said Mr Wraith. There were 2,967 in Category A; 2,403 in Category B; and about 50,000 in Category C. He also searched Google looking for child abuse material, the investigation showed.Police also found footage from a spy camera he had bought. Powell saved footage showing a woman visitor using a shower. She had no idea she was being filmed.

The defendant pleaded guilty to three offences of making indecent images of children, possessing extreme pornographic images and possessing prohibited images of a child.

Mr Warren Robinson, defending, said Powell was a man of previous good character who had sought help for his behaviour. He had tried to stop before but had slipped back into his deviant habits. He had not shared any of the images and is sorry.

Judge James Patrick made Powell subject to a sexual harm prevention order and told him to sign the sex offenders' register. Both for ten years.

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Michael Kellard, 64, was found guilty of 15 child sex offences by a jury after a trial last month.

Kellard faced 17 child sex offences at Bournemouth Crown Court involving two young male victims dating back 20 years. He was found not guilty on two counts of rape.

The charges related to incidents which occurred from December 7, 2000, to May 2005.

Jurors found Kellard guilty of three counts of sexual activity with a child, three counts of rape, four counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and five counts of indecent assault on a male person.

Kellard, of Dunkeswell in Devon, will be banned from working with anyone under the age of 16 or in a vulnerable position.

He will serve 12 years in prison and the final 6 years on licence.

He has been put on the Sex Offenders Register for life and will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 20 years which prevents him from having contact with anyone under the age of 18 without written consent.

Judge Susan Evans KC said in her sentencing remarks that Kellard "groomed" his victims, gave them alcohol and went on to sexually abuse them in his van, hotels, his mother's home and his brother's flat.

 Judge Evans said: “You were a charismatic individual involved in a sport popular with teenage boys.

“You were regarded as the go-to guy for teenage boys aspiring to be racing drivers.

“You abused your position at the top of the sport.

“You took advantage of your position, and you knew the boys were vulnerable due to their ages.

"Karting is an expensive hobby which you subsidised on a basis to sexually abuse your victim.

“The effect of your abuse has had life-long and life-changing effects on your victims.”

Kellard was a go-karting enthusiast, travelling around the country, training and driving with young go-karters.

He also ran a kart shop at the Clay Pigeon raceway, off the A37 between Dorchester and Yeovil, where he would also frequently train young racers.

The two victims both met Kellard through go-karting. 

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A child rapist from Devon has been jailed for the sexual abuse of three girls. Aaron Bennett, 33, was convicted of eleven serious sexual offences at a trial in October.

The paedophile returned to Exeter Crown Court on Tuesday (November 21) to be sentenced for his crimes. Judge Stephen Climie imposed a 28-year sentence with an extension of eight years due to the danger he poses.

The judge said the offending had a significant psychological effect on the victims. He told Bennett: "This for you is the end of a chapter in your life and the beginning of your time in custody.

"Observing the evidence of the three victims in this case was a matter which caused significant upset among jurors who had to try this case.

"It was compelling and obviously credible evidence given by three young people despicably and seriously abused. One can only hope in some shape this sentencing can draw some sort of line to allow them to move forward in their lives."

Bennett, of New Exeter Street, Chudleigh, was convicted of rape of a child under 13; attempted rape of a child under 13; sexual assault of a child under 13; and assaulting a child under 13 by penetration.

The court heard moving victim statements in which they described the trauma caused by Bennett. He used threats and violence to ensure their silence. He threatened to kill loved ones if they revealed what he had done.

Each of the victims suffered psychological distress trying to bottle up what had happened to them. One said she no longer feels safe around men.

Another added: "I've not given up on being happy. I've worked on my mental health. I want to move on with life and focus on the positives although I know it will not be an instant thing."

Mr Adrian Chaplin, defending, said Bennett was a man of previous good character and there had been substantial delays in getting the case to court.

Judge Climie said he was satisfied that Bennett should be subject to an extended sentence due to the danger he poses. He will serve two thirds of the 28 years in prison before being considered for release. What remains of the full 36 years will be served on licence.

He was also made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and the sex offender register. 

Afterwards Detective Constable Donna Tullock from the Local Safeguarding Investigation Team said: “I firstly must commend the incredible bravery of the victims who had the courage to come forward and support this investigation. Without their strength in character, we wouldn’t have been able to build such a strong case.

“Bennett is now where he belongs - behind bars where he will face the consequences of these abhorrent crimes. He is a dangerous predator and a threat to children.

“Nothing will ever take away the trauma that these individuals have been through, but I hope that there can be some reassurance in knowing that this man will be locked up for a considerable amount of time.

“We truly hope that this outcome gives other victims the strength to come forward and report incidents of rape and sexual assault to us. We have support mechanisms in place to help support victims throughout the process.”

Description

A 57-year-old Devon man who arranged to sexually abuse a child has been jailed for five and a half years thanks to a police sting operation.

James Pidgeon, of Crest Hill, Buckfastleigh, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, as well as the distribution of indecent photographs of children and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which places restrictions on a person's access to the internet.

Pidgeon was sentenced at Exeter Crown Court on Tuesday, 3 October, to the jail term with an extended five years on license. He was also given an indefinite SHPO and forfeiture of digital devices order.

Exeter Crown Court heard how Pidgeon, a registered sex offender with prior convictions for possession and making indecent images of children, was already subject to an SHPO.

Despite the prevention order, he continued to commit online offences relating to children.

Following work carried out by the Devon and Cornwall Police Paedophile Online Investigation Team, Pidgeon was identified by investigators and an investigation was launched.

Meanwhile, a sting operation by the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) revealed that Pidgeon was engaged in online conversations with someone he believed had access to a child. In fact, the person was a NEROCU police officer.

Transcripts of their online conversations showed that Pidgeon had bragged about how he had been a paedophile for more than 30 years and sent multiple indecent images and videos of children being sexually abused, some of which featured babies being abused.

Within these transcripts, Pidgeon talked of his desire to rape children, with his sexual preferences being female toddlers, and that the purpose of the meeting was to gain access to a child that he could rape.

They arranged to meet up on Torquay seafront where officers swooped in and made their arrest.

Pidgeon was remanded into custody in July this year and was charged with arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, distribution of indecent images of children and breach of a sexual harm prevention order.

Investigating Officer Detective Constable Sophie House said: “Despite being subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, this did not deter Pidgeon from continuing to commit online offences relating to children.