Latest Offenders Plymouth

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A Plymouth man has been jailed for internet-based child sex offences and the sexual assault of a young girl.

Stephen Humphries, 58, from Pendeen Close in Plymouth, was sentenced to an eight year custodial term with a further two years to be served on extended licence at Plymouth Crown Court on Thursday 21 March.

He had pleading guilty to attempting to arrange/facilitate the commission of a child sex offence, making indecent photographs of children, distributing indecent photographs of children, taking indecent photographs, sexual assault of a child and possession of extreme pornography. He was also made subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard how Humphries had been engaging with someone online since 4 October 2023, who he believed would enable him to commit an online child sexual offence. However, what Humphries didnt know was that individual was actually an investigating officer.

Humphries home was raided at 12.10pm on Saturday 14 October and inside the defendant was found with evidence open on his phone suggesting he was preparing to commit the act.

A large number of devices were seized from inside the property and later found to contain thousands of indecent images and videos of children spanning all three categories. There was also evidence that Humphries had shared some of the indecent images with others.

Humphries was also sentenced for sexual assaulting a girl aged under 16 in Plymouth.

Following the sentencing, officer in the case DC Sophie House said: This was a complex police investigation which incorporated work from both the Devon and Cornwall Police Paedophile Online Investigation Team and the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU).

We welcome todays sentence and hope this conviction serves as a stark warning to those with an unlawfully blurred view of consent and the wider implications of the sexual abuse of children. This was a collaborative effort involving officers from the NEROCU, Devon and Cornwall Paedophile Online Investigation Team, the Force Support Group, and the Data Forensic Unit.

I would also like to thank the victim in this case for her bravery and courage in coming forward. Its not an easy thing to disclose something very personal to you, particularly when it relates to sexual offences. I hope this investigation highlights that the police take sexual allegations seriously, you will be believed, and we will support you as much as we can.

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A rapist who went on the run before he was due to be sentenced has been jailed for 10 years.

Muarug Abraham Gebremcal, 34, vanished from a bail address in Plymouth after being convicted of rape at Exeter Crown Court in September 2023.

He had been living in Torquay when he targeted a woman leaving a nightclub before raping her in his bedsit in December 2021.

Judge Anna Richardson sentenced him in his absence to 10 years in jail.

She said he would face a further prosecution when he is found for breaching his bail conditions.

Gebremcal, originally from Eritrea, was released on bail after being convicted and had surrendered his passport.

The court heard Gebremcal targeted a woman who he saw leaving a Torquay nightclub on her own at about 03:30 GMT six days before Christmas in 2021.

The victim told the trial jury that Gebremcal befriended her as she sat on a wall trying to call her boyfriend after leaving the club, where she had become separated from other members of her party.

The jury heard Gebremcal posed as a Good Samaritan who was helping her get home safely, but instead guided her to his bedsit on Warren Road where he raped her.

She escaped and raised the alarm after seeking refuge at a neighbour's home.

'Vulnerable victim'

Gebremcal, who denied rape, told the jury the woman had not only consented but been an enthusiastic partner until she suddenly got up and left his house.

Sentencing, Judge Richardson said "significant" planning went into his attack.

"The victim was particularly vulnerable because of her intoxication and solitude," she said.

"There was significant pre-planning Gebremcal went to a club and waited to identify a lone vulnerable victim.

"He chose a route back to his home which avoided busy roads.

"The mitigation is extremely limited."

Devon and Cornwall Police said Gebremcal had family links to Plymouth, Birmingham and London, but could be anywhere in the UK.

Description

Levi Caddy, aged 33, groomed and abused two girls. He admitted a total of eight charges which included sexual activity with a child, inciting a child into sexual acts, and possession of indecent images of children.

Caddy was sentenced to by a judge at Plymouth Crown Court to nine years in prison on Friday 12 January.

He will also be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and be the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Caddy was arrested in June 2022 as part of an investigation by Devon & Cornwall Police’s Public Protection Unit.

His digital devices were seized and forensically examined as part of the enquiries. They were found to contain hundreds of indecent images and videos including the most severe ‘Category A’ content.

Detective Constable Tracey Swift said: “I welcome the conviction of Levi Caddy for the heinous crimes that were committee by him against children.

“He actively pursued a course of conduct where he groomed, sexually assaulted, and incited sexual acts which he committed against two victims.

“I would like to pay tribute to the victims for their tremendous bravery and strength throughout the investigation, and their willingness to make Mr Caddy answer for the crimes that he committed against them.

Description

A dangerous sexual predator has been jailed for a campaign of sexual offending against a girl whom he treated like an object. Zack Hosking, 26, repeatedly had sex with the 15-year-old after grooming her with gifts.

Hosking, formerly of Camborne but more recently of Plymouth, appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence after pleading guilty to nine sexual activity with a child charges and two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. All of the offences took place in Camborne in 2020.

Prosecuting the case, Mary McCarthy told the court how Hosking met his victim when she was very young, before drifting away and getting back in touch when she was 15. Hosking started sending flirtatious messages and pressuring her for sexual activity. Ms McCarthy said: "He bought her presents and said he loved her to gain control."

Ms McCarthy then told the court about the offending, how Hosking got the victim to masturbate him and send him sexual videos. Then, on one occasion, Hosking bought her alcohol and chocolate and asked her if she was ready to lose her virginity. The victim wasn't keen but went along with it to make him happy. It was painful but Hosking told her it was normal before leaving after it had finished.

More sexual intercourse followed over the next few days and Hosking cruelly told his victim to get emergency contraception and "get on the pill". Hosking, over the following months, aggressively demanded the complainant meet him in various locations for sex, which she reluctantly agreed to.

In a victim impact statement, the complainant said she finds it hard to trust men and has had breakdowns when surrounded by men at work.

Representing Hosking, Jason Beal said: "His pleas are a public acceptance that she tod the truth about what happened. His acceptance is a recognition that what he did was wrong. He doesn't engage in victim blaming."

Mr Beal went on to point out how Hosking lost his mother, father and stepfather in quick succession.

Sentencing Hosking, Judge Simon Carr described the offending as "the systematic sexual abuse of a child". He said: "You renewed contact when she was 15. You were 23. You quickly sexualised the conversation and you knew perfectly well what you were doing.

"You complimented her and bought her jewellery and underwear. This was all carried out for one reason. To groom her for sexual activity and this took place on a number of occasions. You treated her like an object, not a human being, and the language you used towards her was truly dreadful."

Hosking was jailed for eight years and made subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Shortern said: "I welcome the sentence in this case and I would like to thank the victim in this case for her incredible strength and courage in bringing this dangerous offender to justice.

“We take child sexual exploitation offences extremely seriously due to the profound and lasting effect these offences have on victims. I hope this case demonstrates how seriously the police take this type of offending and helps people to find the courage to come forward in the future.”

Description

A trainee doctor has been jailed for sexually assaulting a young girl during a medical examination at an NHS surgery in Plymouth. Dr Gary Lawrence had a secret attraction to young children and was separately caught by a police undercover operation in which he sent explicit fantasies about child sex to a decoy officer on a chat site.

Lawrence, aged 53, retrained as a doctor in his 40s. He was working at a clinic in Plymouth as one of the final stages of his training when he assaulted the child in 2021. The girls mother was present at the examination and realised that there was no proper medical reason for Lawrence to touch her daughters genitals.

A judge at Exeter Crown Court today praised the mother for helping to bring Lawrence to justice and apologised for the delay of more than two years since the crime was committed in June 2021

Recorder Mr Donald Tait jailed Lawrence for eight and a half years and told him: It is hard to conceive a more flagrant and serious breach of trust than this.

Lawrence, aged 53, of Honicknowle, Plymouth, denied sexual assault but was found guilty at a trial at Plymouth Crown Court in July. He admitted publishing two obscene article, and five counts of making, by downloading, indecent images of children.

He made asexual harm prevention order which will prohibit any unsupervised contact with children for the rest of his life and put him on the sex offenders register for life. Lawrence will also be banned from working with children by the Declaration and Barring Service.

The judge told Lawrence: Despite your denials throughout the trial that you had no sexual interest in young children, the evidence suggested very clearly otherwise. Before the sexual assault, it is quite clear that you spent a significant period of time accessing indecent images of children and also engaged with an undercover officer.

Your private viewing of indecent images online crept into your professional life and you committed the sexual assault. It is hard to conceive a more flagrant and serious breach of trust than this. This offence is aggravated by the extreme breach of trust and the young age if the victim.

The girls mother and her family were in court and the Judge told her: On behalf of the court, I thank you for your dedication to see this man was brought to justice. It was thanks to you this was achieved. I hope you have some element of closure by the sentences I have imposed upon him.

Mr Rowan Jenkins, prosecuting, said the sexual assault happened in June 2021 and the police investigation showed he had downloaded 15,000 images or movies showing child abuse, of which 386 movies and 1,410 photos fell into the worst category.

Many of the images were of toddlers and very young children, some of whom appeared to be in distress. The mother of the child who was abused at the surgery wrote a victim impact statement saying she had suffered such severe anxiety and depression that she had been forced to stop work.

Mr Deni Matthews, defending, said he started looking at images online at a time when he was drinking too much and was drawn into accessing more and more extreme material before committing the contact offence.

He said: He understands he will receive a significant sentence. His career has ended and everything positive in his life has ended.

Police welcomed the sentence after the case. Detective Chief Inspector Simon Foster, from Devon and Cornwall Police Paedophile Online Investigation Team [POLIT], said: We are really pleased with todays sentence. The offences committed by Lawrence are the most despicable and abhorrent breaches of trust imaginable by a doctor.

He was working in a position of high responsibility where he had a duty to protect children and young people. He chose to abuse that trust and used his position to sexually assault a child.

Furthermore, Lawrence was in possession of an extremely large collection of indecent images of all categories, including images of children and extreme pornography involving animals. Of those, 2,000 were Category A images which are the most serious in nature.

A prison sentence is the only appropriate outcome for such serious offending and I welcome todays sentence. I would like to thank the victim and their family for the courage they have shown in reporting this matter. Theyve shown true strength and continual determination to see justice served in this difficult investigation.

Specialist POLIT officers have worked closely with them, providing ongoing support throughout. We have also received close support from the NHS during this investigation.

I also wish to show my huge appreciation to the investigation team, headed by Detective Sergeant Hannah Spencer and case officer Detective Constable Alicia Smith. They worked tirelessly on a difficult and emotive investigation, putting in many extra hours to ensure justice was served against this dangerous individual.

I hope this result will provide reassurance to other victims of sexual offences and give them confidence to come forward. We want victims to know that their account will be believed, they will be supported, and we will do our utmost to hold offenders to account for their actions.

This case sends a strong message to those using the internet for deviant purposes that we have the capability to use advanced technology and specially trained detectives to uncover the truth and bring offenders to justice. We are watching and we will catch you."

Description

A man has been handed a long jail sentence after he was convicted by a jury of five rapes upon two Devon women over period of nine years.

Craig McCormick, of Colsedown Hill, Plymouth appeared at Plymouth Crown Court on Monday for a sentencing hearing following a three-day trial held in June. Having been initially charged with two counts of rape against one woman the jury found him guilty of one charge and not guilty of another.

He had previously pleaded guilty to four charges of rape against another victim. The offences took place between 2012 and 2021 in the Torquay and Newton Abbot areas of Devon.

The 33-year-old was told by the judge he would spend 18 years in custody with further four to remain on licence.

Following the sentencing, DC Sarah Hall, who led the investigation, said: "We welcome this sentence. I also wish to pay personal tribute to the victims. Their bravery in reporting these matters and supporting a prosecution has brought this man to justice.

"I hope they and their families can now move forward with their lives in the knowledge that they have seen some justice for what he did to them. Devon and Cornwall Police remains committed to supporting survivors of abuse and sexual offences and we will actively investigate and, where evidence supports, charge people who commit these crimes.

Description

A paedophile from Devon has been jailed for 20 years for raping a child. Paul Keith Buckland, 35, will spend 20 years behind bars after being found guilty of nine sexual offences, including two counts rape of a child and two counts of attempted rape of a child under the age of 13.

Buckland, of Prestonbury Close, in Plymouth, was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court today (Friday, September 8). He refused to attend court to hear his sentence and this was considered an aggravating factor, increasing his sentence.

The offences were committed over 10 years ago while he was living in Tidworth, on the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain. The offences were reported to Wiltshire Police in 2020, WiltshireLive reports.

Buckland was arrested and charged before being found guilty of:

• Two counts of rape of a child under 13;
• Two counts of attempted rape of a child under 13;
• Two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13;
• One count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child;
• Two counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act.

As well as his 20-year prison term, he will also be required to sign on to the sex offenders’ register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order. Police have commended the victim who reported Buckland.

Investigating officer DC Louise Thomas, of the Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “Buckland is an abhorrent individual who committed unspeakable acts to, and in the presence of, a child. “Actions such as his have long-lasting and traumatic effects on their victims, which can manifest in myriad ways.

“I’d like to commend the victim in speaking to us about her experiences – I understand how difficult it must have been for her and I hope that this sentence can bring some sort of relief, knowing Buckland is behind bars. This case is a reminder that Wiltshire Police will always investigate reports of sexual assault and child abuse, no matter when the incident took place.

“This incident took place more than a decade ago but didn’t come to light until 2020 when it was bravely reported to us by the victim and her family.

“Please be reassured that the CAIT team here in Wiltshire Police is totally committed to targeting dangerous offenders like Buckland and protecting innocent victims.”

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Joe Pearson, of Victoria Place, Stoke, Plymouth, left a 'trail of emotional carnage and trauma' behind him following his crimes which took place in different locations around Plymouth in 2019 and 2020.

Plymouth Crown Court heard how Pearson targeted the first girl when he was just a little under 18 and she was aged under 13. He went on to rape - including anal rape - and engage in sexual activity with two more girls aged under 15. The court heard that he continued his offending even after being arrested in May 2020 whereupon he was 'released under investigation', committing further offences in October 2020.

Following a nine-day trial, Pearson was found guilty of two counts of rape of a child under the age of 13 and one count of rape of a teenager. Pearson, aged 22, was also found guilty of three counts of penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and 15.

Sentencing Judge Peter Johnson said the offences all came within just 18 months and each of his victims were vulnerable. He noted how one of the rapes took place at West Hoe park. He said Pearson threatened the girl, calling her a "bitch" and "slag" and as she tried to resist her he put his hands around her neck "causing her to see stars". Judge Johnson said when Pearson had finished he turned around and "smirked at her". Another girl said he anally raped her "despite repeated protests".

Judge Johnson sentenced Pearson to 19 years, but added that he considered Pearson to represent a "significant risk of causing serious harm to young females caused by committing further specified offences" and as such imposed an extended sentence of six years, bringing the total sentence to 26 years. He told Pearson he would serve two-thirds of the custodial term before being released on licence which would include the extension. Judge Johnson also placed Pearson on the Sex Offenders Register "indefinitely" and prohibited him from ever working with vulnerable adults and children.

Det Sgt Chris Kinski, from Plymouth's Operation Gemstone team who investigate sexual offences, paid tribute to the "bravery of the victims during the investigation".

Det Sgt Kinski said: "Their courage in reporting this sickening abuse to the police resulted in the conviction of Pearson. This was a complex case with a number of victims, who were all juveniles at the time of the offences. Pearson is a sexual predator who clearly targeted young girls to commit his offences against, picking on their individual vulnerabilities.

"We hope that outcomes such as these encourage other complainants to come forward and report offences that may have been committed against them. You will be believed and supported, and we will investigate fully in our pursuit to seek justice.

"Violence against women and girls is one of Devon and Cornwall Police's main priorities and this investigation highlights our commitment to securing convictions for these offences."

The court heard from prosecutor Peter Rouch KC who explained that all three girls had similar characteristics in that they were young and vulnerable, going through difficulties at home and school. He said Pearson met all three online and effectively groomed them. He said the three girls were effectively targeted by Pearson because they were "young, vulnerable, troubled girls".

The court heard that Pearson forcibly raped his first victim, "overpowering her" despite her shouts and screams and kicking, having first led her to an isolated park. He then "took steps" to stop her reporting the rape, ordering her not to tell anyone or he would rape her again.

The victim impact statements of the three young victims were read out by prosecutor Peter Rouch KC who revealed that the first girl had left school due to bullying, in part because of what she had suffered at the hands of Pearson. She said that when she eventually told her mother, she was accused of lying. She said she could no longer enjoy going out as she was distrustful of new people and she now panicked if she goes anywhere near where the assaults took place.

She said that her wardrobe was now "black, white or beige so I fade into the background when I'm out and about" and if she sees someone who is similar to Pearson she panics. She said she even has flashbacks of the assaults while asleep and has caught herself waking from dreams shouting "that's enough" to an empty room.

The second victim said the rape and abuse was the "worst time of my life". She now suffers anxiety and depression and is on medication. Due to the abuse, she said she was unable to concentrate at college and had to leave. She said she constantly felt vulnerable when out in public and did not go anywhere on her own.

She wrote: "I feel I will never recover from what he's put me through, but I know that I protected others from being put in the same situation as I have and that makes me proud of myself".

The third victim said she had distanced herself from her family despite knowing they wanted to help her "but no-one can help me".

She said she did not know how to talk about how she now feels and it was easier to "keep it inside". She wrote how she cannot sleep well at night and lays awake thinking "horrible thoughts". She said social services had tried to help but she wrote, 'What's the point? I still feel the pain'.

She wrote how she lost her friends and had got in with "a bad crowd", leading her to take drugs, adding: "I liked it, because it helped with forgetting the pain". While she had started to rebuild her relationship with her family she was unable to talk about the rapes.

She wrote: "When I look in the mirror I hate what I see. I feel worthless and didn't see the point of living."

Mr Rouch also read a victim impact statement from the mother of the third victim who asked how could she put into words "the hurt and anger that I feel everyday".

She said the "vile actions" of Pearson had scarred her entire family as they witnessed the "physical and emotional suffering" her daughter had endured. She said what had been done to her daughter had "shattered my heart and soul" and had left the family feeling "broken and helpless".

She added: "The guilt and anger I feel consumes me because as a mum I was supposed to protect my daughter from monsters. I was the one who was meant to make sure my daughter grew up in a world where my daughter felt safe, protected from harm and to feel loved, but that was taken away from her - and you [Pearson] took it from me."

She said she had been left with a "shadow of a girl" her daughter used to be. She said her daughter no longer saw any good in herself and "doesn't believe she deserves love".

She wrote: "The pain crushes me, it consumes me like no other pain. To hear your daughter scream out in pain every night, for months and months, listening to the words, 'I don't want to be here anymore, I don't belong in the world'."

In mitigation, Pearson's advocate Will Parkhill noted that but for a conviction for being drunk and disorderly, his client had no other previous convictions. He also noted that at the time of the first offence his client was "17 and three quarters". In addition, he said Pearson was of "limited maturity, limited sophistication and probably limited intelligence". He said Pearson did not have a "particularly great start in life".

Judge Johnson said that despite being arrested on May 16, 2020 he denied the offences and was released under investigation. Judge Johnson told Pearson "this arrest didn't stop you", as he went onto sexually abuse and rape another young woman at a location near Plymouth.

Pearson was told that despite "overwhelming evidence" he continued to deny the offences, claiming either that it did not take place, or was done with consent. He said the victim impact statements were "moving statements which set out the massive, traumatic daily effects" of his actions. 

He added: "You are a sexual predator who has left a trail of emotional carnage and trauma behind you, with scarcely a backward glance on your part. Your victims should be proud of the fact that they were brave enough to give evidence to ensure that you are brought to justice."

Description

A Plymouth man has been jailed for sexually abusing a girl at Burrator reservoir 26 years ago. Stephen Hoskin, 52, of Saltburn Road, Plymouth, initially stood trial at the court on four charges relating to an incident which took place sometime between January and June in 1997.

Hoskin was accused of raping a girl under the age of 16 at the reservoir, two counts of indecently assaulting the girl and one count of committing an act of gross indecency with a child. Hoskin had denied all the charges.

At a trial held at Plymouth Crown Court in March this year, Hoskin was found guilty on two charges; one of indecent assault and one of inciting a child to commit an act of gross indecency, both of which were committed against the same victim. He was cleared of rape.

Read next: Stalker victim says he made her life hell and got her arrested and sacked

At the trial, the court heard that the victim was under 16 when subjected to the abuse in 1997, when Hoskin was in his mid to late-20s. Although the offences were originally reported to police in the summer of that year, no charges were brought against Hoskin but after the victim, now an adult, contacted Devon and Cornwall Police in 2020 to better understand why the case had been closed, changes and developments in investigative approach were available.

DC Craig Ferguson then reviewed the evidence and conducted a fresh investigation which had access to better technology and forensic techniques, and new information had come to light. Key witnesses were identified and interviewed, along with family members and retired professionals.

The victim was also re-interviewed with the help of specially trained officer, PC Helen Winterson, who remained engaged with the case and supported the victim throughout the investigation and court proceedings. Based on the new findings, the Crown Prosecution Service decided that Hoskin should be charged with a number of serious sexual offences.

His honour Judge Peter Johnson sentenced Hoskin to eight years in prison for indecent assault and two years for gross indecency, to be served concurrently. He told Hoskin that he would serve half of his sentence in prison and the other half on licence but warned him that if he breached the terms of the licence, he would go back to prison.

He will also be placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely. In sentencing him, HHJ Johnson said: “(The victim) has lived with your actions since 1997 and I do find having heard her impact statement that these offences which you committed have had a profound effect on her, both at the time that you committed them and throughout her life to date.

“You are a conceited and self-entitled man.” The court heard from the victim in her impact statement which was read out to the court by DC Ferguson on behalf of Mr Sean Brunton (KC) the prosecuting barrister in the case.

The victim explained that she had lived her life in the shadow of what Hoskin had done to her. She explained that she felt that while her body had grown, her mind and mental state had been stuck on pause - forever remaining that scared little girl.

She described that she hated Hoskin for what he had done, explaining that she could never outrun the trauma of what he had put her through and that she had lived a life sentence herself. After sentencing, DC Ferguson said: “On behalf of the victim and her family, I welcome today’s outcome and Stephen Hoskin’s imprisonment.

“Hoskin was a grown man when he targeted the victim in this case, a girl under 16. She was an inexperienced child who was terrified of him. I wish to pay tribute to the victim, who has not only shown tremendous resilience and courage in finding the strength to reconnect with Devon and Cornwall Police, but also in providing further evidence and attending court.

“The strength that she has shown in coming to court to face her abuser cannot be overstated. I hope that today’s sentence helps her find some peace and enables her to start healing with her family.

“Devon & Cornwall Police takes all reports of sexual abuse seriously, regardless of how long ago it may have happened and will gather any evidence as required to take appropriate action in line with the victim’s wishes.

“Victims will be listened to sympathetically and will be guided through the criminal justice process with the support of our partner agencies, including the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). We are committed to improving outcomes and the journey for victims through what can often be a traumatic and difficult process, ensuring safeguarding and appropriate support.”

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A Plymouth man has been jailed after admitting a plethora of historic sexual abuse with a child. The incidents took place in Bristol when Wayne Willis was a teenager.

Willis, whose address was given as Belmont Guest House on Plymouth Hoe, was described as "feral" when, aged 17, he sexually abused the youngster who was half his age.

Bristol Crown Court heard earlier this month that, ultimately, the girl's mum managed to stop contact between them. Willis, now aged 52, pleaded guilty to multiple accounts of indecent assault and gross indecency, BristolLive reports.

Judge Michael Cullum jailed him for four years and ten months. The judge told him: "Offences such as this have an enormous, life-long, damaging effect. It is obvious, it is unsurprising that from 13 to 21 there was very acute, dramatic suffering (for the complainant). Her mental health was very significantly affected."

The judge ordered Willis to register as a sex offender for life, barred him from working with children and vulnerable adults, imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to stop reoffending and issued an indefinite restraining order banning him from all contact with the victim.

The court heard Willis suffered abuse himself as a child and went on to abuse the youngster. After showing her interest, giving her sweets and favours he enabled himself to commit very serious indecent assaults on her, the court was told.

Mark Worsley, defending, stressed his client had not used alcohol or drugs to groom the youngster and had not threatened her with violence. Mr Worsley said: "He does not recall the acts. He accepts everything he did. He has expressed remorse."

The court heard Willis suffers from anxiety and depression and has heart problems. Mr Worsley said Willis was realistic about his fate after "putting his hands up to the whole thing".

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A man has been jailed for eight and a half years after being found guilty of the rape and attempted rape of a woman in Plymouth.

Daniel Pakeman, 29, of Prince Rock, Plymouth, will be on the sex offender register for life.

Investigating officer, Det Con Andrea Dominik, said after the case at Plymouth Crown Court that the victim had shown "immense bravery".

The offences took place in 2020 at a residential property in Plymouth.

Pakeman was jailed for eight and a half years for rape and six and a half years for attempted rape, to run concurrently.

Det Con Dominik said after the case: "Pakeman took the opportunity to commit these sexual offences which has caused a significant impact on the victim's life, her health and her relationships and will continue to do so for the rest of her life.

"The victim has shown immense bravery and commitment to the investigation and the court process.

"Her voice has been heard, and the result of the trial and sentencing shows that victims will be believed, and justice will be done."

Det Con Dominik acknowledged the criminal justice system can "sometimes be a difficult process for victims".

She said: "But there are support measures which can be put in place to support them throughout the whole journey.

"I hope this gives other people the courage to come forward."

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An Army commando who carried out a sex attack on a woman, leaving her with "irreparable damage", has been jailed.

Plymouth Crown Court heard Cpl Sam Evans, 29, attacked the 30-year-old after they met for the first time.

He was convicted at an earlier hearing of rape, two counts of sexual assault by penetration, non fatal strangulation and assault causing actual bodily harm.

Judge Robert Linford sentenced Evans to a total of 18 years for what he said was an "explosion of sexual violence".

'Her worst nightmare'

Evans, of 29 Commando, Royal Artillery Regiment, based in Plymouth, was also made the subject of 25-year-long restraining order banning any contact with his victim.

The court heard the pair had made contact months earlier through the Tinder dating app but only met by chance on the night of the attack last July and she went back to his flat in Ker Street.

His victim, who has lifelong anonymity, said during a cycle of violence that lasted for hours Evans knelt on her chest to pin her down, slapped and punched her in the head, spat in her eyes and face and urinated in her face and mouth.

The court heard he laughed off her attempts to tell him to stop and smothered her with a pillow when she screamed.

The victim said she repeatedly told him she did not want sex and she "thought I was dying" during the "violent and relentless" attack.

"Sam Evans has caused irreparable damage to me," she said.

Evans said his actions had been "playful and softly done".

The judge told Evans: "The two of you were absolutely saturated with alcohol but that is no excuse for the way you behaved; it makes it worse."

He said, when sober, "virtuous" Evans was "a hard-working, gentle, kind and considerate man" but on this night it was "an explosion of sexual violence".

Devon and Cornwall Police said the conviction was down to the "absolute courage of the victim".

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A SERIAL sex offender from Tavistock exposed himself in the centre of Plymouth by wearing trousers with peep-holes cut into their front and back.

Shane Turner walked past shoppers with everything on show through the gaps in his specially adapted trousers.

The 51-year-old had been to the probation meeting as part of a suspended jail sentence for stalking a psychologist who had tried to treat his bizarre sexual behaviour.

CCTV showed him cycling around the city centre and police were alerted and spotted that there was a large cut or rip in his trousers.

He had a history of exposing himself and has been jailed in the past for stalking. He was meeting probation earlier this year because he was being supervised under a suspended sentence for breaking a restraining order.

He was also subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which banned him from wearing clothing that were designed or adapted to show his private parts.

Turner admitted two charges of breaching the Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was jailed for 13 months at Plymouth Crown Court.

He has also been convicted of outraging public decency in 2006 after he exposed himself to lone women at night in Exeter, once by a graveyard.

And since then been in court for driving a car while naked. He was also seen driving around with an inflatable doll in his car but was not charged with any offence.

A defence advocate said Turner’s offending stemmed from his severe autism and issues of poor mental health.

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Daniel Mortimer plied 15-year-old girl with drink before raping her - then tried to strangle her and threatened her into staying at his accommodation, saying he had a gun.

A St Judes man described as "cunning" has been handed a determinate sentence of 20 years after he raped and imprisoned a vulnerable 15-year-girl he had been grooming and plying with alcohol.

A victim impact statement from the girl - who cannot be named for legal reasons - was read out by prosecutor Heather Hope at Plymouth Crown Court where Daniel Mortimer was sentenced. Mortimer was found guilty by unanimous verdict following a trial where the jury heard how had targeted the girl, plied her with alcohol, got her back to his home where gave her more alcohol and while she was in an unconscious state raped her.

When she later came around, the 39-year-old threatened her to stay, claiming that he had a gun. 

The court heard how in 2002 Mortimer - also known as Norsworthy - was made subject of a hospital order following his conviction for the offence of arson. He then spent the next 17 years in various mental health institutions where he was diagnosed withy antisocial disorder and/or borderline learning disability. His records, from his various mental health institutions, noted incidents of violence and offences including arson - although it was observed by the courts that he was never prosecuted for these offences.

However, in March 2020, he was released back into wider society and by April 2021, he was living in supported living accommodation in the city. The court heard that he was abusing alcohol and class A drugs and leading what Mr Recorder Donald Tait described as a "aimless existence on the streets of Plymouth".

The court heard that Mortimer began to befriend groups of teenage girls in Plymouth city centre and would spend a "significant amount of money" buying alcohol for the girls, knowing full well they were under the age of 16. 

Mortimer had, shortly before the rape in April 2021, even lured three underage girls back to his accommodation on the promise of giving them alcohol. Fortunately, on that occasion, a support worker at the property spotted what was going on and ejected the girls from the premises.

The following day he was back in Plymouth city centre, once again, targeting young women - including his victim who was considered to be a "troubled 15-year-old". During the trial her mother had explained her daughter was autistic, had mild learning difficulties and ADHD and suffered from depression and anxiety. As a result of her many issues she developed a significant alcohol dependency.

Recorder Tait said all these issues would have been "obvious" to Mortimer, but it was clear from the evidence presented that he "deliberately targeted" the youngster, again using alcohol to lure her to his accommodation. The jury heard that even before she got there she was already "severely inebriated" and Mortimer arranged for a taxi to take her to his address - lying to the taxi operator saying she was his sister.

The court was told that during that day there were a number of Snapchat messages passing between Mortimer and the girl and on her arrival they went up to her room where he plied her with even more alcohol to the point where she was was, to all intents and purposes, unconscious.

Mortimer then raped the girl and kept her in his room against her will. He told her she was not going anywhere and she was not allowed to leave. At one point, he attempted to strangle her and told her that he had a gun on the premises.

A few hours later, Mortimer lied to a visitor to the property looking for the girl - who had been reported missing by this stage - saying the young woman in his bed was his girlfriend.

At around 6am the girl work up with no recollection of what happened to her. She was able to pursuade Mortimer to go outside to smoke a cigarette whereupon she "ran for her life", said Recorder Tait.

She messaged and then phoned her mother at 6.43am and in hysterical state said a man was chasing her. Her mother called police and went on to trace her daughter using a phone-finding app.

On April 9, Mortimer was arrested at his address and was found to be in possession of heroin and cannabis. Recorder Tait said that while Mortimer was in custody he "embarked in a series of conflicting accounts about what happened".

Recorder Tait noted that Mortimer's "bizarre behaviour" continued through the interview process and during the court trial, with him putting forward three different defence statements - all inconsistent with one another - and claimed his DNA found in the girl's underpants was not his and that the girl had never been in his room despite her giving a detailed description of the property.

The court was told that the matter was aggravated because while he was on bail for the rape allegation, he went on to commit a further offence. He committed a sexual assault on a 17-year-old girl on August 26, 2021 in Beaumont Park.

The matter went to trial because Mortimer denied the offence. The jury heard how in that instance, Mortimer was smoking a joint and, after following the teen into the park, told the girl he could get her cannabis. The teenager said that Mortimer put his arm around her for about four seconds and then touched her inner thigh.

At his sentencing, the court was told by the judge that the incident had had "a very grave effect on her" and on one occasion not long after the incident "she tried to harm herself by consuming a bottle of bleach". He was jailed for 26 weeks for that offence and was arrested again for the rape on the day of his release from prison.

In a victim impact statement, read out by prosecutor Heather Hope at today's hearing, it was revealed that the girl said she had been left psychologically, mentally and physically scarred by the rape. She wrote how she felt "violated", "alone and scared" and horrified how Mortimer had had "access to my body without me being aware of it". She admitted she had begun self-harm with razor blades, and drinking heavily to block out the memory of the rape.

She wrote how she now cannot even stand the thought of someone touching her and flinches when people are near her. Certain worlds which were used during the incident are now triggers which causes her flashbacks and feelings of being overwhelmed. She explained she now suffered night terrors and was taking medication to try and combat it.

She also revealed how she had made "physical changes" to her appearance "for fear of being recognised" by Mortimer and was "very concerned" that he would try to contact her. She wrote how relationships with others have been affected and she finds it hard to trust people, adding that she "cannot be along with men". She explained how she now avoided certain areas of the city centre and cannot go anywhere near where he lived.

She added that she had to undergo a "intrusive physical examination" and did not know if she was going to be left pregnant. She wrote how she revisited the incident "every day and I hope that one day it will stop".

In mitigation, his advocate Katie Churcher said Mortimer had suffered abuse during his childhood and had been in institutions from a young man through to adulthood. She confirmed the offences took place not long after he was released from these institutions. However, whilst in custody he had engaged in a number of positive programs in prison, become an "enhanced" prisoner with an extra level of responsibility, securing jobs in the servery and in the prison gym.

Mr Recorder Tait told Mortimer he had read two detailed reports - one, a pre-sentence report from an experience probation officer and the other a report from forensic consultant psychiatrist Dr Christine Brown. He said Dr Brown noted that Mortimer had never been diagnosed with a mental disorder at any time and that his ability to stand trial had never been called into question.

The court was told that Dr Brown had concluded that Mortimer "knows what he is doing, and he knows when what he is doing is wrong". She went on to state that "there are no further mental health interventions or treatment that will reduce [his] risk of harm to others".

The probation report accepted that Mortimer had a "lower than average IQ" but he was also considered to have "a degree of cunning and can be manipulative". The probation officer stated that "ultimately" it was perceived that Mortimer would "very likely to offend again, regardless of the consequences to him", adding ominously that the 39-year-old poses a "high risk of harm - mostly likely to teenage girls".

The probation officer's report concluded "I have no hesitation in stating that [Mortimer] would pose a significant risk of causing serious harm", by carrying out "further specified offences whose most likely victims would be teenage girls."

Mortimer was found guilty on charges of rape, false imprisonment, meeting a child after sexual grooming, possessing a controlled drug of Class A and possessing of a controlled drug Class B.

Mr Recorder Tait told Mortimer that he had, "in effect abducted" the girl and detained her "for a long period of time". He said that there was "no shadow of doubt that [the victim] was a particularly vulnerable individual - you knew that and took advantage of that knowledge".

He told Mortimer: "Without hesitation, I consider that you pose a significant risk of serious harm from further specified offences committed by you."

As a result Mr Recorder Tait said he would impose an extended determinate sentence of 20 years - of which 15 years would be custodial and an extended licence of five years. He ordered Mortimer to be put on the Sex Offenders Register for life and be subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 15 years.

He confirmed that at the two-thirds point of the custodial sentence Mortimer's case would be referred to the parole board for consideration as to whether he was safe to be released, but added "it doesn't mean you will be".

Following the sentencing, Det Insp Darren Roach from Devon and Cornwall Police said: "The impact of these crimes will have a lasting effect on the victim and her family. I hope that the sentence passed today offers some reassurance and that a degree of comfort can be taken in knowing that this dangerous offender has been brought to justice.

"The victim, witnesses and families have shown great courage through the course of the investigation and court trial. It is their support and willingness to stand up against this dangerous offender that enabled Officers to secure the evidence for a successful prosecution.

"I would like to recognise the skill and determination of the investigation team and specialist Engagement Officers. Working alongside colleagues from the CPS and partner agencies, such as First Light and Plymouth SARC, has ensured that the victim has been supported both before and during the trial process.

"The result of this joint partnership working is evident today with a significant custodial sentence imposed and with the jury delivering guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment."

Description

A convicted child sex offender from Devon moved in with a woman shortly after leaving prison but did not tell her the truth about his criminal past. Lee Savage, 41, behaved like he was part of the family and spent most of his time in Taunton, Exeter Crown Court heard.

He was banned from contact with children by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order but ignored its restrictions and did not tell police or probation that he was not living full-time at his registered address in Plymouth.

His lies were discovered when a suspicious family member Googled his name and discovered he was a registered sex offender with a history of grooming children. Savage swiftly left the property but was arrested by police and brought back to court.

The defendant, previously of Keyham Road in Plymouth, has been jailed for two years. He admitted breaching his SHPO and two offences of failing to comply with notification requirements.

Prosecutor Mr James Adam said Savage was released on licence from a jail sentence, imposed for attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming, in 2020. Instead of living at the Plymouth address he entered into a relationship with a mum-of-two in Taunton.

He moved into the family home and before his arrest in November spent 101 days in the Taunton area. He was never alone with her children in private and did not commit any sexual offences. Savage did offer to look after the children and gave the impression they were a family, said the prosecutor.

The relationship ended when his partner's sister searched his name on Google and found details of the 2017 conviction which involved him being caught by paedophile hunters. The sister posted details online and police investigated.

Savage failed to tell police he had moved address, putting him in breach of the notification requirements. By having contact with children without their parent's full and informed consent he breached his SHPO.

His now ex-partner said she felt angry with herself and feels as if she was groomed by letting Savage into her life. The defendant also has previous convictions, dating back to 2010, for sexual activity with a female child under 16 and possessing indecent photos of children. He also has a previous breach of his lifetime SHPO on his record.

Ms Evie Dean, defending, said Savage had a difficult childhood. He was released from jail at the height of the Covid pandemic and felt as if he had no stability. He accepts what he did and is sorry.

Judge Anna Richardson said: "Although you told police about your Plymouth address you in fact spent little time there and fully involved yourself in family life." She said it had been a persistent breach, he has a history of ignoring orders and begged for police not to be told.

She imposed a 10-year restraining order for him not to contact the family.