Latest Offenders Plymouth

Description

A convicted child sex offender has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for the rape and sexual abuse of two young children.

Steven Stanley Dunn, aged 49 and previously of Southway in Plymouth, previously pleaded guilty to six non-recent child sex offences.

He appeared at Plymouth Crown Court for sentencing on Wednesday 25 February.

The court heard how the incidents were committed against two children in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Dunn currently resides in prison after being convicted in 2016 of rape and sexual assault against three children committed in the 2010s. 

He was previously sentenced to 16 years in prison, a term he was serving when the latest proceedings against him were brought.

While in prison, further reports were received and detectives carried out immediate enquiries which lead to Dunn being charged for the additional offences relating to the two children in this case.

In total, he was convicted of two counts of sexual assault, two counts of penetration, one count of indecent assault and one count of rape.

The latest sentence started from when it was passed on Wednesday.

The court heard from the victims who read out their victim impact statements in court.

One of the victims described living ‘in a constant storm of trauma’ and suffering from adverse mental health. She added that Dunn is ‘a coward and a monster’.

The second victim said:

“I have had hours of therapy, taken medication and struggled through school. I have spent years struggling with anxiety and depression. I have days where I am so unbelievably sad that I can't really do anything.”

Police Staff Investigator Aimee Cattell said:

“I want to firstly commend the bravery and courage of the victims who came forward. Reporting incidents such as these is incredibly daunting and I don’t underestimate how hard this must have been.

“Nothing will ever take away what Dunn did to these girls, but I hope that the court outcome today goes someway in helping them move forward with their lives.

“If you have been a victim of rape or sexual abuse, please come forward. No matter the passage of time, you will be listened to and believed. We are committed to supporting you every step of the way.”

Description

A rapist has been jailed for 20 years after using terrifying violence to carry out his attacks.

Peter Gilbert, 54, of Manor Street, Plymouth, appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence on Wednesday 18 February after being found guilty at trial of three counts of rape.

Gilbert was also convicted by a jury of one non-sexual offence, as well as pleading guilty to breach of a court order and disclosing an intimate video with intent to cause distress.

Gilbert must sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and a restraining order was put in place to protect the victim.

The offences took place in Newquay, Plymouth and Truro.

The court heard how in June 2022, Gilbert attended Charles Cross Police Station in relation to an unrelated matter.

While in the station he became flustered and started pacing the room before saying to officers that he had carried out a sexual offence.

The victim was spoken to while Gilbert was in custody and stated that Gilbert had raped her on several occasions – including after a night out in Newquay.

The victim described freezing during the attacks and Gilbert making a variety of threats against her.

A further attack took place at the victim’s home, in which Gilbert said he was twice the size of the victim and she had no choice but to do what he wanted.

Gilbert made additional threats of violence, including with weapons and showed footage of an oral rape to others. He carefully filmed the attack to make sure the victim was visible and not him.

Gilbert made no comment in interview.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Simon Carr commented how Gilbert preyed upon his victim and such was the violence he demonstrated towards her, he even stubbed out cigarettes on her arms causing scarring.

Judge Carr added that Gilbert filmed the rapes and used the footage as a weapon.

Detective Sergeant Megan Cornish, said:

“Peter Gilbert is an extremely dangerous rapist and sexual predator who used violence and threats in order to rape his victim.

“Gilbert showed no regard for her wellbeing in his evil pursuit for sexual gratification. 

“I would like to praise the immense courage of the victim, who has remained engaged from when she was first spoken to, right through to the court process.

“It is her bravery that has enabled Gilbert to be brought to justice for his crimes.

“While I do not underestimate the psychological damage caused by Gilbert’s actions, I hope she is now able to feel some form of closure.”

Description

A Plymouth-based former teacher who betrayed his position of trust by sexually abusing two students at the school and sixth form he worked at has been jailed. 

Anthony Redmond, 54, of Fort Austin Avenue in Plymouth, abused one of the victims in a hotel prior to her turning 16.

Redmond was convicted following a trial at Plymouth Crown Court of seven counts of abuse a position of trust by engaging in sexual activity, three of which related to full intercourse, and one count of indecency with a child.

He returned to the court to be sentenced on Tuesday 10 February and was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment. Restraining orders were also put in place to prevent Redmond from contacting the victims.

During the trial, the court heard how Redmond used his status as a teacher and band musician to appeal to, and groom his victims.

He continued to work at Notre Dame School and sixth form in Plymouth until being suspended when the allegations were made.

The first offence relating to the first victim took place in the 2000s when she was aged 15.

The victim reported how geography teacher Redmond took her and a friend to a hotel, and during the night he incited her to engage in sexual activity.

The second incident took place shortly after the victim turned 16 at a party they had both attended.

The initial investigation led to officers getting in touch with a second victim who disclosed a sexual relationship with Redmond while she was a sixth form student at the school.

The second victim – who was 16 when Redmond’s abuse started - spoke of how Redmond would routinely pick her up so they could engage in sexual activity, with abuse taking place at his home, a hotel and inside the school.

The victim’s abuse by Redmond continued while she was at university, however she ended contact when her family became aware.

Later discussion between the victims in the case revealed that they were both being sexually abused by Redmond at around the same time.

Both victims described at the sentencing hearing the long-term psychological effect Redmond’s actions had on them.

At the sentencing hearing Judge Robert Linford described the offending as ‘predatory behaviour’, stating that Redmond betrayed the trust put in him by taking the victims to lunches and luring them into a world in which he could abuse them without them knowing they were being abused.

Judge Linford added that the convictions show others who have behaved in such a way that they may never rest easy, as the day may come where, like Redmond, they will also face justice for their actions.

Officer in the case Detective Sergeant Luke Portch said:

“I want to acknowledge the courage and strength shown by the victims in coming forward.

“Teachers are entrusted with the care, safety, and wellbeing of children and young people, and that trust was gravely abused in this case.

“Speaking about sexual abuse, regardless of when it occurred, is incredibly difficult.  

“Their willingness to report what happened has not only led to justice in this case, but will hopefully help others who have been victims of abuse to come forward.

“The passage of time does not lessen the seriousness of these offences, and this outcome demonstrates that reports of non-recent abuse will be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated.

“If anyone has experienced abuse, whether recently or in the past, I would encourage them to contact the Police. Support is available, and you will be listened to."

Description

A retired Plymouth criminal defence solicitor who sexually assaulted clients at court and in a police station has been jailed for 13 years.

Alan Harris, 72, exploited his professional access as an opportunity to abuse vulnerable young people with complex backgrounds who were desperately dependent on his legal help.

He arrogantly preyed on his victims during private consultations and made them believe that they were powerless to speak out - and that no-one would believe them if they did.

Harris, of Thorn Park, Plymouth, was convicted of 10 sexual offences against seven victims - six male and one female - following a five-week trial at Winchester Crown Court which concluded in early December.

He had denied all the charges.

Harris was today [Wednesday 25 February] sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison at Winchester Crown Court for five sexual assaults and five indecent assaults between 1988 and 2015.

Her Honour Judge Angela Morris told Harris:

There is no greater fall from grace than this.

She said Harris has been a well-respected local solicitor but there was a darker side to his character.

The Judge added Harris had a duty of professional care and responsibility towards vulnerable clients who relied upon and placed their trust in him as their legal advisor.

They were easy targets you were able to exploit for your own sexual gratification, she told him.

The Judge added: You were supposed to be there to help them navigate the criminal justice system, not sexually abuse them in the midst of if.

Judge Morris described Harris offending as a gross breach of trust of the most serious kind.

Senior Investigating Officer Chief Superintendent Roy Linden said:

The sentencing today of Alan Harris shows that nobody is above the law, regardless of their profession or standing.

It was Harris job to represent his clients and ensure they were treated fairly and safely within the criminal justice system.

Instead, he abused his privileged status, his role and the private access afforded to him as an opportunity to sexually assault the victims, making them think nobody would ever believe them.

This has been a protracted and complex investigation involving non-recent sexual offences that date back more than 35 years to the late 1980s.

Alan Harris exploited a position of trust and targeted his victims because of their vulnerabilities, thinking they were powerless to speak out because of their circumstances and their dependence on him professionally.

Today he has been brought to justice due to the tenacity, patience and strength of the victims, and our thoughts remain with them.

The court heard Harris spent his working life as a criminal defence solicitor in Plymouth. He retired in 2016.

The victims were clients of Harris and were all from incredibly traumatic backgrounds who had themselves been charged with or suspected of multiple offences.

Many of them were under the age of 21 and still in their teens when they were abused.

Harris, a defence and duty solicitor, sexually assaulted them during private legal consultations. Their circumstances meant they were powerless to report the abuse at the time.

The majority of the offences took place within the cells at Plymouth Magistrates' Court and in Charles Cross Police Stations custody suite.

Others happened at private homes and in Harris car.

The court heard Harris traded on the victims compromised and vulnerable situation and utter dependence upon him. He used this position to abuse their trust for his own sexual gratification.

Ch Supt Linden added:

All the victims in this case have shown enormous courage in reporting these offences, placing their trust in the criminal justice process and in giving evidence in court.

Devon and Cornwall Police acknowledges that some of Harris offending happened during private legal consultations within the custody suite at Charles Cross Police Station.

It remains a fundamental legal right for a defendant and solicitor to meet and speak in private; it was Harris who exploited this.

As soon as we were made aware of the reports against Harris, we referred these to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and Harris retired shortly after this referral.

Police stations and magistrates courts should be places of safety where criminal offences are dealt with, not facilitated.

It doesnt matter who you are, what your background is or how long ago it happened; if you are a victim of a sexual offence we will listen to you, support you, and investigate what you report to us.

Speaking directly to victims of sexual offences: We would encourage anyone who has been in this situation to come forward, and we will review each case on its own merits to determine if there is sufficient evidence to proceed.

Description

A man who sexually abused a teenage girl in Plymouth has been jailed for 12 years, with an extended licence of two years.

Peter Orme, 34 of York Road, Plymouth, was convicted of nine counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, and one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Orme appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Monday 20 October to face sentencing.

During the case, the court heard how Orme had committed numerous sexual offences against one victim on several occasions over the course of several months.

The victim came forward and reported the offences to the police, and an investigation was immediately launched into Orme, who had denied the offences.

During the sentencing, Orme was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Officer in the case, Police Staff Investigator Aimee Cattell of Plymouth’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Team, said:

“We welcome the sentence given to Peter Orme, who abused his position of trust and showed no remorse or accountability for his actions.

“I would like to thank the victim in this case who had the courage to come forward and report these incidents to us. We appreciate how difficult this was.

“We hope this sentence reassures victims of sexual offending that all reports to police will be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated by our officers.”

Description

A Plymouth man has been jailed for 26 years after sexually assaulting women, including those he lured into his teeth-whitening salon with offers of free treatment.

Ricky Stubberfield, 31, messaged popular young women on Instagram to offer them free treatments in exchange for promoting his business on their platforms.

But when the trusting victims attended his Essex Smiles franchise on Mutley Plain they were instead subjected to lewd remarks and forceful sexual assaults.

Stubberfield, of Walnut Gardens, Plympton, abused three women who answered his social media offer and two other regular female customers at the salon between 2022 and 2024.

However Plymouth Crown Court heard that his sexual offending actually began many years before. He had abused three other females at various locations including at a concert between 2013 and 2022.

During a trial in June, Stubberfield was convicted of 23 offences - eight counts of rape, nine counts of sexual assault, four counts of digital penetration, indecent exposure and making an indecent image of a child.

They were unable to reach a majority verdict on three further charges of rape, digital penetration and sexual assault.

At Plymouth Crown Court today, 21 October, Stubberfield was jailed for 26 years, plus an additional six years in licence. He will also sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

Stubberfield first came to the attention of police in February 2022 when a 16-year-old girl reported that he had sexually abused her on two occasions that month.

On one night he had raped her in the disabled toilet during a concert at Plymouth Pavilions and later in the back of his van on Plymouth Hoe.

On the second occasion the victim was at a house with a friend and Stubberfield. Throughout the night he carried out a torrent of multiple rapes and other sexual offences against her while telling her to ‘be quiet’.

Some of the offences were captured during a FaceTime call to her friend after Stubberfield brazenly pulled her out of view to sexually assault her and forced her to commit a sexual act upon him.

Unbeknown to Stubberfield his actions were reflected in a nearby cooker hood and seen by the caller who shouted out to stop him. She had also recorded the call and provided this to police.

The court heard that in 2024 a woman reported that she had been abused by Stubberfield at Essex Smiles.

Operation Highrock was then launched by Devon and Cornwall Police’s Project Gemstone, a specialist sexual offences investigation team in Plymouth.

After a third report in 2024, Stubberfield was arrested and charged with multiple offences. A report in the local media prompted other victims to come forward. Some believed they were the only one and Stubberfield’s sexualised behaviour had often been dismissed by those who knew him as it being ‘Just Ricky’.

The investigation uncovered the shocking extent of Stubberfield’s offending. Between 2022 and 2024 he had abused five women, all in their 20s, at the teeth whitening and tanning salon.

Four victims were sexually touched while receiving teeth whitening treatments, three from his social media offers. He also exposed himself to a fifth victim.

In all cases Stubberfield made inappropriate sexual remarks as a precursor and asked details about their sex lives.

Once in the treatment chair with a mouth guard in, he took advantage and sexually assaulted them, asked for photos and made repeated forceful sexual advances. One woman described feeling trapped while another told police she froze in fear of what may happen next.

The fifth woman was accompanied by her toddler when she went to buy a product from the salon. Stubberfield asked her out on a date which she declined. He then showed her a picture of his genitals before pulling down his trousers to expose himself. She left the shop and, unbelievably, he called a few minutes later to ask her out again.

In 2013 Stubberfield sexually assaulted a woman he met on a dating site, forcing himself upon her before she was able to get away.

Another victim encountered Stubberfield in 2021 where he raped her twice before asking her is she ‘fancied a Nando’s’. She described him as always being ‘forceful in his sexual nature’.

In July 2024 he was further arrested while on remand in prison. Stubberfield consistently denied any wrongdoing and on one occasion he even asked interviewing officers if they found one of his victims attractive.

He was charged and found guilty of the 23 offences against eight females during the June trial. His victims were aged between 16 and 27 at the time of the offences – all younger than Stubberfield.

HHJ Judge Linford said to Stubberfield on sentencing: “Your behaviour was utterly remorseless predation.” He described the offending as ‘part of your personality’ which was ‘very worrying’ and stated Stubberfield posed a ‘very high risk of harm’ to the public.

Detective Inspector Marcus Hodges, senior investigating officer, said:

“I welcome the sentence given today to a man who preyed on young women for over a decade.

“My utmost thanks and praise are with the victims who not only had the courage to report the offences, but to support the police investigation and give evidence in court.

“Their strength and bravery is admirable, and I sincerely hope that they may find some closure and be able to start moving forward with their lives following this outcome.

“I also hope it may encourage others and give them the confidence to report crimes and know that they will be taken seriously.

“My thanks also go to the detectives who investigated this incredibly complex case diligently and thoroughly, resulting in a compelling case which resulted in a guilty verdict.”

Description

A 53-year-old Plymouth man, Nicholas Stanyon-Tall, of Kiln Close, was sentenced to 18 years in jail after a jury convicted him at Plymouth Crown Court of four counts of rape against two girls under 16, plus two counts of sexual assault.

The offences occurred in Plymouth over a four-year period in the 2000s. Stanyon-Tall had denied the charges; the victims cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Judge Robert Linford imposed an 18-year sentence with a one-year extended licence for each rape, and five years for each sexual assault, all concurrent. He also received a 30-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, lifelong placement on the Sex Offenders' Register, a 30-year restraining order barring contact with the victims, and lifelong barring from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Lead investigator Det Con Fiona Archer said:

"We welcome the Jury's verdict and the Judge's sentence in this case. The victims now have some justice for the suffering they received as children, and we hope they can begin to move forward with their lives.

"They have conducted themselves in an exemplary manner and have been very patient whilst this case has been brought to court. Nicholas Stanyon-Tall subjected the victims to abhorrent sexual abuse on numerous occasions.

"He will now serve a long prison sentence and be subject of continued monitoring once released. We thank all those involved for their part in bringing Nicholas Stanyon-Tall to justice."

Description

A former Olympic swimmer who represented Britain in the 2012 London Games has been jailed for 21 years for raping two teenage girls.

Antony James, of Crownhill was convicted by a jury last October at Plymouth Crown Court of eight charges, including three counts of rape, three of sexual activity with a child, and two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

He had previously pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent photographs of a child, although prosecutors at the court were at pains to explain these were effectively cases of production, as he had urged the two girls - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - to take indecent images of themselves which he then asked to be sent to him.

The jury could not reach a verdict on one count of sexual activity with a child, and five counts of rape and the Crown Prosecution Service did not continue with those charges. The trial judge directed not guilty verdicts for three counts of intentionally encouraging/assisting an offence.

During the opening of the case against James, now 35, prosecutor Lee Bremridge said the former Olympic swimmer met and effectively groomed each of the girls, revealing his "perverse sexual needs and desires".

The jury was told that following James' arrest in 2022 police found evidence of James using the Chaturbate sexual internet site and recovered messages from 2019, where he referenced the name of an underage girl who he later went on to rape.

One of his victims bravely read out a victim impact statement in court, saying that James has "stolen a portion of my life" and left her feeling "vulnerable, weak and trampled".

At his sentencing hearing today, Judge Robert Linford told James he was satisfied that one of his victims took indecent photos of herself at his request and sent them onto him.

He said James had an "entirely nonchalant" attitude towards the allegations when he was interviewed by police, claiming it was "entirely consensual".

He said James had "groomed" the girl and "ruthlessly exploited" their needs for his own ends. He said he left one of his victims feeling ashamed of her own body and that she would "never forgive you" for what he'd done to her, leaving her suffering debilitating panic attacks and turning to a clinical psychiatrist to manage her anxiety.

He accepted James had no previous convictions and his advocate's observations that he had represented the country at the Olympics and Commonwealth games, had done charity work and that the sentence he would serve in prison would be "alien to you".

He handed James an eight years jail sentence for the rape of the first girl and 13 years for the two offences of rape of the second girl. In both cases the girls were over 16 but still teens.

The sentences were to run consecutively, totalling 21 years. He was told he would serve two-thirds - 14 years - before being released on licence.

He was placed on the Sex Offender's Register for life and made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 25 years.

Description

A ‘dangerous’ child sex offender has been found guilty following a three-year-long investigation.

Dominic Scribbins, aged 39 from Plymouth, was found guilty by a jury of 16 offences following a seven-day trial at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 29 November. He was found guilty of the following:

• Eight counts of indecent assault
• Three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13
• Two counts of assault of a child under 13 by penetration
• And one count each of assault by penetration, sexual assault and engaging in sexual
• activity in the presence of a child.

The court heard how between 2003 and 2019, Scribbins had sexually and indecently assaulted several young girls in the Bristol and Dorset area, who were between the ages of four and 14 at the time of the incidents.

Officers first started investigating the case in 2021 when one of the victims came forward and reported non-recent sexual assaults by Scribbins. Following this, other victims came forward to make their own reports.

Following an extensive investigation, Scribbins was arrested on 11 November 2021 and later charged on 31 May last year.

Officer in the case Detective Sergeant Lucy Bryant said: “It has been three years since the victims in this case came forward to the police and I thank them for their bravery and resilience in supporting a prosecution.

“Because of their courage, a dangerous child sex offender has been taken off the streets and, following his sentencing in January 2025, will hopefully be in prison for many years to come.

“Sexual offences against such young and vulnerable members of our society are among the most despicable. Children should be able to trust adults and know they are safe in their company, but Scribbins brought about only pain and upset for his victims.

“No matter when the abuse happened, if something has happened to you then please report it to us, you will be believed and supported. We are committed to doing whatever is needed to achieve justice for the victims, while also providing and signposting them to safeguarding and support services.”

Scribbins was found not guilty of one count of sexual assault of a children under 13.

He was remanded into custody and will appear at Bristol Crown Court for sentencing on Monday 13 January next year.

Description

A rapist who assaulted a woman in her sleep in Canterbury has been sent to prison for 12 years. Lloyd Sands was arrested in October 2019, hours after his victim contacted police and told them of the offences.

An investigation found he had raped his victim in her sleep and after she told him she did not consent. He also filmed the offences, footage of which was found on his phone as part of the investigation.

Sands was charged with rape, attempted rape and voyeurism and convicted following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court. The 30-year-old, formerly of Plymouth, Devon, appeared before the same court on Friday 23 August 2024 and was jailed for 12 years.

Detective Sergeant David Hinwood, Kent Police's investigating officer, said: 'Sands failed to accept responsibility for these terrible offences and thereby forced his victim to relive her ordeal in court. I would like to praise her for coming forward to report him and supporting the prosecution.

"I hope the resulting jail term gives her some sense of closure as she continues to rebuild her life. I urge anyone who has been the victim of sexual offences at the hands of someone they know to report it to us as soon as possible. We will support you and work to bring the offender to justice."

Description

A former secondary school teacher who admitted downloading hundreds of indecent photos and videos of children performing sex acts has been handed a suspended sentence.

Joshua Pope, of Lancaster Gardens, Plymouth, pleaded guilty at Plymouth Magistrates' Court on June 11 to three charges - namely making indecent photos of children of category A, B and C, with A being the most serious and depraved.

The prosecutor told Plymouth Crown Court today how police received information that a Dropbox account linked to 26-year-old Pope was associated with images of child sexual abuse. On March 8, 2023 police attended his home, Pope was arrested and a number of electronic devices were seized including an Apple iPhone, a second iPhone, a hard drive and an Apple Mac Pro with a damaged screen.

The court was told investigators found 276 images of Category A - with 210 being moving images. They also found 214 Category B images, of which 127 were moving and 296 Category C with 25 moving images. Police found images were downloaded over a period of many years up until March 5, 2023.

During police interview Pope claimed he had "stumbled" onto the photos "by accident" and then had immediately deleted them, but over the last two years he had begun to click on links he knew he could find indecent images of children. Pope insisted to police he had "no sexual interest in children" and the images had been downloaded "out of boredom and loneliness" and that he had "felt desensitised to it". He also accepted he had downloaded more vile material just a week before his arrest.

At his second police interview on November 30, 2023 following further investigation he accepted the accounts were his and while he did not think he had stored any of the images he accepted they were on his account.

The court heard the 27-year-old had no previous convictions or cautions to his name and was effectively of good character.

In mitigation, his advocate Ed Bailey said the knock on the door by the police had been an "wake up call" and that his clients "obsession for searching for indecent images of children had got way out of control, especially during the isolation of the pandemic". He said that Pope felt "relieved that he had been finally been caught and his secret was out in the open" and that he had been "able to deal with his sense of shame upon his family finding out".

Mr Bailey said that Pope had "immediately lost his job which was a decent one as a secondary school teacher". Mr Bailey said his client took voluntary steps, paying for six month's one-to-one therapy an engaged with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation and the Stop It Now organisation in an attempt to address his underlying predilection in viewing "this type of material".

Mr Bailey said while his client has denied a sexual interest in children, he said the judge would recognise this as a "familiar feature with offenders of this nature" and he would be working on this.

He said Pope had now secured new employment as a "self-employed journalist and copywriter".

Judge Peter Johnson told Pope the reason some of the types of imagery he was found in possession of was read out - such as children being sexually penetrated - was for the 26-year-old to appreciate "exactly what it is you have been doing".

He told Pope: "You have been a party to the sexual abuse of children by creating the demand which leads to these children being abused. It causes them long term harm, not only physical for screamingly obvious reasons but also psychological. It affects their mental health massively. It affects their ability to form relationships. In short, the damage is enduring and is generally permanent".

Judge Johnson KC told Pope any doubts he had about this damage would be "dispelled" over the next two years as he participated in an accredited programme.

Taking into account the aggravating and mitigating factors and the sentencing guidelines, Judge Johnson noted how Pope had lost his job as a schoolteacher which he had spent some time training for, adding that there was "no doubt the public would say 'quite right too'."

He handed Pope a eight month jail sentence, suspended for two years, saying there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. He ordered him to be under a supervision requirement for two years and attend an accredited sex offender programme lasting 42 days which would require him to look "deep inside your soul" and take steps to ensure he never became involved in this offence again.

He also ordered Pope to complete up to 15 Rehabilitation Acrtivity Requirement days and carry out 100 hours unpaid work. Judge Johnson also approved an application for a Sexual Harm Prevention Order lasting 10 years and said Pope would be informed by the Disclosure and Barring Service that he would be barred from working in future with children and vulnerable adults.

Description

A teaching assistant from Plymouth has been jailed after he admitted sexual activity - and filming it - with an underage girl. During the hearing, held at Bristol Crown Court, it was revealed how Callum Leech, of Kingsland Garden Close in Plymouth, met the girl via the social media site Snapchat when he was 21 years old and she was 14, but he claimed he was a teenager too.

The Crown Prosecution Service told prosecutor how the now 24-year-old Leech pleaded guilty in March this year to four offences - three of sexual activity with a child and one of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

In addition, Leech admitted three offences of making indecent images of a child - the girl he had targeted - and three further offences of making indecent images of a separate child aged between 12 and 13 years old. The court heard that the images included still images and videos ranging from Category A - the most serious - through to Category C.

The prosecutor told Judge James Patrick the victim in the case was considered to have vulnerabilities and that her father became aware of the "relationship" in December 2020 where Leech claimed he was 16.

In January 2021, a multi-agency strategy meeting was held as his own employer - a primary school - became concerned about a potential "inappropriate sexual relationship" with the girl. At that point he denied the relationship was sexual.

Police and social workers met with the girl but she also denied any sexual element to their relationship.

Leech was arrested in February 2021 and during interview he denied it was a sexual relationship and that he met her through Snapchat when she was 14. His laptop and mobile phone was seized but he refused to offer passwords to access them.

He was made subject of a child abduction warning notice on release and on February 4, 2021 the investigating officer spoke with the girl at her school and she revealed that Leech had bought her a new mobile phone and there was a "significant" amount of contact recorded on it between them.

Police later discovered that over the next six months there were thousands of pages of messages between Leech and the girl, including her efforts to end their relationship but with him talking her out of it, making claims that he would harm himself.

In June 2021 he was arrested again and offered no comment to all questions about the messages as well as the images and videos of Leech and his victim engaging in sexual activity on a phone seized by police.

Investigators also learned he had engaged with other young girls on Snapchat using "overfamiliar language" and a what the prosecution said was a "real sexual interest in underaged girls". A search of his bedroom in June 2021 revealed photos of children in school uniform aged between nine years and 10 years old.

The court heard this was the same age group as the children he was in contact with as a Teaching Assistant. The prosecutor said police also found notes, which were effectively "love letters" between Leech and his victim, where there was frequent use of the word "Daddy".

In parallel, one of the victim's teachers confiscated the phone and saw lots of notifications from Leech around the time he was arrested and re-interviewed. She shared her concerns with fellow staff members.

The prosecutor noted how the girl herself had a number of real vulnerabilities and had been allocated a base worker to support her as there were concerns she was at risk of sexual exploitation. While the girl was not initially keen to engage at that time, when she turned 18 in early 2024 she came forward and revealed the extent of the abuse she had suffered.

She admitted that they had met frequently after she was 14 and that he would buy her chocolates and flowers and message her repeatedly. She told police she now realised she was "bombarded" by him and admitted that they would meet after school. She revealed he did not tell her the reason for his arrest and confirmed that they would have sexual activity "pretty much every time they met".

The court heard that a number of the images and videos seized from Leech were of him engaging in sex with his victim or of them engaging in sexual activity online.

The prosecutor noted that Leech had no previous convictions.

In mitigation, Leech's legal advocate explained that his client was a young man with his own vulnerabilities and that during the long wait for the case to come to court had self harmed.

Judge Patrick noted a pre-sentence report and a psychiatrist's report and guidelines on sentencing young persons. He noted Leech's "highly disadvantaged early development" and how he had developed an "attachment disorder" as a result.

He acknowledged the timeline of the incidents and how Leech had breached the trust of the girl despite being fully aware of the importance of protecting her, thanks to his role as a teaching assistant. He noted that Leech did not only film the sexual activity, but retained the footage. He also noted how Leech had lied to the authorities about the true nature of his relationship with the girl and that he did not stop continuing to contact her even when she told him her mental health was suffering and even went on to contact other girls who were under the age of 16.

He accepted Leech's advocate's point that this was not a "pseudo-rape" case, but that there was grooming and filming and Leech had tried to conceal evidence.

Judge Patrick said he believe Leech was "more susceptible to offending" due to his background and the attachment issues he had "suffered" made him "less able to control" himself and forge appropriate relationships, but the background to all this was "you knew that what you were doing was wrong", having "groomed her", as well as lied to her and his parents about his age.

Having noted the mitigating and aggravating factors, as well as the reports, the delay in the court case and sentencing guidelines, Judge Patrick passed a sentence of 44 months.

He said Leech would serve half before being released on licence and he would be placed on the Sex Offenders' register for life. In addition he would be barred from working with children and vulnerable young adults for life, and would be subject of a restraining order and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order until further notice.

Description

A 64-year-old man who thought he was inciting a young girl to carry out sexual activity - less than a year after his release from prison for a rape charge - has been has been put back behind bars.

Plymouth man Russell Roberts, appeared at Plymouth Crown Court via video link from HMP The Verne in Dorset after he pleaded guilty to the single count of attempting to incite a child under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity.

Prosecutor Michael Brown told the court how Roberts initially pleaded not guilty to a number of charges relating to incidents which took place between March 9, 2022 and March 23, 2022, but in late June this year he pleaded guilty to the single charge of inciting a girl under 16 - which included him urging her to penetrate herself with an object.

Mr Brown explained that a further charge of possession of extreme pornographic material would lie on file, as would a charge of attempted sexual communication.

The court heard Roberts was arrested by police thanks to action taken by "paedophile hunters" who set up a decoy Facebook account in the name of "Lola". The decoy claimed she was 13-years-old and Roberts made contact with her in March 2022. 'Lola' told police that Roberts was "very eager" to chat with her and was "persistent" with his messages.

The court heard it was "plain that Roberts knew she was 13" not least because the decoy told him her age and that she was still at school, and referred to "mealtimes and bedtimes".

The conversation "quickly turned sexual" and he told her he was looking for a relationship, asked her if she ever masturbated or had sex and told her to keep their conversations "secret from her mother".

He referred to 'Lola' as "baby or baby girl" and he pestered her to call him and talk dirty to him about sex. He asked her if she wore knickers at bedtime before then encouraging her to engage in sexual activity. He also urged her to buy a vibrator.

After asking her if she had ever seen a man's privates, he then sent her a picture of his penis. He then asked if she would have sex with him which culminated in a conversation about the two of them meeting.

Mr Brown said the decoy from the paedophile hunters' group then created an adult decoy on March 21 and Roberts began to exchange messages with that profile. Again, the conversation quickly turned sexual and a meeting was arranged to take place March 23, 2022 in Yealmpton.

The court heard how the "hunter group" confronted Roberts, police were called and the evidence was handed over. During police interview he replied "no comment".

Mr Brown said Roberts had 15 convictions for 20 offences - including a count of rape from 2005 for which he received a sentence of imprisonment for public protection in 2006.

This means the offender must serve a minimum period in custody set by the court, known as a 'tariff', before they can become eligible for parole. Once the offender has served their tariff, they remain in custody until the Parole Board decides they are no longer a risk to the public.

However, Roberts was released on April 1, 2021 and recalled back to prison on March 23, 2022 following his arrest.

In mitigation, his advocate Herc Ashworth told the court the previous offences did not relate to children and that Roberts had said he was sorry for his behaviour.

Mr Ashworth told the court the offence had effectively taken place two years and four months ago, but the first hearing did not take place until February this year. He added that while in prison, Roberts had no visitors, his family had all passed away and he was living a "lonely life", along with the difficulties of residing in the "overcrowded" prison estate.

Judge David Evans noted that "if this had been a real-life 13-year-old girl this exchange may have been a very nasty end - and very prematurely so - to an age of innocence".

He noted Roberts' previous conviction for a rape in 2005, which involved an adult. He accepted Roberts was "genuinely ashamed" and there had been no sexual offending since that date and 2022, but added he also noted his imprisonment for public protection, adding that it would be "for the foreseeable future".

Judge Evans questioned the delay between the arrest, charge and court appearance, describing it as "inexplicable and inexcusable", and the fact that the prisons were "very congested" meant there was very little "positive work" going on inside prisons at the moment.

Taking into account the mitigating and aggravating factors he passed a sentence of 24 months, explaining that he would serve half but it would be for the parole board to determine whether he should be released or not, due to the terms of the 2006 sentence.

He also passed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order to deal with the risk of reoffending and community harm Roberts presented.

In October 2006 the Plymouth Herald reported on the sentencing of Roberts, describing how he was a doorman who "used his brawn to overpower two women". The report stated that Roberts, then of Headland Park, North Hill, was convicted by a jury at Plymouth Crown Court of twice raping a woman in his bedsit in May 2005.

He was also found guilty of attempting to rape a prostitute, who escaped after she sprayed him in the face with CS Spray, in August 2005. At the time in 2006, Mr Vere-Hodge jailed Roberts for 12 years, with the order of him serving a minimum of six years. He also placed Roberts on the sex offenders register for life.

Description

A man found guilty of raping a vulnerable teenage girl in a dark alley in Plymouth has been handed an eight-and-a-half-year jail sentence and will be deported after his release from prison.

Mohammed Abdullah, aged 34 and of no fixed address - but who had been staying with his sister in King Street - denied he raped the teen twice at the rear of the House of Fraser building in Plymouth city centre on October 22, 2022. A jury of eight women and four men at Plymouth Crown Court, having heard the evidence against him, instead found him guilty after eight hours of deliberation. Dishonestly denying the offences, he forced his victim to give evidence and relive her ordeal in court.

Prosecutor James Waddington reminded the court that Abdullah, an Algerian national, was caught on CCTV approaching several women during the course of the previous evening and into the early hours of October 22 in the vicinity of the sundial in Armada Way.

One of the women came forward after seeing his picture on PlymouthLive as he appeared at Plymouth Magistrates' court following his arrest, telling police he had asked her where he could find a sex worker. Others were traced by police who said Abdullah had asked them to engage in sexual activity for money, both before and after the rapes.

The victim - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - had been at a nearby hotel after an evening out with her boyfriend. The court heard that she had left the hotel with a bottle of wine and, as she walked through the city in a confused and anxious state, considered staying with a trusted friend instead of at the hotel.

The jury had been shown footage of the girl walking through parts of the city centre, but also of Abdullah who was first seen with another woman he claimed was his "girlfriend" called "Tina". The jury heard he did not mention her during police interviews, only claiming her existence during the trial. During his cross examination he was unable to say where his "girlfriend" lived, her full name or where she worked, only saying she was a "nurse" and they were still getting to know each other.

Abdullah claimed that his victim beckoned to him and that he first walked into the alley because he was afraid she was trying to lure him into a situation where he would be mugged for his phone and 20 he had on him. He also claimed that she began to mention money, grabbed at his penis and pulled it out before putting it in her mouth and 30 seconds later taking it out to ask for more money.

The jury heard Abdullah had told police: "I thought she was a prostitute because of her attire and because she walked past me several times".

When a tracker dog found semen of his in the alley, he claimed that it was there because, after she left the alley he had masturbated. He also claimed that she put the idea of sex into his head which was the reason he then went looking for a sex worker.

The jury accepted the pro

secution's case that Abdullah had told a pack of lies about the entire exchange, questioning the existence of 'Tina' and suggesting it was yet another women he was approaching that night with the aim of having sex.

The jury also heard Abdullah claimed that, in Algeria, he had worked for the Ministry of Education "in the office relating to residency of female students at university" as a chef, until he suffered an accident, injuring his back.

The teenage girl's victim impact statement was read to the court by Mr Waddington in which wrote how she had been greatly affected by the two sexual assaults, leaving her feeling conscious about her appearance when she went out, which she now rarely did.

She also said that she now felt "uncomfortable with having a female body" as she no longer wanted anyone to sexualise any part of it. She added that she no longer trusted men around her and was greatly upset that her horrific experience was now a topic of gossip by others, explaining that she had "no control" over what is said about her, just as she had lost that control over her own body on that night.

She said she did not want to remain in this city to continue her studies, such was the painful reminder of the city centre and what was done to her. She wrote: "I'm struggling to carry on as normal. I fell like all men were capable of doing something like that. I didn't feel this way before the incident."

She wrote how she blamed herself and felt guilt about what had happened, asking that if she had not forgotten her headphones and headed back to the hotel, then she would not have been targeted by Abdullah. She added that she "felt shame" about what happened to her.

She wrote: "I just want to forget it all. It's changed my life completely and I just hope that it hasn't ruined the rest of my life."

Sentencing Abdullah, Judge Peter Johnson rounded on him, noting how he had approached other women not only before the rapes, but even afterwards, such was his appetite. He noted how the 34-year-old pervert had loitered in the area of the Sundial approaching women and asking them for sex or where to direct him to sex workers.

He remarked how he had encountered his victim, who was already in an "extremely distressed state". He said he rejected his claim of being misunderstood when he approached women to ask for sex after he had raped his victim and then masturbated in the alley.

He noted Abdullah's claim that the girl had suggested sex in exchange for money and pulled him into the alley. Judge Johnson said: "Anyone who knows the the full story and had watched the CCTV will know that your assertions were preposterous and simply a futile attempt to evade justice".

Judge Johnson also remarked on the "enormous and enduring effect" Abdullah's crimes had had on his teenage victim, leaving her feeling ashamed, before he forcefully told the 34-year-old "she has nothing to be ashamed about. You and only you are responsible for what happened that night."

He said he noted the pre-sentence report, in which Abdullah still denied he did anything wrong adding that he "still maintain that ludicrous account of her propositioning you. In short there is no remorse".

Taking into account the sentencing guidelines as well as the aggravating and mitigating factors, Judge Johnson said he would pass a sentence of eight-and-a-half years, accepting that he had spent the equivalent of 194 days in custody to count towards his term. He told Abdullah he would be released at the two-third stage and would be liable to be deported on his release - effectively after five years and eight months.

He added that Abdullah he would be placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely and also be subject to the Disclosure and Barring Service - however academic a legal exercise this would be - banning him from ever working with vulnerable adults and children ever again.

Detective Chief Inspector Darren Roach said: "This was a particularly disturbing crime which has had a profound impact on the victim and had heightened community tensions within the city centre and night time economy.

"Responding immediately, officers were able to identify the scene and secure forensic evidence. Following fast-track enquiries and a proactive manhunt, the offender was located within hours of the offence, despite his identity being unknown at the time.

"The victim has shown incredible bravery and resilience and I commend her and her family for the strength they have shown throughout the investigation and court process.

"Women and girls should be free to walk the streets without fear for their safety. Its for that reason that violence against women and girls remains a top priority for the Force and we will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to ensure this.

"Id also like to thank the Crown Prosecution Service and the officer in the case for their diligence in securing and presenting the evidence in a uniquely complex case, with many witnesses being brought to give evidence at trial.

"Whilst the impact will be long lasting, I hope that todays sentence offers a degree of reassurance and justice to the victim."

Description

A Plymouth man who filmed himself attacking and raping a woman has been jailed. Jamie Baker, 38, of no fixed abode, appeared at Plymouth Crown Court on Friday, June 28, where he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

The court heard how Baker was convicted on June 6 of two counts of rape and one of false imprisonment following a trial. During the trial, the jury was told how, in May last year, Baker had called the victim, who was known to him, and demanded that she go and see him at a property in Plymouth, falsely claiming that she had stolen from him.

Baker, who the jury had been told had taken cocaine, shut her in a room and blocked the door with a chair, jamming the handle with a DVD player and barricading the door so she could not escape and no-one else could enter. He dragged her around the room by her hair, before pushing her face down on a sofa, putting his knee into her back and then tied her hands behind her back with a tea towel.

He continued the attack despite her pleading with him to stop. The jury heard that he was wearing gloves at the time and put loud music on to drown out his victim's cries and screams. He then slapped her face, pushed her around and then shoved her over another chair, raping her twice.

The court heard the woman was crying and begging him to stop, whereupon he told her "f***ing shut up". She was left in agony and bleeding from her painful ordeal. He then pushed her onto the sofa and, as prosecutors explained, sought to "humiliate" her by ejaculating onto her face.

Only afterwards did he reveal to her that he had filmed the entire attack and the rapes on his phone, showing her the footage when she disbelieved him. Baker denied all the offences, but was found guilty of two counts of rape and one of false imprisonment and not guilty of 16 offences other against the same victim.

The lead investigator in the case, Detective Constable Kate Dure, read the victim impact statement to the court, where the woman explained that it had taken her "almost a year to be able to say out loud or even to read it or write". She wrote how even thinking about it still made her "feel sick".

She said she struggled to put into words the "hurt, the anger and the guilt" she felt every day and that her life had "changed completely and I can't even explain how".

Addressing Baker, she wrote: "What you have done to me is soul-destroying. You have caused me severe psychological damage."

She said she has been left having "nightmares and panic attacks" and felt that she was "a failure" as "a woman".

The court heard that Baker had previous convictions for football-related violence, aggravated burglary and drug dealing.

Judge Peter Johnson told Baker that his pre-sentence report revealed that he still denied the offence, claiming that it was consensual. He said the effect on his victim was clear from her victim impact statement. 

Judge Johnson told Baker he would be jailed for 12 years for the rapes, to run concurrently, and two years for the false imprisonment, also to run concurrently. He said he would serve two-thirds of the sentence before he was released on licence. Judge Johnson said Baker would also be subject of a indefinite restraining order meaning he can never contact his victim again.

DC Dure, from the Sexual Offences Investigation Team, said: "First and foremost I want to praise the bravery of the victim for coming forward to report such a vicious and heinous crime and for supporting the police investigation. We welcome the sentence passed by the judge and I hope the outcome today gives others the courage to come forward and report offences to us. We will listen and you will be heard."