Latest Offenders Plymouth

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 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."

Description

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.

Description

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 man who attempted to incite a teenager into a sexual act when she was a passenger in his taxi has been given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Dale Purchase, aged 29, of Townshend Avenue in Plymouth, appeared before Plymouth Magistrates Court on Monday 4 December after being found guilty of Harassment on Friday, November 3.

The offences took place on January 12, 2023, where, across two separate taxi journeys, Purchase repeatedly made inappropriate and sexualized comments towards the teenager by asking her to touch his genitals and making sexual advances toward her.

Purchase was given an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for 24 months, and received a restraining order banning him on contacting the victim.

Sergeant Tom Ottley said: We take the fear of violence against women and girls very seriously and work tirelessly to ensure we are bringing people to justice while safeguarding victims.

Despite this case not being a typical incident of harassment, the importance of women and girls feeling safe in our society cannot, and should not, be understated.

I would like to commend the victim for her engagement with our officers, who have been tenacious in their pursuit of justice.

The Sexual Harm Protection Order comes with a number of stringent prohibitions, which are aimed to prevent further offending and protect vulnerable people from harm. This is further proof that Devon & Cornwall Police will use all available measures to safeguard our communities and protect the vulnerable.

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."

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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".