Latest Offenders Plymouth

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Steven Joyce preyed on four vulnerable boys when he should have been looking after them A twisted pensioner who serially abused boys at a north Devon boarding school in the 1980s had his too soft sentence doubled by senior judges today. Steven John Joyce, 66, preyed on four vulnerable schoolboys when he should have been guarding their welfare, London's Appeal Court heard. He cynically groomed the youngsters by giving them sweets and chocolate eggs, and encouraged them to think of him as a father figure. Joyce's job at the school was to act as "house-parent" with special responsibility for the pupils' pastoral care. One victim claimed Joyce had "ruined his life", Lord Justice Davis told the court. Another told how Joyce regularly took him out of his dormitory at night to abuse him. Joyce, of Erme Drive in Ivybridge, faced investigations in 1991 and 2011, but it was only in May last year that he was finally brought to book. He was handed a sentence of seven years and two months after admitting a string of sex crimes - including 11 indecent assaults and two attempts at buggery. But his case reached the Appeal Courtas lawyers for the Solicitor General, Robert Buckland QC, called for a much tougher sentence. Lord Justice Davis ruled that the sentence was "far, far too low" - and doubled it to 14 years and four months. Joyce's own lawyers conceded that his sentence was "low", but insisted it was "not unduly lenient". Lord Justice Davis, sitting with Mr Justice Stuart-Smith and Mr Justice Soole, took account of Joyce's age and poor health. But he ruled: "With all due respect to the judge, we have no doubt at all that this sentence was unduly lenient."

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A Plymouth rapist has failed to convince top judges that his convictions were unsafe and he should be set free.

Daniel Perkins, of North Road East, Mutley, was caged for eight years at Plymouth Crown Court on July 11 last year for for raping a fellow university student who was so drunk she was drifting in and out of consciousness.

As reported by The Herald, the court heard how 32-year-old Perkins walked the woman home and took advantage of her after she had collapsed on her bed.

Callous Perkins called her a “baby” when she complained of the pain and even asked her whether she enjoyed it after he had finished.

She was so traumatised she needed medication for anxiety and depression and felt she had to leave her course at Plymouth University.

Perkins' defence at trial was that she had fully consented and was a willing participant in all the sexual activity.

But it was Perkins who the jury disbelieved.

The case - which resulted in a jury convicting Perkins on all three counts of rape after a week-long trial - was examined again at London's Appeal Court yesterday.

Lawyers for Perkins, of previous good character, yesterday argued in court that the guilty verdicts were fatally flawed.

Key witness evidence undermined his defence and should never have gone before the jury, they argued.

But Lord Justice Hamblen said the Crown Court judge was 'entitled to conclude that the evidence was relevant to an important matter and was admissible'.

There was, in any event, 'substantial evidence on which the jury could be sure of his guilt', he concluded.

"For all these reasons, the renewed application for permission to appeal must be dismissed."

Perkins raped the woman three times after a night out at Club Envy, Plymouth Crown Court heard in July last year.

He had denied the offences, saying she was not badly drunk and had consented to sex on the night.

But a jury convicted him on all three counts after a week-long trial.

Sentencing him to eight years in prison, Judge Paul Darlow told Perkins: “She was clearly vulnerable, unable to resist. She was drunk and in and out of consciousness.

“When she could she made it clear to you that she did not consent to what was happening. The fact that you were under the influence of alcohol is another exacerbating factor.

“This happened in her own room, the very place where she is entitled to feel safest.”

Perkins shook as he was being sentenced. He mouthed words to supporters as he was taken away in handcuffs.

The woman had earlier told the court Perkins had walked her home and she had let him into her city flat to use the bathroom. She said she collapsed drunkenly on to her bed fully-clothed. But Perkins stripped her and had sex with her.

She said she was in pain while he had sex with her, but Perkins called her a “baby”. She added that he “talked dirty” to her, which made her feel “horrible”.

The woman said after he finished the defendant asked whether she had “liked it”.

Helen Hope, for the Crown Prosecution Service, read two statements from the victim – the second taken after the guilty verdicts.

She said the woman had suffered anxiety and depression and had to take medication which had affected her sleep and appetite.

The woman added she felt she had to leave Plymouth University and continue her studies in another part of the country. She had to start her degree all over again.

The victim said in the second statement: “I am not sure ultimately how I feel. Relieved or glad that it was not all for nothing? The investigation was traumatic.

Jason Beal, for Perkins, said the defendant had not “set up” the situation but taken advantage of the student’s drunkenness.

He added his university career was terminated as a result of the allegations.

Mr Beal said the defendant, who used to work at Pizza Hut, had no previous police cautions nor convictions.

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'Dangerous' fugitive Air Training Corps sergeant jailed for abusing three girl cadets James Reading went on the run two-and-a-half years ago when he was facing serious allegations of sexual assault on three different young members of his troop A fugitive Air Training Corps sergeant is starting a ten year jail sentence for abusing girl cadets after being caught and brought to justice. James Reading went on the run two-and-a-half years ago when he was facing serious allegations of sexual assault on three different young members of his troop. He was found guilty and jailed in his absence for ten years in December 2012. Police alerted Interpol and launched an international manhunt but in the end Reading was arrested in Bicester, Oxfordshire on Tuesday of this week. He was brought to Exeter Crown Court in custody to face a charge of absconding and his case was adjourned until next month to allow him to get legal representation. Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, ordered he appear before Judge Erik Salomonsen, who passed the original sentence, and warned him he could receive up to 12 months extra in jail. Reading was the sergeant in charge of the ATC at Okehampton, North Devon, where he organised parties and sleepovers. He assaulted one young victim after telling her she may be promoted if she went on night exercises with him and another on the eve of a Remembrance Day parade. He plied his victims with alcohol at the unofficial parties at the ATC hut where he hid his activities by putting bin bags over the windows as makeshift curtains. The sergeant invited boys to the parties but sent them on errands or into different rooms while he was carrying out his attacks. He offered one girl 50 to touch her chest and was caught red handed when one female cadet burst into the hut's kitchen to find him with a topless, terrified and hysterical 14-year-old. Reading, aged 37, of Knighton Road, Plymouth, denied eight offences of sexual activity with a child or inciting a child to take part in sexual activity but was found guilty in his absence by a jury at Exeter in December 2012. The offences related to a 14-year-old and two 15-year-olds. At the end of his trial Judge Erik Salomonsen said:"The ATC fulfils and important role in the community and parents must know they can rely on them to look after their children. "It goes without saying this applies to their moral as well as their physical welfare and the highest standards should have been adhered to in relation to alcohol and the separation of the sexes during overnight activities.

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A PAEDOPHILE rapist who repeatedly assaulted two young girls has been jailed for 16 years.

Winchester Crown Court heard last week that one of the victims was only nine when Stewart Thomas McDevitt, 50, began abusing her.

McDevitt, from Amesbury, denied the abuse when he was arrested in March last year but was found guilty of eight counts of indecent assault and two of rape by a jury sitting at Portsmouth Crown Court following a one-week trial starting on July 2.

He was cleared of a further three counts of indecent assault.

Speaking after the sentencing, DC Darren Ambrose of Wiltshire Police said: McDevitt preyed on two innocent girls, which had a long-lasting and devastating effect on them.

They have shown great courage in coming forward and speaking to police and we hope that this case will encourage any other victims of sexual abuse to report it.

McDevitt has continued to deny any involvement but the jury found him guilty and the prison sentence imposed today reflects the vile nature of his crime.

McDevitt, now of Barne Barton, Plymouth, was also made subject to a sexual offences prevention order.

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Jason Elton John Waller, 33, was convicted in 2000 of indecent assaults against three children and sentenced to three years in prison.

But he went on the run from his home in Plymouth in March this year.

Today Waller was placed on the Most Wanted website run by the UK's Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) as Devon and Cornwall Police attempted to track him down.

Detective Superintendent John Clements, head of public protection at the force, said: "By going missing the risk that Waller poses to children is increased.

"So far we have done our level best to find him through conventional police means and now we want to extend our hunt for him and are using the power of the internet to do just that."

Waller, who lived in Basingstoke two years ago at no fixed address, is known to live a nomadic lifestyle that has taken him to a number of towns and cities in England and Wales.

He is described as white, 5ft 8in, overweight, with short brown receding hair and speaks with a West Country accent. He has previously had a moustache and beard.

Waller is wanted for failure to comply with notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

CEOP chief executive Jim Gamble said that since the Most Wanted website was launched three years ago, 14 out of 17 offenders posted on the site have been located.

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A paedophile who boasted of beating his own "record" of sexually abusing 142 boys in a year, has been given a life sentence at Plymouth Crown Court.

William Goad, 60, of Ford Park Road, Plymouth, was described in court as a "voracious, calculating, predatory and violent" paedophile.

Goad had pleaded guilty to 14 specimen counts of serious sexual assault and two counts of indecent assault.

The first count of abuse admitted by Goad took place in 1965.

Goad also received a concurrent 12-month sentence for obtaining a passport by deception in 1998.

"It is believed there has been no single defendant with more victims that this man" Martin Meeke QC.

He had admitted obtaining a passport by deception "with a view to escaping from this country and escaping the consequences of what he had done", the court was told.

Martin Meeke QC, prosecuting, said Goad groomed his victims by offering them well-paid jobs in his shop and inviting them back to his home.

The court was told he once boasted of beating his own "record" of sexually abusing 142 boys in one year - a claim denied by the defendant.

Mr Meeke said Goad abused some of his victims three to four times a week for two to three years.

He said: "Goad has been a voracious, calculating, predatory and violent paedophile for 40 years.

"It is believed there has been no single defendant with more victims than this man."

'Life means life'

Goad claimed he had himself been sexually abused at school, but he refused to help a police investigation into the allegations.

Passing sentence, Judge William Taylor said Goad was a "dangerous paedophile".

He gave Goad credit for pleading guilty to the offences at an earlier hearing in September, but said he was in no doubt that Goad posed an ongoing serious danger to young men.

Judge Taylor said: "I make it as plain as I can that you will not be released until the authorities are perfectly satisfied that you no longer pose any threat to anyone.

"It may well mean in your case life will mean just that."

The hearing was regularly punctuated with angry shouts from the public gallery, which was packed with Goad's victims and their families.