East Devon man jailed for child sexual abuse
Report by Duncan Williams for Pulman's Weekly News
An East Devon man has been sentenced to more than two years in prison after being found guilty of sexually abusing a child.
David Fuller, aged 64, of Church Lane, Broadclyst, was convicted of two counts of sexual activity with a child following a trial at Exeter Crown Court. He was sentenced on Wednesday, 18th June, to two years and three months in custody. In addition to his prison sentence, Fuller has been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for ten years and is subject to a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
The court heard that the offences took place in 2023 and came to light when the young victim confided in her mother. She showed her a digital diary entry stored on her phone which detailed the abuse.
The girl revealed that Fuller had bought her gifts, including jewellery, in an attempt to persuade her to keep the abuse secret. He also instructed her to hide the items at home.
Police later found a receipt for a recent jewellery purchase in Fuller’s wallet when he was arrested.
During interviews, he admitted to buying the child gifts but denied any sexual contact. He was acquitted of one charge of sexual assault by penetration involving the same victim.
Detective Constable Megan Singleton, who led the investigation, said: “It was through the victim in this case bravely telling her mother what David Fuller did to her, and that information in turn being reported to us, that we were able to bring him to justice.”
She added: “Fuller continued to deny any sexual offending took place despite overwhelming evidence against him, forcing the victim to give evidence at trial.
“We hope the victim and her family are now able to start moving on with their lives knowing that he has been convicted and sentenced.
“We take all allegations of sexual abuse seriously and will investigate any reports made to us, no matter when the abuse took place.”
Police have encouraged anyone affected by similar offences to report abuse, whether historic or recent. Support is available from a number of services across Devon and Cornwall. Victims can call the police on 101, or 999 in an emergency. Reports can also be made anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The charity Stop It Now offers confidential advice for anyone concerned about child sexual abuse, including those worried about their own behaviour.
Further information and support can be found at victimcare-dc.org or by calling Victim Support on 08 08 16 89 111.
( Photo: Devon and Cornwall Police 📸 )