ANTHONY DAVIES FROM PLYMOUTH SENTENCED FOR REPEATED SEX OFFENCES INVOLVING SCHOOLGIRLS AND CHILDREN

In February 2021, a notorious sex offender from Plymouth, Anthony Davies, was handed a nine-year prison sentence after a series of disturbing crimes involving the grooming and exploitation of underage girls. The court heard that Davies, aged 33, had engaged in online manipulation, posing as a teenage boy on social media platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram to lure three young girls aged 12 and 13. His actions included persuading them to perform sexual acts, engaging in sex chats, and encouraging indecent exposure, including posing in bikinis.

Throughout the proceedings at Plymouth Crown Court, it was revealed that Davies had a long history of viewing indecent images of children, a behavior that had persisted since his teenage years. His criminal record is marked by multiple breaches of court orders designed to restrict his access to children and prevent further offending. The court was told that Davies had repeatedly violated these orders, which included bans on contacting minors without parental consent and restrictions on possessing internet-enabled devices.

Judge Robert Linford described Davies as a “very dangerous man,” emphasizing that his abusive conduct only ceased when vigilant parents became suspicious and intervened. The judge highlighted the profound impact on the victims, citing personal statements from the parents that expressed devastation and distress. One parent noted that their child had been referred to a counselor, and another victim was falsely led to believe that Davies had attempted to take his own life, blaming her for his actions.

Davies was convicted of four counts of inciting a child into sexual activity and four counts of breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) on various dates spanning from October 2016 to November 2020. His sentencing was extended as a dangerous offender, with the court ruling that he would serve only two-thirds of his nine-year term before being eligible for parole, subject to approval by the parole board. Additionally, Davies will remain on license for 13 years, under police and probation supervision.

His criminal history is extensive, including a previous conviction in 2007 when he was jailed as a teenager for 18 months for grooming children and possessing over 1,200 indecent images. He was again imprisoned in 2014 for two years and eight months for breaching his SOPO and possessing more than 100 indecent images. His pattern of offending demonstrates a persistent and escalating threat to children.

In January 2021, Davies appeared via videolink at Plymouth Crown Court to admit to eight offences, including persuading a 12-year-old girl to engage in sexual chat, send indecent images, and perform a sex act. The court was informed that he had also breached a court order by befriending children and using internet-capable devices. Judge James Townsend adjourned sentencing until February 22 to allow for a probation assessment, which could influence the severity of his future sentence based on his dangerousness.

His criminal record includes a previous conviction in 2007, when he was jailed for 18 months for possessing 1,200 indecent images of children, and again in 2014 for breaching his SOPO and possessing more than 100 indecent images.

In April 2014, Davies was again in court after police found him with over 100 indecent images, breaching his SOPO, which prohibited him from using peer-to-peer file-sharing software. Despite this, he had installed such software on his computer, demonstrating a blatant disregard for court orders. Judge Paul Darlow sentenced him to two years for the indecent images and an additional eight months for breaching the SOPO, totaling two years and eight months in prison.

Earlier, in November 2009, Davies, then aged 21, was sent back to prison after admitting to luring a young girl into a bedroom. He had previously been jailed at 19 for 18 months for possessing indecent images and was on the sex offenders’ register for ten years. Despite this, he breached his order by inviting children into his mother’s house to look at a pet snake, which led to a new 12-month suspended sentence.

His history also includes a controversial case in 2007 when Judge Francis Gilbert QC refused to jail him for breaching his SOPO, arguing that “being a danger isn’t an offence,” a decision widely criticized by child welfare advocates. Davies had been caught with 1,200 indecent images at that time and had persuaded children to go on fishing trips without parental consent. His repeated breaches and the court’s leniency have raised concerns about the adequacy of the legal measures taken to protect children from his predatory behavior.