BRADLEY DAINES-DEGROOT SHOCKS DAWLISH WITH SEXUAL OFFENSES AT OAKCLIFF CARAVAN PARK

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the seaside town of Dawlish, Bradley Daines-Degroot, a young man with a history of learning difficulties, was convicted of heinous sexual offenses involving two young boys at the Oakcliff Caravan Park. The incidents, which spanned several years, involved the assault of two boys aged seven and 12, who were entrusted to his care during their holiday stay.

According to court proceedings, Daines-Degroot lured the victims into a wooded area near the holiday park after initially taking them to a play zone and an aviary within the park grounds. Once in the secluded woodland, he forcibly removed their trousers and subjected them to sexual assault. The victims, who were unable to speak out at the time due to threats from Daines-Degroot, only disclosed the abuse after one of them confided in his parents. The case only came to light because of this disclosure, leading to a police investigation and subsequent trial.

Throughout the five-day trial held in April at Exeter Crown Court, Daines-Degroot, now aged 20 and residing at Devon View, Dawlish, maintained his innocence. He denied all four counts of raping a child under 13, asserting that he had never been alone with either boy in the woods and that he was always within sight of other tourists and park visitors. His defense highlighted his autism and the presence of a psychologist in the courtroom, emphasizing his developmental challenges and arguing that these factors contributed to his immature behavior at the time of the offenses.

Despite his claims, the jury found him guilty of the charges. Judge Jeremy Griggs sentenced Daines-Degroot to seven and a half years in prison, citing the seriousness of the offenses and the breach of trust involved. The judge expressed particular concern over the deliberate isolation of the victims, noting that Daines-Degroot took opportunities to remove the boys from the presence of others to commit the assaults. Judge Griggs also referenced the impact statements from the victims and their mother, emphasizing the emotional and psychological harm inflicted.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Griggs stated, “This was serious offending continuing over a number of years when the defendant himself was a teenager. I am satisfied he lacked the maturity to appreciate the seriousness of what he was doing. There was an abuse of the trust placed in him by the parents, who believed their children were safe while under his care. The evidence showed he took the opportunity to take one or both of the boys off on their own to commit these offences.”

During the trial, Daines-Degroot claimed that he had never been alone with the boys in the woods and insisted he was always within sight of other people, including tourists staying in caravans nearby. He stated, “I never did anything to hurt either of the boys. I never heard either of them crying. I never asked them to take their trousers down or to sit on my knee. I did not go into the woods with them. I went into the woods on my own and with other people but never with either of the boys.”

His defense lawyer, Mr. David Evans, highlighted Daines-Degroot’s learning difficulties and personality disorder, suggesting that these factors contributed to his immaturity at the time. The court adjourned sentencing to allow for a probation report and for the defense to present evidence from a psychologist regarding Daines-Degroot’s condition and how it might influence his behavior in prison. The judge ordered Daines-Degroot to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register immediately and warned him that a custodial sentence was inevitable, adding, “You will appreciate the sentence in this case is inevitable.”