CASEY COOKE SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES IN PLYMOUTH
In October 2017, a disturbing case involving a teenage offender from Plymouth culminated in a significant prison sentence after he admitted to multiple serious sexual offences against young children.The defendant, Casey Cooke, aged 14 at the time, was found guilty of raping a six-year-old boy and sexually abusing a two-year-old toddler, crimes that have profoundly impacted the victims and their families.
Casey Cooke appeared in Plymouth Crown Court flanked by his grandparents, with his legal representative present as the case was detailed by Crown Prosecutor Jo Martin.
The court was informed that Cooke had previously pleaded guilty to five charges—four counts of causing or inciting a child into sexual activity and one count of rape.
These offences spanned over several incidents, each more disturbing than the last.
The first incident, which took place on March 1 of that year, involved Cooke being left alone with a two-year-old boy at a property in Plymouth.
The toddler’s mother returned to the room to find her young son with his private parts exposed, appearing sore and red.
It was during this time that Cooke, who was only 13 years old then, was discovered to have been bragging at school about performing an indecent act on the toddler.
Police were called to the scene, and Cooke was interviewed, during which he made a full admission of his actions.
Initially, authorities, including the NSPCC, social workers, his school, and the Plymouth Youth Offending Team, considered a police caution to be the most appropriate response, given the circumstances.
Judge Ian Lawrie QC acknowledged that, at first glance, this decision might seem reasonable, especially considering the age of the offender and the context of the incident.
However, the victim’s parents were not satisfied with this approach and expressed their concerns.
Further investigations revealed additional troubling conduct.
On May 1, Cooke committed a burglary at a school, stealing a set of keys.
He admitted to this theft during police interviews and subsequently received a referral order in youth court on July 27.
The investigation uncovered yet another serious offence on August 6, when Cooke, now 14, went on a trip with the six-year-old’s extended family and other children.
During this outing, he took the young boy to a toilet cubicle and performed two indecent acts upon him.
Afterward, Cooke told the boy he was “a good boy” and warned him not to tell anyone about what had happened.
The following day, social workers interviewed Cooke about the earlier incident involving the two-year-old.
During this interview, he did not disclose any information about the assault on the younger child, indicating a pattern of concealment.
The situation escalated in August when, during another outing with the same group, Cooke was caught in the act of raping the six-year-old boy.
An adult accompanying the children heard screams and found the young boy pinned against a wall, with Cooke’s hand over his mouth.
The adult managed to intervene, kicking Cooke off the victim, who was visibly very upset.
The six-year-old later confided that Cooke had also performed an indecent act on him prior to the rape, and he had been urged to keep quiet about the incidents.
The young boy was taken to hospital, where he received treatment.
While physically recovering, the mental trauma was evident, and the court heard that the incident had a devastating impact on his mental health.
Cooke was arrested and made full admissions, expressing remorse by stating he felt “very sad about what he had done.” The mother of the two-year-old victim described the incident as having an “immense impact” on her family, likening their experience to “living in a nightmare.” She expressed her distress and anger over how the case was initially handled, criticizing the decision to offer a caution instead of more severe action.
She also voiced her concern about her child’s safety, stating she no longer felt comfortable leaving her toddler in the presence of other children.
The mother of the six-year-old also spoke out, saying that her son’s life had been “destroyed” by the offences.
She expressed her fears about his long-term well-being, noting that he now struggles emotionally and has “gone off the rails” since the incident.
She shared that her son, despite his young age, understood what had happened and told her, “I know [teen] only hurts me because I was little.” During sentencing, Judge Ian Lawrie QC highlighted the aggravating factors, including Cooke’s efforts to silence the six-year-old during the assault, his failure to disclose further offences, and his ongoing pattern of offending.
The judge acknowledged the disturbing nature of the crimes, including Cooke’s attempts to isolate the young victim from others, which must have been terrifying for him.
Addressing Cooke directly, the judge stated that he had “little hesitation that you are dangerous,” aligning with the Youth Offending Team’s conclusions.
The sentencing guidelines for such offences, typically ranging from 11 to 17 years for an adult, were adjusted for a juvenile offender.
Considering the severity of the offences and the circumstances, the starting point was set at 15 years, but this was reduced to six years six months after accounting for mitigating factors and early guilty pleas.
The final sentence was set at four years and three months, with the possibility of parole after that period, contingent on assessments of his safety.
Additionally, Cooke was sentenced to an extended period of supervision, with a five-year extension, meaning he would be on licence for a total of nine years and three months from the date of sentencing.
He was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order until further notice.
The court ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £30.
As the judge concluded the proceedings, he addressed Cooke in the dock, saying, “[teen], I’m sorry, you’ve got to go with the gentlemen,” before officers approached to take him into custody.
The case has left a lasting scar on the victims’ families and serves as a stark reminder of the importance of appropriate intervention and justice in cases of child sexual abuse.
