DALE HEWITT'S CRIMES IN PLYMOUTH: PREDATORY PAEDOPHILE SENTENCED AFTER SOCIAL MEDIA BREACHES
In May 2022, a disturbing case emerged involving Dale Hewitt, a man with a long history of sexual offenses against minors in Plymouth.Hewitt, who had previously served time for grooming underage girls and engaging in sexual acts with them, was once again at the center of legal proceedings after breaching court orders designed to protect vulnerable victims.
Hewitt, aged 31 and formerly residing in Camborne, appeared via video link from HMP Ashfield at Truro Crown Court to face charges related to violations of a strict sexual harm prevention order.
This order had been imposed on him following his earlier convictions, which included grooming minors, supplying drugs to underage girls, and engaging in sexual activities with them.
The order explicitly prohibited Hewitt from creating or maintaining social media accounts without prior approval from law enforcement authorities.
The court was informed that Hewitt had been released early from prison on license but had immediately violated the terms of his release.
In February of the previous year, police officer Mike Friday initiated inquiries with Instagram after discovering two profiles linked to Hewitt, both of which displayed his photograph.
These profiles were believed to be created and operated by Hewitt himself, using a phone associated with his identity.
The profiles remained active for several months, raising serious concerns about his compliance with the court’s restrictions.
Following the discovery, police officers visited Hewitt’s workplace and seized a device that was linked to the social media accounts.
This evidence led to Hewitt being recalled to prison.
The investigation confirmed that Hewitt had set up the Instagram profiles shortly after his release, in direct violation of the court order.
The judge presiding over the case, Judge Carr, described Hewitt as “a predatory paedophile” and emphasized the gravity of his actions, noting that the accounts had been active for several months, which demonstrated a deliberate and persistent breach of the court’s restrictions.
The judge condemned the offending as “extremely worrying” and handed Hewitt a sentence of two and a half years in prison.
Hewitt’s criminal history in Plymouth is extensive.
In July 2017, he was sentenced to ten years after being convicted of sexually abusing underage girls.
During that period, he also wrote a letter to one of his victims from prison, which led to an extension of his sentence.
The mother of one of the girls, who was driven to self-harm and suicidal thoughts, publicly condemned Hewitt, calling him “low-life scum.” Hewitt, then 27 and residing in Marlborough Street, Devonport, had pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including sexual activity with two schoolgirls aged 13 and 14, whom he had supplied with drugs such as mephedrone and cannabis.
He also handled weapons, including knives, in front of the victims.
During the trial, the court heard that Hewitt’s victims did not know each other, but all had been manipulated and exploited by him.
One girl, who was only 14 at the time, later attempted to take her own life, and her mother expressed outrage at the delays in justice, stating that her daughter was still suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and was on medication.
The mother criticized the legal system for its handling of cases involving young victims and expressed her frustration that Hewitt was released on bail shortly before sentencing, which she believed sent a wrong message about the safety of the community.
Further allegations revealed that Hewitt had engaged in sexual activities with another girl, aged 13, between December 2014 and February 2015, and with a different girl between April and December 2014.
Hewitt admitted to supplying drugs and becoming aggressive after using substances himself, although he denied other charges of rape and attempted rape.
The court also heard that Hewitt displayed weapons during interactions with the victims, including two knives and a sword, and that he had threatened them with a BB gun on separate occasions.
Despite the severity of these offenses, Hewitt was released on bail for a month before his sentencing, a decision that drew criticism from the victims’ families.
The court acknowledged that the starting point for the most serious charges could have resulted in a five-year prison sentence, but Hewitt’s pleas and cooperation led to a reduced sentence.
Hewitt’s earliest possible release date remains in four years, but his current sentence for breaching the sexual harm prevention order is two and a half years.
In addition to his sexual offenses, Hewitt was convicted in February of abducting a 14-year-old girl found at his flat.
The girl, who had previously run away from home and attempted self-harm, was discovered after neighbors reported hearing a violent argument.
Hewitt claimed she had come to use the shower, and police found her in the house along with female clothing and toiletries.
Hewitt’s actions in this case further demonstrated his pattern of manipulative and predatory behavior, which continues to impact the victims and their families in Plymouth.
