DAVID HARBOR'S HORRIFIC CRIMES IN EXETER AND LITTLEHAMPTON: LIFE SENTENCE FOR SERIAL RAPE OFFENSES

In December 2016, a man named David Harber, aged 46, was sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of a series of heinous sexual offenses that spanned over two decades. Harber, who previously resided in Newton Abbot and later in Bexhill-on-Sea, was found guilty of raping four women, including a 14-year-old girl, and coercing a vulnerable 21-year-old male with learning disabilities into participating in degrading sexual acts. His criminal activities were committed across various locations, including Exeter, Littlehampton, Honiton, and Sussex, revealing a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior.

Harber’s victims ranged from a young teenage girl to an elderly arthritis patient who was hospitalized at the time of her assault. The court heard that he had a deeply misogynistic attitude, viewing women as objects to be controlled and used for his sexual gratification. His manipulative tactics included grooming victims with drugs such as cannabis and amphetamines, often forcing them to engage in sex with his friends or associates. The male victim, who had significant learning difficulties, was kept as a virtual slave, with Harber attempting to choke him when he resisted, illustrating the extreme violence and control he exerted.

Harber’s criminal history included an earlier conviction for underage sex, which he had committed around 2002. Despite this, he continued to abuse and dominate women, escalating his control and violence over the years. His first known victim was met in approximately 2002, and subsequent victims included a teenage babysitter and a woman suffering from arthritis. The babysitter, whom he groomed from the age of 14, was subjected to over 50 instances of abuse before she turned 16, which resulted in her becoming pregnant and later having an abortion. Harber’s assaults on her included forcing her to have anal sex on her 18th birthday and repeatedly abusing her, even while she was hospitalized for her arthritic condition.

Further victims were subjected to similar grooming and abuse, with Harber using drugs to manipulate them into compliance. He also used rape as a form of punishment and control, enforcing his dominance through violent means. His final known victim was encountered at a hostel after his release from prison for an arson attack, in which he set fire to his council flat in an attempt to secure better housing. Throughout his trial at Exeter Crown Court, the jury heard detailed accounts of his crimes, which included 30 counts of rape, seven counts of inciting others to rape, one count of assault causing actual bodily harm, and two counts of sexual activity with a minor.

Judge Erik Salomonsen sentenced Harber to a minimum term of 14 years in February, but the case was not publicly reported until a Contempt of Court Order was lifted following the acquittal of a related defendant. The judge described Harber’s behavior as controlling and misogynistic, emphasizing the lasting psychological damage inflicted on his victims. He stated, “There are a number of common themes in relation to the four female victims, three of whom were specifically vulnerable. You became ever more controlling and your sexual demands more frequent and in the cases of anal sex, always unacceptable. I have seen all the victim impact statements. They have all suffered depression and psychological damage. They will all suffer the consequences for years to come.”

Harber’s actions have left a trail of trauma and suffering, with victims enduring depression and long-term psychological scars. His case highlights the dangers of predatory behavior and the importance of vigilance in protecting vulnerable individuals from exploitation and abuse.