GEORGE FRY PENSANCE AND PLYMOUTH SEX OFFENDER JAILED FOR ABUSE OF THREE GIRLS OVER TWO DECADES
| Red Rose Database
Plymouth Penzance Rapist
In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Penzance and Plymouth, George Fry, a 72-year-old former musician, has been sentenced to ten years in prison after being convicted of multiple counts of indecent assault and attempted indecent assault spanning more than twenty years. The court heard that Fry, who was active as a professional singer and guitarist with the band Wild Country in Plymouth during the 1980s and 1990s, committed these heinous acts against three young girls between 1982 and 2002.
One of the victims, who was between the ages of 11 and 17 at the time, estimated that she was subjected to abuse two or three times each month during her adolescence. She only came forward in 2013, prompted by her efforts to train for a professional career, which unexpectedly resurfaced painful memories from her past. Following her disclosure, law enforcement authorities traced two additional victims, each of whom recounted similar experiences of abuse at the hands of Fry.
One of these women revealed that Fry had repeatedly touched her while she was in bed, often pretending to be asleep and trying to block out the distressing incidents. Another victim confided that she had told her mother about the abuse, only to be dismissed with the explanation that she was experiencing a 'bad dream.' These testimonies painted a harrowing picture of Fry’s long-standing pattern of predatory behavior.
During the sentencing hearing, Fry’s defense attorney, Kelly Scrivener, sought to mitigate his actions by highlighting his difficult early life. She described how Fry’s childhood was marked by trauma, including his mother abandoning him and his siblings, leaving them to fend for themselves until social services intervened a year later. From ages nine to fourteen, Fry was placed in the care of his grandparents. Additionally, Scrivener pointed out that Fry faced racism growing up in Cornwall because his grandmother was Black. She also noted that Fry had struggled to find employment in Cornwall, which led him to relocate to Plymouth, where he eventually pursued a career in music.
Despite these mitigating factors, the court was presented with compelling and distressing evidence. Recorder Martin Meeke QC described the victims’ testimonies as “heart-rending” and acknowledged the difficulty they faced in recounting their experiences. The judge criticized Fry for showing no remorse or emotion during the proceedings, characterizing his initial pleas of innocence as a “selfish and cold-hearted attempt to avoid conviction.”
In his detailed judgment, Recorder Meeke emphasized that Fry’s childhood hardships likely influenced his behavior but did not excuse his actions. He described the offenses as a “campaign of sexual offending and degradation” against vulnerable young girls. The court noted that Fry’s crimes, committed between 1982 and 2002, would be classified under the 2003 Sexual Offences Act as oral rape of a child under 13, a crime considered particularly heinous.
Fry was sentenced to a total of ten years in prison. The sentence was structured with five years and two years for the offenses against the first girl, to run consecutively, followed by an additional 18 months for each of the other two victims. His license was extended by an additional year, making his total license period three and a half years. Furthermore, Fry was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. This order prohibits him from communicating with any female child under 16 or residing in the same premises as a female child without social services’ approval, aiming to prevent any further harm.
The case has left a lasting impact on the communities of Penzance and Plymouth, highlighting the importance of vigilance and the need for support for victims of sexual abuse. The court’s decision underscores the severity of Fry’s crimes and the ongoing commitment of the justice system to protect vulnerable individuals from predatory behavior.
One of the victims, who was between the ages of 11 and 17 at the time, estimated that she was subjected to abuse two or three times each month during her adolescence. She only came forward in 2013, prompted by her efforts to train for a professional career, which unexpectedly resurfaced painful memories from her past. Following her disclosure, law enforcement authorities traced two additional victims, each of whom recounted similar experiences of abuse at the hands of Fry.
One of these women revealed that Fry had repeatedly touched her while she was in bed, often pretending to be asleep and trying to block out the distressing incidents. Another victim confided that she had told her mother about the abuse, only to be dismissed with the explanation that she was experiencing a 'bad dream.' These testimonies painted a harrowing picture of Fry’s long-standing pattern of predatory behavior.
During the sentencing hearing, Fry’s defense attorney, Kelly Scrivener, sought to mitigate his actions by highlighting his difficult early life. She described how Fry’s childhood was marked by trauma, including his mother abandoning him and his siblings, leaving them to fend for themselves until social services intervened a year later. From ages nine to fourteen, Fry was placed in the care of his grandparents. Additionally, Scrivener pointed out that Fry faced racism growing up in Cornwall because his grandmother was Black. She also noted that Fry had struggled to find employment in Cornwall, which led him to relocate to Plymouth, where he eventually pursued a career in music.
Despite these mitigating factors, the court was presented with compelling and distressing evidence. Recorder Martin Meeke QC described the victims’ testimonies as “heart-rending” and acknowledged the difficulty they faced in recounting their experiences. The judge criticized Fry for showing no remorse or emotion during the proceedings, characterizing his initial pleas of innocence as a “selfish and cold-hearted attempt to avoid conviction.”
In his detailed judgment, Recorder Meeke emphasized that Fry’s childhood hardships likely influenced his behavior but did not excuse his actions. He described the offenses as a “campaign of sexual offending and degradation” against vulnerable young girls. The court noted that Fry’s crimes, committed between 1982 and 2002, would be classified under the 2003 Sexual Offences Act as oral rape of a child under 13, a crime considered particularly heinous.
Fry was sentenced to a total of ten years in prison. The sentence was structured with five years and two years for the offenses against the first girl, to run consecutively, followed by an additional 18 months for each of the other two victims. His license was extended by an additional year, making his total license period three and a half years. Furthermore, Fry was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. This order prohibits him from communicating with any female child under 16 or residing in the same premises as a female child without social services’ approval, aiming to prevent any further harm.
The case has left a lasting impact on the communities of Penzance and Plymouth, highlighting the importance of vigilance and the need for support for victims of sexual abuse. The court’s decision underscores the severity of Fry’s crimes and the ongoing commitment of the justice system to protect vulnerable individuals from predatory behavior.