GEORGE PASKINS FROM PLYMOUTH AND PAIGNTON JAILED FOR 18 YEARS FOR HORRIFIC RAPE AND ABUSE OF GIRLS

In a harrowing case that has shocked the communities of Plymouth and Paignton, pensioner George Paskins has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term of 18 years after being convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault and rape involving young girls. The conviction came after a detailed and emotionally charged trial that revealed decades of abuse committed by Paskins, who was 81 years old at the time of his sentencing.

According to court proceedings, Paskins was found guilty by a jury on his 81st birthday of sexually abusing three young girls over a span of many years. The abuse was described as both systematic and brutal, with one girl being subjected to repeated rapes from the tender age of three or four until she was approximately ten or eleven years old. Another girl was also repeatedly assaulted between the ages of eight and eleven, while the third girl suffered indecent assault. The court heard that these acts of abuse spanned over a period of nearly 50 years, beginning in 1965, yet the victims only came forward to police in 2013, after enduring years of silence.

Recorder Paul Dunkels, presiding over the case, characterized Paskins as a “bully” who used violence and threats to silence his victims, ensuring they would not report the abuse. The judge emphasized the severity of the psychological trauma inflicted upon the victims, stating, “Undoubtedly the two girls who were raped suffered serious psychological trauma. One of the girls was extremely young when you began to rape her.”

During the trial, the victims, two of whom provided testimony via videolink from Australia, bravely recounted the casual yet perverse brutality they endured at the hands of Paskins. One victim described an incident where Paskins paused to make a cup of tea during an assault before returning to continue the abuse. Another recounted how Paskins covered her face with a comic book while he assaulted her, illustrating the disturbing nature of his actions.

George Paskins, a former carpenter and joiner, was found guilty on all seven counts he faced after a week-long trial. Despite the verdict, neither he nor his wife, who was present in court, showed much reaction when the foreman announced the guilty verdicts. Paskins, who previously resided in St Budeaux and Ernesettle, had vehemently denied the allegations, swearing on the “Holy Bible” that he never touched the girls. He also claimed that the women should be punished for making false claims against him.

The judge sentenced Paskins to serve 18 years for each of the rape counts, to be served concurrently. Additionally, he received a two-year sentence for indecent assault of the third girl and a further 12 months for indecency with her. Taking into account the concurrent sentences, Paskins can expect to spend approximately nine years behind bars, which will see him reaching his 90th birthday before release.

At the time of sentencing, Paskins was living in Hill Park Terrace, Paignton, and had pleaded not guilty to all charges, including three counts of rape of one girl between 1965 and 1977, and denying the rape of the second girl three times between 1970 and 1975. He also maintained his innocence regarding the indecent assault and indecency charges involving the third girl, which spanned from 1972 to 1981. The case has left a lasting impact on the victims and the communities of Plymouth and Paignton, highlighting the importance of justice and the courage of survivors to come forward after decades of silence.