October 2015 Paedophile jailed for 17-years for string of offences against children A SEX monster is likely to die in jail after he was locked up for 17 years for the repeated abuse of children. Successful author Hinton Sheryn, aged 68, indecently touched or exposed himself to four girls and one boy over 13 years, a court heard. The former pop promoter was notorious for exposing himself in his home village in the 1970s and 1980s. But he was never brought to justice until victims came forward last year. Judge Jeremy Griggs locked him up for a total of 17 years for 18 perverted crimes. Sheryn will only be released at the usual half-way point if the parole board consider he is no longer a risk. He will otherwise be set free two thirds through his sentence, at around 12 years. But his barrister Malcolm Clarke told Plymouth Crown Court: “He is 68 and has a heart condition and it is unlikely, whatever sentence the court imposed, that he will leave prison.” Judge Griggs told Sheryn he had abused the main complainant for eight years. He said: “You offended on pretty much a weekly basis. The offending lasted throughout much of her childhood and will have an effect on the remainder of her life.” He stressed that under current legislation Sheryn would have faced a far longer sentence. Several of the complainants who gave evidence in the trial returned to see Sheryn sentenced. One of the victims, who spoke to The Herald at length about her ordeal, said after the hearing: “It is brilliant. I am elated.” Sheryn, of Mount Gould Road, Plymouth, had pleaded not guilty to nine offences of indecent assault against children and eight of committing acts of indecency against children between 1973 and 1986. The defendant, a former china clay worker who has had several books published on excavation, finally denied attempting to indecently assault a boy. Most of the charges were specimen counts – offences which indicated many more similar incidents. He was found guilty on all counts by a jury on unanimous verdicts at a seven-day trial last month. Sheryn claimed that all the complainants had made up their allegations and the court herd he refused to accept the jury’s verdicts. The court heard he had five other convictions for indecency with children between 1977 and 2014. Police have admitted that chances were missed to stop his catalogue of offending. One victim complained to a social worker but his allegation was not believed and never referred to detectives. September 2015 Plymouth paedophile pensioner could die behind bars A PAEDOPHILE pensioner could die in jail after he was convicted of repeatedly sexually abusing and exposed himself to children over at least 13 years. Successful author Hinton Sheryn, now aged 68, committed indecent offences against four girls and a boy dating back around 30 or 40 years. One of his victims held back the tears in court as a jury unanimously found him guilty of 18 perverted crimes after a seven-day trial. Sheryn, who has written six books on excavation and heavy plant, was so well known in the villages where he lived that he was called “the flasher”, Plymouth Crown Court heard. But he told police that he would not have exposed himself – because his penis is too small. Sheryn pleaded not guilty to every charge, claiming the complainants had made up their allegations. The jury heard he had several convictions for indecency between 1981 and 2014. But the five victims only found the courage and confidence to come forward to police following a report of his latest offence last year. Sheryn, a former pop promoter, showed little reaction as the forewoman of the jury read out the verdicts after three and a half hours of deliberation. One of his victims, who was abused hundreds of times over years, sat with eyes closed and holding hands with family at the back of Courtroom 3. She held back the tears as Sheryn, with the aid of a hearing loop, took in the verdicts. Judge Jeremy Griggs adjourned sentence for the police to prepare formal statements from the victims about how the offending has blighted their lives. Sheryn was remanded back into custody to be sentenced on a date to be fixed in the next few weeks. He is certain to receive a long jail sentence. Thanking the jury, Judge Griggs apologised that they had to listen to so much “unpleasant” evidence. He told Sheryn: “You have been convicted by this jury of what can only be described as overwhelming evidence on all counts on this indictment.” The court heard that police found that Sheryn was so well-known for exposing himself in the villages near Plymouth where he lived at the time that he was called “the flasher” by children in the late 70s and early 80s. Sheryn told police in interview that the first complainant who came forward had made her allegations up and persuaded others to lie. He also denied ever flashing to children in the villages. The former China clay worker said: “I tell you one reason I would not expose myself in public is that I have such a small one that I would not want anyone to laugh at me.” Sheryn, of Mount Gould Road, Plymouth, was convicted of nine offences of indecent assault against children and eight of committing acts of indecency against children between 1973 and 1986. The defendant was also found guilty of attempting to indecently assault a boy. The male victim, giving evidence via a recorded video interview last year, had told the court: “He is obviously still doing it. “I realised that he has got to be stopped. Hopefully if enough people say something, he can be stopped. I did not want any more children to suffer.” BACKGROUND: HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT HINTON Sheryn hogged the limelight while hiding a dark secret. One of his victims said that he “loved being in the public eye”. Married three times, he was a successful author, a music promoter in the 60s and prominent in local politics. Much of his abuse happened behind closed doors – but several former neighbours said he flagrantly exposed himself around his village. He was known as “the flasher” and one villager was said to have threatened to cut off his penis if he exposed himself again. Sheryn, a former China clay worker, performed indecent acts with one child on moorland with friends playing nearby and kissed a stranger on the mouth in a high street. The woman made a complaint and he was convicted of common assault in 1994. Sheryn’s victims had to endure the sight of him being celebrated as a successful author in newspaper articles, including several in The Herald. He was also pictured as a fundraiser for a disabled charity. It was only last year that the victims found the confidence to come forward after seeing a very different news report. The Herald reported that Sheryn was jailed for 20 months last year for performing an indecent act in front of a 15-year-old boy. The teenager later took his revenge by hitting him with a piece of wood. Amazingly, it was Sheryn himself who called the police to complain of being attacked. Sheryn faced the court in custody because the new allegations came to light during that sentence and he was recalled to prison. The main complainant, abused regularly over eight years, got in touch with other victims via Facebook. The jury unusually heard about some of Sheryn’s previous convictions. One victim said he heard that Sheryn celebrated a book signing by running out into a high street in Devon. He shook the hand of a passing woman and kissed her on the lips. He was convicted of common assault – and ended up paying his book money to the court. Sheryn told the court he had been secretary and chairman of the Liberal party in his area in the 70s. He added that he also followed foxhunts on weekends. Sheryn said he had published six books on excavators and other large industrial equipment. One book sold 10,000 copies in hardback and was republished in paperback. But Sheryn said he received little by way of royalties. Even more implausibly, Sheryn ran his own pop promotion agency in the 1960s. It was called Telstar, in homage to influential producer Joe Meek who wrote a big hit of that name. He later settled into a more conventional career, working for English China Clays, as the company was then called, for 22 years, at sites in Cornwood, Wotter and Sparkwell. POLICE REACTION POLICE admitted after the conviction that chances to stop Sheryn had been missed – because some of the victims had not been believed. But the officer in the case said outside court that times had changed since the 70s and 80s, and anyone making allegations would now be heard. DC Jim Hanrahan, of Plymouth CID, said: “Devon and Cornwall police do take allegations seriously and will investigate them regardless of how far back they go. “In the past some of these victims were ignored or disbelieved by the authorities. Times have changed. The message is that the police will investigate all allegations and when we can we will take then all the way to court.” The man who was abused as a boy in particular complained to a social worker in the 1980s. But he was not believed and police were not told. Officers could have easily traced other victims and the whole case could have been heard 30 years ago. Opening the case, prosecuting barrister Sean Brunton told the jury: “While it has become much easier to make a complaint of a sexual offences, back in the 70s and 80s, unless there was overwhelming or independent evidence, the police and to some extent even the courts were not interested. That has changed.” Sheryn was caught and convicted of several indecency offences at the time – so flagrant was his perverted behaviour. But he was not monitored by specialist officers in the same way that would happen today. Two of the victims both said that they were reluctant to call police because they believed they were the “only ones”. One woman said she confronted him at a book event in Waterstones and called him a paedophile in about 1995. But it was only last year that the victims came forward. July 2014 Plymouth author jailed for indecency in front of teenage boy AN AUTHOR has been jailed for grooming a boy and then performing an indecent act in his presence. Hinton Sheryn, aged 67, befriended the 15-year-old by letting him use his computer and giving him cigarettes, a court heard. The teenager left Sheryn’s home after he saw him perform the act – but later hit him with a piece of wood when the two met in the street. Judge Paul Darlow jailed Sheryn for 20 months. He told him: “This incident was exacerbated by a period of grooming. You got the confidence of the child so that he was confident enough to go into your home.” Sheryn, a former china clay worker who has had several books published on excavation, has also several previous sexual offences on his record. Sheryn, of Mount Gould Road, admitted sexual activity in the presence of a child on June 27. Jason Beal, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Sheryn met the boy in the street and over the proceeding few weeks invited him into his home. He added that he allowed the teenager to use his computer and gave him cigarettes. Mr Beal said that the boy needed to contact his mother but could not reach her on the phone. The teenager asked to be let into Sheryn’s house so he could use his computer to contact her on Facebook. The court heard that the boy turned to see Sheryn on the bed performing the indecent act. A previous hearing was told that the boy armed himself with a piece of wood and struck Sheryn when he saw him by chance in the street, shouting out that he was a paedophile. The court heard that Sheryn had previous convictions dating back to the 1970s and 1980s, including indecency with a child and indecent assault. Will Willden, for Sheryn, said he apologised and took full responsibility for what happened. He said he intended to move away from Plymouth upon his release. Mr Willden said: “During his life he has been hard-working and has done some good things in his life, including working for charities, especially since his retirement.” Sheryn has had at least six books on excavation published, selling hundreds of copies all over the world. He has also lectured on the subject. He worked for English China Clays, as the company was then called, for 22 years, at sites in Cornwood, Wotter and Sparkwell. June 2014 Boy struck Plymouth pervert with piece of wood A BOY used a piece of wood to strike a paedophile who had performed an indecent act in his presence after luring him into his home. Successful author Hinton Sheryn, aged 66, befriended the 15-year-old by letting him use his computer and giving him cigarettes, a court heard. The teenager left Sheryn’s home after he saw him perform the act – but later hit him with a piece of wood when the two met in the street. The boy shouted at him that he was a paedophile, Plymouth Magistrates’ Court heard. District judge Graham Wilkinson warned Sheryn he was facing a “substantial prison sentence”. He added: “You befriended and groomed this young boy and you have preyed on him sexually. “You won this boy’s trust and then abused that trust in almost the most unpleasant way imaginable. You would have traumatised that young boy.” Sheryn, a former china clay worker who has had several books published on excavation, was remanded in custody to be sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court. Sheryn, of Mount Gould Road, admitted sexual activity in the presence of a child on June 27. Daniel Swan, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Sheryn met the boy in the street and over the proceeding few weeks invited him into his home. He added that he allowed the teenager to use his computer and gave him cigarettes. Mr Swan said that the boy bumped into Sheryn in the street on Friday. The court heard that Sheryn offered to help him with a problem. Mr Swan said that the boy went back to the defendant’s home so he could send a message to his mother on Facebook, as he could not reach her on the phone. He added that Sheryn sat on the bed as the boy used the computer. Mr Swan said he turned to see Sheryn performing the indecent act. He added: “He was very embarrassed and left immediately, understandably distressed.” Mr Swan said that the boy armed himself with a piece of wood and struck Sheryn when he saw him by chance in the street, shouting out that he was a paedophile. The court heard that Sheryn had previous convictions dating back to the 1970s and 1980s, including indecency with a child and indecent assault. Mr Wilkinson remanded him in custody to be sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court on August 1. Rejecting a bail application, he said: “There is nothing I can do to adequately protect children from you.” Sheryn has had at least six books on excavation published, selling hundreds of copies all over the world. He has also lectured on the subject. He worked for English China Clays, as the company was then called, for 22 years, at sites in Cornwood, Wotter and Sparkwell.