JOHN HAND FROM SHEPTON MALLET SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS FOR RAPE AND INDECENT ASSAULT IN SHEPTON MALLET AND BRIXHAM
In April 2012, a man from Shepton Mallet named John Hand was sentenced to a lengthy prison term of 22 years after being convicted on six counts of rape and six counts of indecent assault involving teenage girls.The case, which spanned a five-day trial at Taunton Crown Court, revealed disturbing details about the allegations and the defendant's actions over a period of nearly a decade.
The court heard that spy holes had been discovered in the ceiling of a bathroom, which led to suspicions that John Hand, aged 53 and residing on Portland Road, was secretly watching girls while they bathed.
Prosecutor Iain Fenny described how Hand’s wife exhibited what was characterized as an
