June 2017 Falklands War veteran abused girl on Dartmoor and tried to rape her A South Devon combat veteran who tried to rape a girl on Dartmoor and repeatedly sexually abused her faces years behind bars. Kevin Wallis, who served in the Royal Navy during the Falklands War, abused the girl over a number of years in the 1980s. Former Chief Petty Officer lived in Avonwick at tghe time of the offences. Wallis told the girl that it was “their little secret” and she only approached the police as an adult two years ago. Wallis, who was in the Royal Navy for more than 40 years, claimed the woman got the idea to accuse him of sexual assault from a soap opera. Wallis, now living in Dumbarton in Scotland, had denied one count of attempted rape, seven counts of indecent assault and one of indecency with a child between 1983 and 1988. He was convicted by majority verdicts after nine hours of deliberation following a week-long trial Wallis was found guilty of the attempted rape, five counts of indecent assault and indecency with a child. He was cleared of the remaining two indecent assault charges. Some of the charges are specimen, indicating several incidents of similar types of abuse. Paul Dentith, for Wallis, asked for a delay to sentencing so the defendant could “put his house in order”. Judge Ian Lawrie remanded Wallis in custody.