LEVY BALL'S SHOCKING CASE IN TORQUAY: NO SEX OFFENDER TAG DESPITE ABDUCTION CHARGE

In September 2017, a disturbing incident unfolded in the seaside town of Torquay involving Levy Ball, a 20-year-old man whose actions drew significant legal attention. Ball was found in a derelict shed located in a back lane off Audley Avenue, where police officers discovered him sleeping alongside a 15-year-old girl who was identified as a runaway. The girl, who was in full view of the authorities, was also found in the same shed, dressed in underwear and a dressing gown, attempting to conceal her identity by giving a false name and trying to flee the scene.

Police had been alerted to her disappearance from her home, and during their investigation, a police officer conducted a search of the area. The officer noticed the shed's broken slats and, upon peering inside, saw the girl and Ball sleeping together. When approached, Ball asked the officer to wait while he and the girl attempted to get dressed. However, Ball managed to escape through the back of the shed, wearing only trousers and no top, and disappeared from sight. The girl was detained and taken back to her home, but she refused to cooperate with police or social workers, denying any involvement with Ball and claiming she had been with someone named Kyle, who resembled Ball.

Ball was subsequently arrested and charged with child abduction. During the trial at Exeter Crown Court, he maintained his innocence, claiming mistaken identity and asserting that the man in the shed was not him but someone else. He also stated that he had been at a party in the woods at the time of the incident and provided selfies on his phone showing him and the girl in a treehouse on an earlier occasion, which he argued proved he was not with her at the time of the shed incident.

Despite the initial charges, no sexual offences were formally attributed to Ball because the girl refused to cooperate with police and social workers, and no evidence of sexual activity was established. As a result, Ball was convicted of abduction and sentenced to nine months in prison. The case was revisited two weeks ago to determine whether he should be added to the Sex Offenders Register and subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Edward Bailey, the prosecutor, explained that at the time of Ball's original sentence, a SHPO had been imposed, explicitly banning any contact with the girl. However, a legal complication arose because a SHPO cannot be issued unless the offender is also registered as a sex offender. Since Ball's conviction was for abduction rather than a sexual offence, he was not eligible for registration. Consequently, the court had to modify the order. Judge Graham Cottle replaced the SHPO with a restraining order that prohibits any contact with the girl while she remains in full-time education. The penalty for breaching this restraining order is up to five years in prison, matching the severity of a breach of a SHPO.

In summary, Levy Ball, of Pendennis Road, Torquay, was found guilty of child abduction and sentenced to nine months in jail. His case highlights the complexities of legal procedures concerning offenders involved in cases with minors, especially when no sexual offences are formally proven. The incident remains a stark reminder of the ongoing issues surrounding youth safety and the legal system's handling of such sensitive cases in Torquay.