MARTYN WALKER'S CRIMES IN ILMINSTER: SHOCKING CHILD SEX OFFENSES AND COURT BATTLE

In May 2018, the community of Ilminster was rocked by the disturbing case of Martyn Walker, a 26-year-old man with a troubling history of sexual offenses against children. Walker, who had no fixed address at the time, was involved in a series of heinous acts that culminated in his conviction and subsequent legal battles, highlighting the ongoing concerns about child safety and the risks posed by repeat offenders.

Walker was caught on surveillance footage molesting a nine-year-old girl along with three other young boys inside a local pub in Ilminster. The footage revealed him engaging in inappropriate and sexualized behavior towards the children, which he later claimed was due to alcohol making him 'cuddly' with young children. Despite his claims of innocence, Walker's past convictions for child sex crimes cast a long shadow over his recent actions. He had previously been convicted in 2009 of sexual assaults against a boy, although he was not jailed for those offenses.

Following the incident, Walker was convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault and was sentenced to a total of seven years in prison, with an additional two years on extended license. The court proceedings revealed that Walker had gained the trust of the children by showering them with praise and compliments, which he exploited to carry out his predatory acts. The youngest victim was only two years old, and the assaults took place over a period of approximately two hours while Walker was in the pub, playing pool with one of the children out of sight of their parents.

Virginia Cornwall, the prosecutor, detailed how Walker's opportunistic behavior involved touching the children inappropriately, including instances where he touched a girl under her clothing. The court was shown CCTV footage that depicted Walker's constant inappropriate contact, which the victim's family reported to the police. The girl, who was frightened and unsure whether her parents would believe her, eventually confided in her grandfather. The police arrested Walker at 9 pm on the same day, and during police interviews, he denied the allegations, although the CCTV footage proved otherwise.

Judge David Evans, presiding over the case, emphasized the seriousness of Walker’s actions and the high risk he posed to children. The court heard that Walker was previously convicted of ten sexual offenses against two young boys when he was just 17 years old. The court also noted that Walker had been considered a trustworthy individual by the pub's adult patrons, which allowed him to approach and exploit the children without suspicion. The judge pointed out that Walker’s sexual urges had not been overcome, and his removal of a sexual harm prevention order in January 2017 was a mistake, given his ongoing risk.

Walker’s appeal against his sentence was heard on May 10, 2018, but was ultimately dismissed by Lord Justice McCombe. The appeal court agreed with the original sentencing judge that Walker was a dangerous offender, citing his previous convictions, the nature of the recent offenses, and the pre-sentence report that highlighted the high risk of serious harm he posed to children. The court concluded that the extended sentence was justified, and no other conclusion could be reasonably reached.

Earlier in November 2017, Walker had already been sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to ten charges of sexual acts committed against children under 13 in the same Ilminster pub. During that incident, he had been caught on CCTV repeatedly touching four children, including a two-year-old, while playing pool. The court heard that Walker’s actions were opportunistic, taking advantage of the children’s innocence and the relaxed environment of the pub. The most serious allegations involved touching a girl under her clothing and kissing her, with her family reporting that she was too scared to tell her parents immediately.

Walker’s prior criminal record included ten offenses of a sexual nature committed when he was 17, which resulted in a sexual harm prevention order. However, he requested its removal in January 2017, a decision that the court later found to be ill-advised given his continued offending. The judge emphasized that Walker’s sexual urges had not been controlled, and his behavior had caused significant harm to the victims. The court sentenced him to seven years in prison, followed by two years on license, and imposed a lifelong sexual harm prevention order to protect the community from further harm.

Most recently, in September 2017, Walker admitted to sexually abusing a five-year-old girl. He appeared before Taunton Crown Court and pleaded guilty to a single charge of sexual assault. The judge, David Evans, ordered a pre-sentence report to assess the level of danger Walker posed, and the case was adjourned until October 20 for sentencing. Walker was remanded in custody during this period, with the court making it clear that he would face significant jail time based on the severity of his admitted offense.