MERVYN DYER GOSPORT CHURCH BOAT CLUB PREDATOR SENTENCED FOR DECADES-OLD SEX ABUSE

In a significant development in the pursuit of justice for victims of sexual abuse, Mervyn Dyer, a man with longstanding ties to Gosport, has been sentenced to prison for offenses committed over four decades ago. The case centers around the abuse of a former choirboy at St Mary’s Junior Sailing Club, a well-known local institution in Gosport, where Dyer volunteered as a sailing instructor and helped teach young boys how to sail.

It was only recently that the victim, Steve Hammond, now 57 and employed as a manager at BT, found the courage to speak out about the traumatic experiences he endured as a teenager. Hammond revealed that his decision to come forward was triggered by attending a child protection course at the same sailing club where the abuse had taken place in the late 1960s. During this course, the facilitator discussed how many victims do not report abuse until they are adults, a statement that resonated deeply with Hammond, prompting him to confide in the course leader and later, his wife.

Hammond recounted that after the course, he approached the instructor to share his story. The support he received was described as professional and compassionate. That evening, overwhelmed by emotion, Hammond decided to report the abuse to the police. The following Monday, he went to Gosport police station, where he was found in a distressed state, on his knees and crying. A female police constable responded to his distress, took him in, and his case officer, Neil Harrison, subsequently contacted him to offer support.

Following his disclosure, Hammond was interviewed by authorities in May, and Dyer was arrested. Dyer, who resided on Newport Road in Gosport, was a volunteer at the church and played a role in teaching boys how to sail. Prosecutor Tammy Mears outlined that Dyer held a position of authority over the young boys, which he exploited to groom his victims. She detailed how Dyer engaged in inappropriate behavior, including offering cigarettes to Hammond in an outbuilding, which marked the beginning of a pattern of escalating misconduct over a period from January 1, 1969, to December 31, 1972.

According to the prosecution, Dyer committed acts of indecent assault on Hammond regularly during this period. Hammond explained that he was never physically forced to participate but felt compelled to comply due to Dyer’s authoritative position. Over time, the abuse intensified, leading Hammond to eventually break free from Dyer’s influence when he entered into a relationship with a girl and reduced his involvement at the sailing club.

Despite the passage of time, Hammond has remained committed to seeking justice. Today, he volunteers as a sailing officer at St Mary’s Junior Sailing Club, helping to maintain the boats and facilities. Hammond expressed a sense of disappointment that Dyer chose to plead guilty, stating, “If I had given evidence, he would know how it has affected my whole life – whether he cares or not. Anyone can say they are sorry and he has had plenty of time to think about it.”

Recent legal changes allowed Hammond to read his victim impact statement aloud in court, a moment that proved emotionally overwhelming. As he described how the abuse has haunted him for 44 years, Judge Richard Price asked him to step down from the witness stand. Hammond’s statement detailed the profound and lasting impact of Dyer’s actions, describing the abuse as a “sentence on my life for the last 44 years.” Hammond expressed his satisfaction with the sentence, stating, “I am more than happy with his sentence.”

During the hearing, Dyer’s defense attorney, Alistair Wright, argued that Dyer had pleaded guilty but claimed he could not remember the offenses and denied that the abuse lasted three years. Wright attempted to contextualize Dyer’s actions, suggesting that offering cigarettes was a common practice at the time and that Dyer’s sheltered, church-based background contributed to his behavior. He emphasized that Dyer had no understanding of his sexuality and remained unaware of why he acted as he did, though this offered little solace to Hammond.

Judge Price explained that due to the laws in place at the time of the offenses, Dyer could not be sentenced to more than three years in prison. Consequently, Dyer was sentenced to two years at Portsmouth Crown Court, with a third of the sentence reduced due to his early guilty plea. The judge condemned Dyer’s actions, stating, “You stole his innocence. What you did has had a devastating impact on him for 44 years and will for the rest of his life.”

He also ordered Dyer to be added to the Sex Offenders’ Register and prohibited him from working with children in the future. Hammond expressed hope that his case might encourage other victims to come forward, questioning whether Dyer had stopped abusing others after him. Hammond stated, “I find it hard to believe that I was the only one. Why would he have stopped after me?”

Hammond’s victim impact statement, read aloud in court, detailed the emotional toll of the abuse. He described attending a child protection course on May 18, which triggered a flood of memories he had buried for years. Hammond recounted how he confided in his wife, experiencing intense emotional distress, including crying, graphic flashbacks, and feelings of loneliness. He revealed that he still struggles with these memories, relying on medication and ongoing counseling, with a waiting period of up to 12 months for further treatment. Hammond emphasized that Dyer’s abuse had profoundly affected his development and continues to impact him today, describing it as a “sentence on my life for the last 44 years.”