PETER BENNETT'S HORRIFIC CRIMES IN SOMERFORD: DECADES OF ABUSE AND ANIMAL SEXUAL OFFENCES REVEALED

In November 2019, a disturbing case unfolded at Bournemouth Crown Court involving Peter Bennett, an 80-year-old resident of Edward Road, Somerford, who was found guilty of a series of heinous sexual offences spanning over fifty years. The court heard how Bennett, a man with a long and troubling history of crimes against children, was caught in a sting operation orchestrated by a paedophile hunting group.

According to prosecutor Sadie Rizzo, the investigation began when a woman associated with the group Stop created an online profile pretending to be a 12-year-old girl. Bennett initiated contact with this profile in January, and what started as seemingly innocent conversation quickly devolved into disturbing innuendo. Over a period of two months, Bennett engaged in more than 200 pages of chat, which was presented as evidence in court.

Ms. Rizzo explained that Bennett’s conversations with the fake profile soon turned to sexual topics, especially after the girl mentioned she owned a horse. Bennett’s language became increasingly explicit, and he began to discuss sexual activities involving animals, including a dog and a horse. He encouraged the fictitious girl to engage in sexual acts with her dog, describing such behaviour as normal and even offering to send photographs of the acts. Bennett also made references to sexualised behaviour involving the horse, further demonstrating his disturbing mindset.

During the investigation, Bennett provided his address to the fake girl. The paedophile hunters passed this information to another group, which then confronted him at his doorstep in March. The confrontation was live-streamed on Facebook, attracting over 100,000 viewers. This public exposure led to police involvement, who subsequently discovered Bennett was in possession of 156 images depicting extreme animal pornography on two separate devices.

At the time of his arrest, Bennett admitted to officers that he had engaged in sexualised online conversations with a minor. However, during a subsequent interview, he chose to remain silent, replying “no comment” to all questions posed by the police.

Throughout the court proceedings, it was revealed that Bennett’s criminal record was extensive. His first conviction dates back to 1963 when he was convicted of indecent assault on a female under 14. Since then, he has reoffended multiple times, including an incident in 1972 where he drove an 18-year-old woman to a secluded area and engaged in sexual acts with her, which resulted in a prison sentence. His convictions also include indecent exposure in 1969 and during the 1980s, as well as a 2006 case where he was found guilty of creating and distributing over 340 indecent images of children, 68 of which were classified as the most serious level.

In court, Bennett pleaded guilty to three charges: attempting to incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, attempting to communicate with a child in sexualised terms, and possessing extreme pornography. Judge Alastair Malcolm condemned Bennett’s actions, stating, “You have been a danger to children under 16 for very many years. Your first offence was in the 1960s and you have targeted children decade by decade since that time.”

The judge emphasized that Bennett’s grooming behaviour was particularly alarming, noting that he knew the girl’s apparent age and warned her about online dangers before engaging in sexualised chat. The court highlighted the seriousness of these offences, especially given Bennett’s long-standing pattern of offending against minors.

As part of his sentence, Bennett was sentenced to five years and ten months in prison. Additionally, he was issued an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, which restricts his access to electronic devices unless monitored by police, prohibits him from deleting device histories, and requires him to make devices available for inspection. The order also bans him from encountering children unless explicitly permitted by their parent or guardian, who must be aware of his convictions. This case underscores the ongoing threat posed by individuals like Bennett, whose criminal behaviour has persisted over decades, causing significant concern for community safety in Somerford and beyond.