PETER TURNER AND SHOCKING SEXUAL OFFENSES IN RINGWOOD AND PLYMOUTH

A man from Ringwood has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term after admitting to a series of serious criminal charges involving the sexual abuse of a young girl. Peter Turner, who was originally residing on St Michael Avenue in Keyham, Plymouth, but has since moved to Ringwood in Dorset, faced justice for his involvement in disturbing crimes committed during 2020.

Turner, aged 39, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including the sexual assault of a girl under the age of 13. The court heard that the assault took place during the year 2020, and Turner’s actions extended beyond just the physical abuse. He also admitted to filming the sexual assault, which involved the digital penetration of the young girl. This footage was captured on his mobile phone, which investigators later examined in detail.

In addition to the sexual assault, Turner pleaded guilty to two counts of voyeurism, which involved secretly observing the girl without her consent. He also admitted to a further sexual assault involving a child under 14 years old. The charges also included multiple counts of taking indecent images of a child, with the earliest being in March 2021, and three additional counts of such images being taken later that same year.

Following a hearing at Plymouth Crown Court last month, Turner was remanded into custody after initially pleading guilty to nine charges. The court proceedings revealed that Turner had conducted searches related to the sexual abuse of children on his phone, indicating premeditation and a disturbing pattern of behavior.

During the court session, the victim’s mother provided a victim impact statement, describing how her daughter was terrified of police officers when they arrived at their home. The mother explained that her daughter was afraid she would be taken away, a fear instilled by Turner’s threats. The girl’s innocence was described as being stolen by Turner’s actions, and her family had to take extra precautions, such as installing additional locks on doors and windows, to help her feel safe again.

Prosecutor Mary McCarthy highlighted that Turner had no prior convictions but was under the influence of cocaine at the time of the offenses. She also detailed that Turner had made searches for specific types of child abuse imagery, further emphasizing the severity of his misconduct.

Turner’s defense argued that he was a hard-working individual, having held various jobs including building tennis courts, working as a DJ, and as a chef. Despite these mitigating factors, Judge Robert Linford emphasized the gravity of the crimes, especially the digital penetration of the young girl, which marked Turner as a particularly concerning offender.

After considering all the evidence and the guilty plea, the judge sentenced Turner to 11 and a half years in prison. He also ordered that Turner serve two-thirds of his sentence before being eligible for parole, and he would be subject to a one-year license period upon release. Additionally, Turner was ordered to be subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and to be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

The judge acknowledged that Turner deserved some credit for his late guilty plea, granting a five percent reduction in his total sentence. The court’s decision reflected the seriousness of the offenses, the impact on the victim and her family, and the need to protect the public from such predatory behavior.