PHILIP DYKE FROM PLYMOUTH JAILED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN PLYMOUTH

In a case that has shocked the community of Plymouth, Philip Dyke, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses, was brought before Plymouth Crown Court to face charges related to the abuse of young girls. The proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of exploitation and manipulation, with the court hearing how Dyke, who resided on St Levan Road in Keyham, had committed these heinous acts within the city limits.

Initially, the trial was set to commence on December 9 of the previous year, with the two young victims, whose identities are protected for legal reasons, prepared to give evidence via video link. These girls, aged under 13, had been kept in a specially designated NSPCC suite in Plymouth for two days, anxiously awaiting their turn to testify. The anticipation was intense, as they prepared to recount the traumatic experiences inflicted upon them by Dyke, who was a convicted sex offender.

However, just as the trial was about to begin, Dyke made a last-minute decision to change his plea from not guilty to guilty. This sudden shift was influenced by the fact that the court was about to hear details of his previous incarceration, which included a seven-year sentence handed down in 1994 for a series of sexual assaults on young girls. Dyke’s legal team and the prosecution had been aware that the jury would be informed of his prior conviction, which likely influenced his decision to admit guilt.

Judge Paul Darlow, presiding over the case, had made it clear that a guilty plea at this stage could lead to a reduced sentence. He emphasized that such a plea would spare the young victims from the ordeal of testifying and reliving their painful memories in court. True to his word, the judge sentenced Dyke to three years in prison, with a 10% reduction for his guilty plea, bringing the total to approximately two years and seven months.

Dyke’s criminal history was extensive. In 1994, he was jailed at Cardiff Crown Court for ten offenses, including eight assaults on girls under 14, one abduction, and an attempted rape. The victims in those cases ranged in age from four to twelve years old. Despite his history, Dyke’s defense argued that most of the recent allegations involved opportunistic, fleeting contact rather than planned predatory behavior. His lawyer, Nick Lewin, highlighted Dyke’s health issues, including heart disease, chronic back pain, possible arthritis, and a recent mini-stroke, asserting that these conditions would make imprisonment particularly difficult for him.

Prosecutor Piers Norsworthy detailed how the oldest girl initially kept her ordeal secret but later confided in her brother and eventually reported the abuse to the police. It was revealed that Dyke had taken advantage of moments when he was briefly alone with the girls, exploiting their trust for his own gratification. The court heard that Dyke’s offenses were committed in various locations within Plymouth, although he knew the families of the victims personally.

During the hearing, Dyke appeared in court seated on a disability scooter, struggling to walk a few paces to the dock. Judge Darlow condemned his actions, stating that Dyke’s behavior demonstrated a clear pattern of exploiting positions of trust to satisfy his sexual urges. The judge emphasized that Dyke had shown a complete lack of empathy for the victims and their families.

As part of his sentence, Dyke was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and was subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order. This order prohibits him from working with children or having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16 in the future, aiming to protect the community from further harm caused by his predatory behavior.