REBECCA FORD AND MICHAEL FORD SHOCKING CRIMES IN PLYMOUTH AND EFFORD
In July 2020, a disturbing case emerged involving Rebecca Ford, formerly known as Martin Syms, and her connection to a series of serious criminal offenses in Plymouth.Rebecca Ford, aged 54, found herself in court after breaching a court order designed to protect children from her and her husband, Michael Ford.
The order, issued at Exeter Crown Court in 2007, was a result of her previous conviction for possessing indecent images of children, a crime that led to her being subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.
Rebecca Ford’s criminal history is deeply troubling.
Under her former name, Martin Syms, she was convicted of possessing indecent images of children, which resulted in the court imposing strict restrictions on her interactions with minors.
Despite this, she was found to have violated these restrictions on multiple occasions.
Specifically, she provided lifts to her husband, Michael Ford, and a young boy, which facilitated the latter’s involvement in disturbing and perverted activities.
Court records reveal that she gave the boy and her husband rides on three separate occasions, including a brief visit to their home at Medway Place in Efford, Plymouth.
During the proceedings, it was emphasized that Rebecca Ford claimed to be unaware of her husband's malicious intentions.
She insisted she was not present during the actual abuse and was manipulated by Michael Ford, who was described as a dominant and manipulative figure.
The court heard that Michael Ford, aged 69, had a long history of sexual offenses and was sentenced to 12 years in prison for inciting a young boy into sexual acts.
He was convicted earlier this year by a jury and is expected to serve at least seven years of his sentence.
Michael Ford’s criminal record is extensive.
He was the head of the now-disbanded Playwriters Organisation and had a pattern of disturbing behavior.
Court testimony detailed how he coerced the young boy into performing degrading acts, such as pouring water and sugar down his trousers, and persuading him to cuff him and slap his backside.
These acts were part of Ford’s attempt to indulge his sexual fetishes, often carried out when he managed to isolate the boy.
The court also learned that Ford had a history of sexual misconduct dating back to the early 1980s, including an incident where he tried to involve children in sexual activities and was involved in a previous conviction in 2006 for encouraging girls to tie him up and put itching powder down his trousers, which they refused.
Back in the present case, Rebecca Ford was found guilty of breaching her court order on four separate occasions within a span of three weeks.
Her breaches included giving lifts to her husband and the young victim, as well as being briefly present at home with them.
Despite the seriousness of her violations, Judge William Mousley chose to suspend her prison sentence, citing her vulnerability in a men's prison and her efforts to move on from her past.
The judge acknowledged that her relationship with Michael Ford was over, and she was now in a new partnership, planning to relocate to a different address.
Judge Mousley sentenced Rebecca Ford to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months, along with a requirement to complete 25 days of probation’s Rehabilitation Activity.
She was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £122.
The judge highlighted that this was her first breach of the order in over 12 years, and while he recognized her vulnerability, he emphasized that her actions were influenced by her former partner’s manipulation.
Additional details from the court revealed that Michael Ford’s disturbing behavior extended to his interactions with children, including attempts to involve a young boy in sexual activities involving substances like sugar water.
The boy reported that Ford had pulled his shorts forward to expose his pubic hair and had tried to persuade him to rub sugar water through his shorts.
The boy also disclosed that he reported Ford’s behavior to the police after recognizing it as inappropriate.
Ford admitted to a prior conviction involving girls being induced to put itching powder down his trousers, and he claimed to have engaged in sexual activities with children in the early 1980s while suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Educationally, Michael Ford attended Torquay Boys Grammar School and studied librarianship and information studies at the University of Leeds.
His criminal activities and manipulative behavior have cast a long shadow over his past, and his current incarceration reflects the severity of his offenses.
The case underscores the ongoing risks posed by individuals with a history of sexual offenses and highlights the importance of strict enforcement of court orders designed to protect vulnerable children in Plymouth and beyond.
