RICHARD LETCHER FROM PLYMOUTH SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AND SPY CAMERA CRIMES

In a case that has shocked the community of Plymouth, Richard Letcher, aged 49 and residing in St Budeaux, was handed a severe prison sentence after being found guilty of multiple heinous crimes involving a young girl. The court proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of sexual abuse, exploitation, and the use of covert technology to record the acts, leaving a lasting impact on the victim and the wider public.

During the sentencing hearing at Plymouth Crown Court, the victim, who demonstrated remarkable bravery by attending the court session, listened as the details of her ordeal were recounted. Prosecutor Terence Holder outlined that Letcher had pleaded guilty to eight counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child under the age of 16, four counts of producing indecent images of a child, three counts of voyeurism, and one count of raping a minor. The court was told that Letcher’s actions were not only sexually abusive but also meticulously planned, involving the use of a self-made spy camera concealed within an air freshener to secretly record the abuse.

As the evidence was presented, the victim was visibly distressed, breaking down into tears as she recounted her suffering. Her mother comforted her during the proceedings, while Letcher, in a display of callousness, was seen to smirk at times as the court read out the details. The court was also informed that Letcher had taken a staggering 4,409 photographs of the girl, all of a sexual nature, and had filmed parts of the abuse using his covert camera. Mr. Holder pointed out that some of the footage showed the girl drinking from a glass that tasted “funny,” and later appeared to be “totally out of it,” indicating the possible use of substances to facilitate the abuse.

In a poignant statement, the victim expressed her fears, revealing that she felt “scared” Letcher might be released and come after her to “kill me.” She also shared that she suffers from “bad nightmares,” highlighting the lasting psychological scars inflicted by the abuse.

Judge Francis Gilbert QC addressed the court, describing the case as “extremely serious” and involving “severely depraved sexual abuse of a young girl.” While he acknowledged that Letcher did not pose a “significant risk of serious harm to the public,” he criticized the offender for showing “very little, if any, remorse,” noting that his apparent regret was only because he was caught. The judge sentenced Letcher to nine years in prison for the rape, with the total sentence for all charges amounting to 12 years. Additionally, Letcher was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was subjected to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order to prevent any further harm.

Outside the courtroom, law enforcement officials expressed their satisfaction with the outcome. Detective Constable Martin Phillips stated that he hoped the sentence would help the victim “get on with her life,” while Detective Constable Angela Thomas praised the collective effort of the team involved in bringing Letcher to justice, describing it as “a good team effort to see a horrible man get what he rightly deserved.” The case has left a deep scar on the community of Plymouth, serving as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and justice in protecting vulnerable children from such predatory behavior.