ROBBIE WELLS SENTENCE REDUCTION IN DEVIZES AND MARLBOROUGH CASE SHOCKS COMMUNITY

In a recent development that has stirred considerable controversy, the Court of Appeal has decided to reduce the prison sentence of Robbie Wells, a man convicted of serious sexual offenses involving minors in the Marlborough area. Originally sentenced to 15 years in February 2007 by Judge Keith Cutler at Salisbury Crown Court, Wells, aged 36 and residing on Sillington Lane, Poulshot, saw his punishment shortened by three years, a decision that has sparked outrage among victims' families and local residents alike.

Wells was accused of heinous crimes, including the rape of a 15-year-old girl from Marlborough, as well as sexual assaults on two other underage girls. He denied the charges of rape but admitted to having sex with the Marlborough girl, claiming it was consensual. However, he vehemently denied raping her and also contested 11 additional charges involving the other two girls, which included engaging in sexual acts and inciting them to have sexual contact with him. The jury at Salisbury Crown Court deliberated for six and a half hours before reaching a unanimous guilty verdict on all counts.

At the time of his arrest, Wells was living in Devizes, but the crimes took place in Marlborough, where he was raised. His employment was as an office cleaner. The conviction was based on compelling evidence and the jury's unanimous decision, which reflected the severity of his actions. Despite this, the Court of Appeal deemed the original 15-year sentence 'manifestly excessive,' leading to its reduction. This decision has been met with strong criticism from the victim's family and community members, who believe that justice has not been fully served.

One of the victims' fathers expressed his disbelief and frustration, stating, “He got what he deserved. He is a sick and perverted person who preys on vulnerable young girls.” Meanwhile, Margaret Wells, the mother of Robbie Wells and a resident of Devizes, voiced her intention to seek another appeal, asserting that there was insufficient evidence against her son. She remarked, “We have put straight in for another appeal. At the end of the day, there was no real evidence against him.”

The father of one of the victims criticized the legal decision, saying, “The jury was unanimous in its verdicts and the judge made it clear with his remarks that this was the right sentence considering what Wells had done. The decision to cut his sentence by a fifth clearly shows that the law is an ass. If anything, the appeal judges should have given him another ten years on top of the 15. Now, there is every chance he will be out after five or six years if he behaves himself in jail.”

Wells, currently incarcerated at Wandsworth Prison in London, had also challenged his conviction, but most of his grounds for appeal were dismissed, leaving the conviction intact. The case continues to evoke strong emotions within the local communities of Devizes and Marlborough, where residents remain concerned about the potential risk Wells poses once he is released, fearing he may still pose a threat to young girls. The controversy surrounding the sentence reduction underscores ongoing debates about justice, sentencing, and the protection of vulnerable minors in the criminal justice system.