December 2017: Released & now staying in a bail hostel in Plymouth but seen visiting innocent family members in Exmouth September 2014 Child abuser jailed for repeated attacks on eight-year-old girl A child abuser has been jailed for subjecting an eight-year-old girl to months of repeated sexual assaults. Sam Prowse left the girl too frightened even to tell her mother about what he was doing to her and the truth only came out when she saw him by chance at a railway station. Prowse groomed and abused the girl while he was babysitting at her mother’s home in Barnstaple. He bribed her with toys and even assaulted her while he was helping her make a cut-out fairy. He was jailed for six and a half years after a judge heard how his abuse has changed his victim from a sweet, innocent child into a spiteful little girl who has problems relating to children of her own age. Prowse, 26, who was living at Barnstaple at the time but is now of Grebe Court, Bridgwater, Somerset, was found guilty of five counts of sexual assault by a jury at Exeter Crown Court in June. He was jailed by Judge Phillip Wassall who told him: “This girl was just eight and has suffered psychological harm as a result of which she is receiving counselling. “The victim impact statement makes tragic reading but these are the consequences of people who abuse children in the way that you did, which is why such offences quite properly attract substantial periods of imprisonment. “This was a girl of very tender years who you groomed by buying presents to gain her trust. There was also an element of control.” During a week-long trial the jury heard from the alleged victim, now aged 12, how Prowse assaulted her sexually four years ago but she was too frightened to tell anyone at the time. She said she only revealed what he had done when she saw him by chance at Exeter St David’s Railway station in December 2011. Gareth Evans, prosecuting, read extracts from a victim impact statement from the girl’s mother. It said: “She was such a lovely trusting, innocent, kind little girl and knowing that she was so terrified of Prowse that she kept her fear to herself until she saw him at the station makes me feel sick to my stomach. “My daughter still feels she can do anything she wants and is spiteful to her brothers. Prowse was manipulative and I feel a tremendous amount of guilt that I allowed him access to my child. “It was part of my daughter’s vulnerability that he knew she would not be able to tell anyone. She has trouble developing friendships with children of her own age and has had problems settling in at big school. “She prefers to be among children younger than herself so she can mother them.” Prowse said all the allegations were untrue and described them as “nuts”. Julia Bradbury, defending, said Prowse was a heavy user of cannabis at the time and it led to mental problems which required treatment for psychosis. She said he had stayed out of trouble since giving up the drug and was now in a relationship with a partner who is expecting his baby. August 2014 Paedophile who terrified and abused Barnstaple girl, 8, awaits risk assessment A JUDGE has ordered an assessment to determine the risk a babysitter who sexually abused an eight-year-old girl poses. Sam Prowse repeatedly touched the victim when he was looking after her at her mother’s home in Barnstaple in 2010. He terrified her into remaining silent about his assaults for two years until a chance encounter on Exeter St David’s railway station which brought back her ordeal and led to her telling her family. Prowse abused the girl while they watched television together and put his hands inside her clothing while she was making a cut-out fairy. He offered to buy her dolls which were advertised on television if she carried out sexual acts with him. Prowse, aged 25, who was living at Barnstaple at the time but is now of Grebe Court, Bridgwater, Somerset, was found guilty of five counts of sexual assault by a jury at Exeter Crown Court in June. He returned to the court for sentence but Phillip Wassall said he could not do so because there was no report from the probation service. Prowse had attended his interview with a probation officer but it had been cut short because he maintained his innocence. Judge Wassall remanded Prowse in custody and ordered a fresh report which will focus solely on whether Prowse poses a danger to others. Prowse has a record of 20 offences, including several of violence. The judge told him: “I am going to need a more helpful report. It is not these offences in isolation, it is the previous offending. The probation officers in prison will have experience of risk assessment. “I need an assessment of the risk you pose of inflicting serious harm in the future through violent or sexual offending. It is in your interests the court have as much information as possible.” The judge said the report would help him decide whether to add an extended licence which would mean he would be monitored after any jail term ends. During a week-long trial the jury heard from the alleged victim, now aged 12, how Prowse assaulted her sexually four years ago but she was too frightened to tell anyone at the time. She said she only revealed what he had done when she saw him by chance at Exeter St David’s Railway station in December 2011. Prowse said all the allegations were untrue and described them as “nuts”. He said he hated paedophiles and would never touch a child. June 2014 Pervert sexually abused eight year old girl A pervert sexually abused an eight-year-old girl as she drew a picture of a fairy and groomed her by promising to buy her dolls  Exeter Crown Court heard how Sam Prowse repeatedly sexually abused the primary aged schoolgirl, when he was left alone with her. Prowse left her so scared that she was not able to tell anyone of her ordeal until she saw him by chance at a railway station in 2011.  The shock of seeing him again two years after the alleged abuse was so great she told her family what he had done when he had been looking after her at her home in Barnstaple in 2010, the court heard.  The girl told police Prowse had abused her on a number of occasions and had tried to make her take part in sex acts with him by offering to buy toys or dolls.  Prowse denied all the charges and accusations. Prowse was however found guilty of three offences of sexual activity with a child aged under 13 years old and two counts of inciting a child under 13 years old to engage in sexual activity. He showed no emotion as the jury read out the verdicts. Prowse, 26, formerly of Barnstaple, but now of Grebe Court, Bridgwater, Somerset, denies six counts of taking part in or inciting sexual activity with a child.  Nigel Wraith, for the prosecution, said Prowse groomed the young girl and abused her when he was left alone with her at her mother’s former home in Barnstaple over six months in 2010.  He said: “She did not tell anyone at the time because she was scared he would find her and only started coming to light in December 2011 when she saw him by chance at a railway station in Exeter and had an extreme reaction.  “She told her mother, grandmother and aunt and her mother realised she needed to have a voice and to be heard and reported the matter to the police.”  Mr Wraith said the girl told police she had been abused frequently, including when she was watching television or playing.  He said: “She told how on one occasion he put his hand under her clothing and touched her when she was sat at a table doing cutting and sticking and trying to make a fairy.  “When she was watching television and advertisements for Bratz dolls came on he would ask if she wanted one and tell her she could if she performed a sexual act on him.  “He told her not to tell her mother and it seems a certain amount of grooming was going on, treating her to gifts such as money.” Prowse will be sentenced on August 4th  In June 2011, Prowse was convicted of two counts of assaulting a female. Prowse punched the woman in the face, leaving her with a swollen eye which she could not open for three days. The second offence involved Prowse hitting the woman around the head eight times, after throwing A4-sized place mats at her. He was found not guilty of a third charge of throttling her.