STEVE DEVERY FROM GLENROTHES SENTENCED TO SIX YEARS FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES IN FIFE

A man from Leven, Steven Devery, aged 45, has been sentenced to six years in prison after being convicted of serious sexual offenses committed in the Fife region, including Glenrothes. The case drew significant attention due to the nature of the crimes and the impact on the victims involved.

Devery had previously denied allegations that he raped a woman while she was asleep at a residence in his hometown of Leven, with the incidents allegedly occurring between January 2004 and December 2005. Despite his denial, a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh found him guilty of the charges after a thorough trial. The court also convicted him of a sexual assault on a teenage girl in Methil, which took place between December 2000 and November 2001. However, he was acquitted of a separate indecent assault charge involving a third woman, which alleged that he pushed her against a wall and sexually assaulted her at a house in Leven between January 2005 and December 2006.

During sentencing, Lord Armstrong addressed Devery directly, stating, "Your crimes were opportunistic and in each case were directed against the women concerned in circumstances where they were vulnerable." The judge emphasized the profound negative impact these offenses had on the victims, citing a victim impact statement from the woman who was raped. This woman, now 36, described how Devery’s actions had severely affected her life, rejecting claims that they had simply fallen asleep together in a bed without any wrongdoing. She recounted that Devery had come out of a room after her and asked if everything was going to be okay between them, highlighting the distress caused.

The woman who was assaulted in Methil, now 32, provided her account of the incident, revealing that she had been staying at a house in Methil with her then-boyfriend. She explained that Devery, who had been drinking and smoking cannabis that evening, was present in the same room. She stated she had consumed about three drinks but did not take drugs, and that her drug use only began after the assault. She described waking up to find Devery on top of her, feeling overwhelmed and crying in the bathroom. She then tried to wake her boyfriend, only to find Devery sitting in a chair as if nothing had happened. When she finally managed to rouse her boyfriend, Devery left the house quickly, indicating he knew what he had done.

Prosecutor Richard Goddard highlighted that Devery has learning difficulties resulting from a brain injury and is registered as disabled. The court also noted that Devery has prior convictions for possessing cannabis and ecstasy. Defense lawyer Dana Forbes argued that there was no evidence of violence or threats in the offenses, emphasizing the lack of physical aggression involved.

As part of his sentence, Devery was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the need for ongoing monitoring to protect the community.