STEVE DEVERY FROM LEVEN SENTENCED FOR SHOCKING SEX OFFENSES IN FIFE AND METHIL
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Leven Rapist
In December 2017, Steven Devery, a 45-year-old man from the town of Leven in Fife, was sentenced to six years in prison after being convicted of serious sexual offenses. The case drew significant attention due to the nature of the crimes and the impact on the victims involved.
Devery had initially denied allegations that he had raped a woman while she was asleep at a residence in 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 separate sexual assault on a teenage girl in Methil, which took place between December 2000 and November 2001. However, Devery was acquitted of a third charge involving an indecent assault on another woman, which was alleged to have happened at a house in Leven between January 2005 and December 2006.
During the 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 severity of the impact on the victims, citing a victim impact statement from the woman who was raped. This statement detailed the profound and negative effect Devery’s actions had on her life.
The woman, now aged 36, firmly rejected claims that she and Devery had simply fallen asleep together at the house in Leven without any wrongdoing. She testified that Devery had come out of the house after her and asked if everything was going to be okay between them, indicating a level of awareness and concern that contradicted the notion of an innocent shared sleep.
Regarding the earlier assault in Methil, the victim, who is now 32, recounted that she had been staying at the house with her then-boyfriend when Devery, who had been drinking and smoking cannabis, was also present. She clarified that she had consumed about three drinks but did not take drugs at the time. She explained that she only began abusing drugs after the assault. She described waking up to find Devery on top of her, and her emotional distress was evident as she recounted crying in the bathroom before trying to wake her boyfriend. She further stated that Devery sat in a chair as if nothing had happened and ran out of the house once she managed to rouse her partner, clearly aware of his wrongdoing.
Prosecutor Richard Goddard highlighted that Devery has learning difficulties resulting from a brain injury and is registered as disabled. The court was also informed of Devery’s previous convictions for possessing cannabis and ecstasy, which painted a broader picture of his criminal history.
Defense lawyer Dana Forbes argued that there was no evidence of violence or threats involved in the offenses, suggesting a different context for the crimes. Nonetheless, the court ordered Devery to be placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, reflecting the seriousness of his offenses and the need for ongoing monitoring.
Devery had initially denied allegations that he had raped a woman while she was asleep at a residence in 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 separate sexual assault on a teenage girl in Methil, which took place between December 2000 and November 2001. However, Devery was acquitted of a third charge involving an indecent assault on another woman, which was alleged to have happened at a house in Leven between January 2005 and December 2006.
During the 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 severity of the impact on the victims, citing a victim impact statement from the woman who was raped. This statement detailed the profound and negative effect Devery’s actions had on her life.
The woman, now aged 36, firmly rejected claims that she and Devery had simply fallen asleep together at the house in Leven without any wrongdoing. She testified that Devery had come out of the house after her and asked if everything was going to be okay between them, indicating a level of awareness and concern that contradicted the notion of an innocent shared sleep.
Regarding the earlier assault in Methil, the victim, who is now 32, recounted that she had been staying at the house with her then-boyfriend when Devery, who had been drinking and smoking cannabis, was also present. She clarified that she had consumed about three drinks but did not take drugs at the time. She explained that she only began abusing drugs after the assault. She described waking up to find Devery on top of her, and her emotional distress was evident as she recounted crying in the bathroom before trying to wake her boyfriend. She further stated that Devery sat in a chair as if nothing had happened and ran out of the house once she managed to rouse her partner, clearly aware of his wrongdoing.
Prosecutor Richard Goddard highlighted that Devery has learning difficulties resulting from a brain injury and is registered as disabled. The court was also informed of Devery’s previous convictions for possessing cannabis and ecstasy, which painted a broader picture of his criminal history.
Defense lawyer Dana Forbes argued that there was no evidence of violence or threats involved in the offenses, suggesting a different context for the crimes. Nonetheless, the court ordered Devery to be placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, reflecting the seriousness of his offenses and the need for ongoing monitoring.