WILLIAM MARTIN FROM BARNSTAPLE SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING TEENAGE GIRLS AT NORTH DEVON HOSPITAL MORTUARY

In a case that has shocked the community of Barnstaple and the wider North Devon area, William Martin, a 56-year-old mortuary worker, was sentenced to seven years in prison yesterday after being found guilty of serious sexual offenses involving two teenage girls. The incidents took place within the premises of the North Devon Hospital mortuary, where Martin had been employed for two decades.

According to court proceedings, Martin targeted the two young victims, both teenagers at the time, by luring them into his workplace under false pretenses. He used alcohol, specifically vodka, to intoxicate the girls, making them more vulnerable to his advances. The court heard that Martin then coerced the girls into stripping and showering with him, claiming that this was necessary to remove contamination from the corpses, a disturbing and bizarre justification that added to the sinister nature of his actions.

The trial, which lasted for seven days at Exeter Crown Court, revealed the extent of Martin’s misconduct. He was convicted of attempting to rape one girl, referred to as Girl A, in November of the previous year. Additionally, he was found guilty of indecently assaulting another girl, Girl B, on a separate occasion during 2002. However, the court acquitted him of four other charges of indecent assault against the same victims, indicating that the evidence was not sufficient to prove those allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.

During the sentencing, Judge Graham Cottle expressed his concerns about the disturbing nature of the case. He described the circumstances as having “bizarre aspects” and noted the presence of “sinister and aggravating features.” The judge emphasized the seriousness of Martin’s actions and the potential risk he posed to females, stating, “The facts of this case leave me quite satisfied that you pose a risk to females. Quite how and why that is so at this stage of your life, I do not know, but the fact that you pose a risk is clearly of obvious relevance to the question of sentence and the sentencing process.”

William Martin, a father of two, had been employed at the North Devon Hospital mortuary in Barnstaple for 20 years. His long-standing position within the community and the nature of his crimes have left many residents and colleagues shocked and appalled by the revelations. The court’s decision underscores the gravity of his offenses and the importance of safeguarding vulnerable individuals from such predatory behavior.