Paul Bendelow

Paul Bendelow, a 39-year-old man from Torpoint, was convicted at Truro Crown Court of five counts of sexual activity with a child and rape of a child. The offences occurred more than a decade ago in the greater Liskeard area of Cornwall, involving two young girls whom Bendelow exploited for his sexual gratification.

The court heard harrowing details of the abuse, including how Bendelow orally and vaginally raped one of the victims and coerced the other into masturbating him, even offering her money as inducement. He manipulated one girl by claiming that the acts would serve as 'good practice' for future relationships, telling her that 'masturbating him would be good practice for when she has a boyfriend'. Bendelow also issued threats of violence against the girl and her loved ones to ensure her silence about the abuse.

Bendelow failed to appear for his trial, prompting Devon and Cornwall Police to issue an arrest warrant and bring him to court forcibly. Following a guilty verdict, he was remanded in custody and sentenced on 2 October 2025 by His Honour Judge James Adkin. The judge emphasised the lasting trauma inflicted on the victims, noting that 'Bendelow had used the two girls for sex and the trauma was still having an impact on their lives so many years later'.

In mitigation, defence barrister Nigel Wraith highlighted that Bendelow had no prior or subsequent offences and had worked hard despite limited earnings, with no intention of returning to Cornwall upon release. Nevertheless, Judge Adkin imposed a total sentence of 18 years' imprisonment, including one year on licence. Additional measures include registration on the sex offenders' register for 30 years, a 30-year sexual harm prevention order, and a lifetime restraining order.