Jeffery Pincombe

Jeffery Pincombe, a 65-year-old man from Tiverton, Devon, has been sentenced to nine years in prison following his conviction for a series of sexual offences against three young girls he was babysitting. The abuses occurred between 2003 and 2009, during times when Pincombe was left unsupervised with the children. Exeter Crown Court heard detailed accounts of how Pincombe exploited these situations to perpetrate the crimes, often in private settings such as bathrooms or bedrooms.

Pincombe initially denied eight charges of sexual activity with a child but was found guilty of six counts. The court was informed of specific incidents, including one where he abused an eight-year-old girl while they watched a Grand Prix on television. He also denied five offences related to sexual assault or engaging in sexual activity in the presence of one of the children between 2005 and 2009, but was convicted on four of those. Additionally, he was found guilty of indecently assaulting a second girl between 2003 and 2005, and one count of sexual activity with a third girl between 2004 and 2006 out of two charges denied.

Judge Phillip Wassall, presiding over the case at Exeter Crown Court, remarked that Pincombe had 'taken advantage' of the opportunities when alone with the girls. He highlighted the profound 'mental harm' inflicted on the victims, stating it would be 'difficult to quantify'. In addition to the nine-year custodial sentence, Pincombe was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and received a sexual offences prevention order, which prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with children.

The case was prosecuted under the jurisdiction of Devon and Cornwall Police, with proceedings held at Exeter Crown Court. The convictions underscore the severity of child sexual exploitation by trusted caregivers, as reported by the BBC in their coverage of the sentencing.