JAILED | Exeter man jailed for sexual abuse of a child
An Exeter man has been jailed for two years and three months after being found guilty of the sexual touching of a child.
David Fuller, 64, of Church Lane, Broadclyst, Exeter, was convicted of two counts of sexual activity with a child following a trial at Exeter Crown Court.
He was found not guilty of one sexual assault by penetration charge in relation to the same victim.
Fuller appeared at the same court on Wednesday 18 June for sentence. He must sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years and was made subject of a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
During the trial, the court heard how Fuller abused the girl in 2023.
The abuse came to light when the victim showed her mother her diary stored on her phone which outlined what Fuller had done to her.
She described how Fuller bought her gifts including jewellery to keep the abuse a secret. He then directed her to hide the gifts from her family at home.
The matter was reported to the police and Fuller was arrested.
The arresting officer searched Fuller’s wallet and found a receipt for a recent purchase from a local jeweller.
During interview, Fuller admitted buying the victim gifts but denied any sexual contact took place.
Officer in the case, Detective Constable Megan Singleton, said: “It was through the victim in this case bravely telling her mother what David Fuller did to her, and that information in turn being reported to us that we were able to bring him to justice.
“Fuller continued to deny any sexual offending took place despite overwhelming evidence against him, forcing the victim to give evidence at trial.
“We hope the victim and her family are now able to start moving on with their lives knowing that he has been convicted and sentenced.
“We take all allegations of sexual abuse seriously and will investigate any reports made to us, no matter when the abuse took place.”
Support available
If you or someone you know has been a victim of rape or sexual assault, we encourage you not to suffer in silence and report it to the police by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency. You can also report information and crimes on our website.
Alternatively, you can report information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
There are lots of organisations and support agencies available across Devon and Cornwall that can help provide support.
For more information on rape and serious sexual assault and the support services available, please visit our support pages by clicking here.
Advice and support is also offered by our partner agencies:
• National Rape Crisis Helpline 0808 802 9999
• Devon and Cornwall Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC) 0300 3034626
The Stop It Now charity provides an anonymous helpline for anyone with concerns about child sexual abuse and can help if you are worried about your own thoughts, feelings or behaviour, or have any concerns about another adult or young person www.stopitnow.org.uk
Victim care
If you have been affected by crime, please visit Home - Victim Care Devon & Cornwall (victimcare-dc.org) to access support services and information on your rights and how to navigate the criminal justice system. You can also call Victim Support on 08 08 16 89 111 or Devon and Cornwall Police’s Victim Care Unit on 01392 475900.
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