Devon & Cornwall Police News site

A Plymouth man who abused two children has been jailed for six and a half years.

James Williams, aged 39, of Shakespeare Road, Plymouth, was sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court on Friday 27 September after pleading guilty to several child sexual abuse offences.

Williams initially pleaded not guilty and the case was set for a trial. However, two days into the trial he decided to plead guilty. He was convicted of four counts of sexual assault by touching relating to two victims, possessing extreme pornography and taking an indecent image of a child.

Williams was also handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.

The court had heard how Williams had abused two girls on separate occasions. The most recent victim reported what had happened to her to her mother who raised the alarm. Williams was arrested and an investigation was launched by Devon & Cornwall Police’s Public Protection Unit.

Upon his arrest, Williams had his electronic devices seized. The forensic download showed that he possessed child sexual abuse images and videos, some of which were of Category A, which are deemed most serious. The devices also had extreme pornography depicting sexual activity with animals and extreme genital mutilation.

During the investigation, a further report of sexual abuse against a second girl was received. The incident of which happened in the 2010s. Williams was also charged with this offence.

Detective Constable Tracey Swift said: “I welcome the sentence passed to James Williams for the crimes that were committed by him against two children that he continued to deny until the start of his court trial. He initially pleaded not guilty meaning the case was set for a trial causing the two victims and their families more suffering.

“Mr Williams actively pursued a course of conduct where he sexually abused two vulnerable victims who should have been able to feel safe, however, Williams took that from them.

“I would like to commend the victims for their tremendous bravery and strength, firstly to be able to disclose what had happened to them and then throughout the police investigation with their continued willingness to make Williams answer for the crimes that he committed against them.

“I hope this conviction sends out a message to other offenders that Devon and Cornwall Police will actively investigate allegations such as these and hear the voices of victims.

“We will continue to do everything we can to secure convictions against those who harm children and the most vulnerable members of our community.”

If you are concerned about a child, you can find support available on the following link*. You can report this to the police in the following ways.

Support available

If you are a victim of child abuse, or worried for the safety or wellbeing of a child, find out below all the different ways you can get in touch. Even if you’re not 100 per cent sure, please report your concerns. Your information could help our trained officers and staff protect the child.

The best ways to get in touch

If you suspect someone is in immediate danger, call 999 now. If you have a hearing or speech impairment, use our textphone service 18000 or text us on 999 if you’ve pre-registered with the emergencySMS service.

If it isn’t an emergency, please get in touch in any of these other ways:

• call our non-emergency, 24/7 number: 101. If you have a hearing or speech impairment, use our textphone service on 18001 101
• visit a police station to speak to an officer in person
• contact the NSPCC to speak to a professional practitioner
• contact the children's social care team at your local council
• contact Fearless confidentially and anonymously

If you’re a child, you could also speak to someone you trust, like a friend, a teacher or another adult.

If you’re a professional working with children, remember you have a responsibility to refer your concerns to Children’s Social Care through your local council.

What happens after you report it to us?

Uniformed officers may take an initial report, after which specialist detectives may investigate. They'll explain in detail what will happen next.

Neither you or the child will be forced to do anything you're not comfortable with. However we will always take action if we think a child is at risk of further harm.

You can also visit 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 0808 1689 111 or Devon and Cornwall Police’s Victim Care Unit on 01392 475900.