Paedophile jailed for 16 years

Court Sentences Paedophile Rapist

Winchester Crown Court sentenced Stewart Thomas McDevitt, 50, to 16 years in prison for repeatedly assaulting two young girls.

The court heard that one of the victims was only nine years old when the abuse began. McDevitt, originally from Amesbury, denied the abuse when arrested in March of last year. After a one-week trial in July, a jury at Portsmouth Crown Court found McDevitt guilty of eight counts of indecent assault and two counts of rape. He was cleared of three additional counts of indecent assault.

DC Darren Ambrose of Wiltshire Police stated that McDevitt preyed on innocent children, causing long-lasting and devastating effects. He praised the victims for their courage in coming forward and hoped the case would encourage other victims of sexual abuse to report their experiences. Despite McDevitt's continued denials, the jury's verdict and the lengthy prison sentence reflect the severity of his crimes.

McDevitt, currently residing in Barne Barton, Plymouth, has also been subjected to a sexual offences prevention order.