DENNIS CORNISH TORBAY TV GARDENER JAILED FOR INDECENT ASSAULT ON YOUNG MAN AND BOY

In a case that has shocked the community near Torbay, Dennis Cornish, a former television gardener, has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for committing indecent assaults. The conviction was handed down four weeks ago at Exeter Crown Court, where the court heard disturbing details about Cornish's inappropriate conduct involving vulnerable young men.

Cornish, aged 61 at the time of sentencing, was found guilty of sexually abusing a 21-year-old man who had learning difficulties. The court was informed that the abuse took place in various locations, including Cornish's car and a private room within a shop at the Four Cross garden centre, situated close to Torbay in Devon. The court proceedings revealed that Cornish had a history of befriending young men with learning difficulties, some of whom he employed part-time at his garden centre, exploiting their trust and vulnerability.

Judge Graham Cottle addressed Cornish directly during the sentencing, stating, “There has lurked behind the veneer of your apparent genial respectability a dark secret. It has now surfaced and led you to where you are now. You have been convicted of indecently assaulting an unfortunate and disadvantaged young man, which represents a significant breach of the trust placed in you by both him and his parents.” The judge emphasized the gravity of Cornish’s actions and the betrayal of trust involved.

The court also heard that Cornish had admitted to sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy during his time as an assistant scoutmaster when he was 25 years old. Cornish claimed that he was coerced into confessing to the abuse of two boys during police interviews, asserting that he had recently stopped taking anti-depressants and was in a confused mental state at the time. He explained that he had ceased medication just three days before the police interview, which he believed affected his mental clarity.

Further allegations emerged when a man came forward, claiming that he too had been sexually abused by Cornish in the 1960s. The court was also informed that Cornish had lost his job with Carlton Westcountry Television as a result of the allegations against him. As part of his sentence, Cornish was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community near Torbay.