TIVERTON DRUG DEALER AND PREDATOR JAILED FOR EXPLOITATION AND SEXUAL OFFENCES

A 20-year-old resident of Tiverton has been sentenced to prison for multiple serious offences. Fenton Clapp was convicted of sexual crimes committed against two teenage girls, which included sexual assault and exploitation. He also derived substantial income from drug distribution, selling substances such as ecstasy pills, earning approximately £800 per day from his activities within the community. Many of his customers were minors, whom he encountered in Amory Park, selling them pills called 'pingers'. Clapp exploited one victim, a 14-year-old girl, after she purchased MDMA from him and was heavily drugged, leaving her barely able to move. Additionally, he sexually assaulted another girl, aged 15, after she visited his flat and fell asleep; she woke to find him molesting her. Both victims described feeling traumatized and manipulated by the incidents, with one expressing, "Because of that man I’ve got so many scars. I get memories of that night all because he couldn’t keep his hands to himself. He will never change. I hope he pays for everything he has done." Clapp appeared before Exeter Crown Court to be sentenced for crimes committed during his 18th and 19th years, which included offences such as affray, possession of indecent images, and attempting to supply ecstasy, cocaine, and ketamine. He also stole a woman's handbag from a mobility scooter and used her debit card to make purchases. Of no fixed address, Clapp received a sentence of eight years and nine months, with an extension period to account for his ongoing danger to society. Judge David Evans criticized Clapp for his egotism and his lack of remorse, condemning his exploitation of vulnerable minors and his ongoing pursuit of illicit drugs and sexual gratification without regard for consent or age. Police investigations revealed Clapp’s phone contained evidence of a thriving narcotics network dealing in cocaine, MDMA, and ketamine. He also issued threats during a dispute near Amory Park, brandishing a knife at a man. The court was informed that Clapp is a manipulative and dangerous individual battling a severe drug addiction who admitted to 13 separate offences, including sexual acts with a minor, assault by penetration, and drug supply attempts. The judge underscored the need for a lengthy sentence to protect the public, while police officials expressed hope that the sentencing would bring some degree of justice for his victims. Clapp’s actions, marked by the exploitation of minors and extensive drug dealing, illustrate a pattern of egocentric and reckless behavior toward others.