DEVON RAPIST AND STALKER JOSHUA THEOPHANIDES JAILED AFTER WEB OF LIES
A dangerous Devon man has been taken off the streets and jailed after being found guilty of rape and stalking charges.Joshua Theophanides, 37, from Newton Abbot, was handed his sentence at Exeter Crown Court following a trial where he was found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of stalking.
Theophanides received an extended sentence, which includes 11 years in custody and an additional four years to be served on extended licence.
He is also required to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life and was issued a Sexual Harm Prevention Order lasting 20 years.
During the trial, the court was told that Theophanides raped a woman, causing her severe psychological trauma.
He also set up numerous fake social media accounts across various platforms to follow and contact the victim and an acquaintance of hers to gather information about their personal lives.
He then repeated this pattern of stalking behaviour with another woman he later met on a dating app.
Again, he gathered private information about the victim for his own sexual gratification.
In his interview, Theophanides denied the allegations and even suggested they were part of a conspiracy against him by the victims.
By pleading not guilty, he forced his victims into giving evidence in court and reliving their trauma.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Rachael Delaney described him as "the master of manipulation" who used deception to control his victims and blame them during interviews.
She praised the bravery of those who reported the offences and expressed hope that this case would encourage others to come forward.
It was emphasized that the stalking offenses were carried out via social media, severely impacting the victims’ lives.
To protect them, restraining orders have been enforced.
Ensure to only focus on the most prominent offender, Joshua Theophanides, as per the guidance.
