PAUL COX GROOMING CASE IN BRADNINCH AND HONSITON: JAIL SENTENCE UPHELD BY COURT OF APPEAL

In a significant legal development, Paul Cox, a 47-year-old man from West Bradford near Holsworthy, has had his life sentence upheld following a failed attempt to overturn his convictions related to grooming and abusing a 15-year-old girl. Cox was initially sentenced at Exeter Crown Court in August 2009 to a public protection (IPP) sentence, which is comparable to a life imprisonment, reflecting the severity of his crimes.

In February 2011, Cox launched an appeal in the London Court of Appeal, seeking to have his convictions and the open-ended nature of his sentence overturned. However, his challenge was dismissed by three senior judges, Lord Justice Richards, Mr Justice Eady, and Sir Christopher Holland. The judges stated that Cox had failed to present any compelling evidence to question the safety of his convictions or the appropriateness of his sentence.

The court proceedings revealed disturbing details about Cox’s actions. It was established that he initiated contact with one of the young girls through an online chatroom, where he was given a mobile phone number for another girl, also aged 15. Over a series of text messages, Cox exchanged indecent photographs with the girl and arranged to meet her at a Tesco store in Honiton in February 2009. Following their meeting, they went to her home, where sexual activity took place.

Further evidence showed that Cox was also involved in sending threatening messages to the second girl. She received texts from Cox’s phone demanding indecent photos of herself. When she refused, Cox’s messages included threats to inform her parents and explicit threats to “burn” and “bottle” her, as described by Mr Justice Eady. Cox denied that he believed the girl he met was under 16 and claimed he had not sent the threatening messages to the second girl, asserting that he no longer possessed the phone used at the time.

During his appeal, Cox argued that the trial judge had misrepresented the evidence to the jury and that the girl had lied about her age. He also contended that his IPP sentence was excessively harsh, especially given doubts about the credibility of one of the victims. Nonetheless, the Court of Appeal dismissed all these claims, confirming that Cox would remain incarcerated until such time as he could convince the Parole Board of his rehabilitation and safety for release.

In addition to the sexual activity charges, Cox was convicted of multiple offenses, including two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual acts, meeting a child after grooming, encouraging the commission of an offense, and harassment through threats of violence. His case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and the judiciary to combat child exploitation and ensure justice for victims in the Bradninch and Honiton areas.