TOPLESS EXETER SEX OFFENDER ATTACKED PEOPLE WITH FRYING PAN
A topless man attacked a group of students on a night out with a frying pan while on bail for a separate sexual offence, a court has heard.Steven Miller, 35, was awaiting sentence for an offence of sexual activity with a child when he attacked three college students in Bull Meadow Park, Exeter, on August 5, 2024.
Miller, of Exeter, appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence on Wednesday (January 14, 2026) for both of the crimes - having pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of battery and being in possession of an offensive weapon in a public place in relation to the student attack.
He was also convicted by a jury after a five-day trial for the separate offence of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16.
Prosecuting the two cases, Mr Herc Ashworth said the frying pan offense was in relation to “a group of college friends” who had “spent the evening socialising in Exeter”.
At around 11.30pm, he said they were walking down Roberts Road when they walked past the defendant with a woman.
The defendant, the court heard, was “loud and topless”.
Mr Ashworth told how the defendant then made a lewd remark and “reacted angrily” when “some of the group laughed at him”.
The court heard Miller “started to chase” one of the students, before running to fetch a saucepan from his house nearby.
Mr Ashworth said Miller reappeared in the park carrying the saucepan and hit one of the students from behind.
Another of the students was heading towards the exit when she could “see the defendant running towards her with the saucepan”.
“As she was running, the defendant hit her on the head with it,” the prosecution said.
Having seen this, one of the other students ran towards the defendant and the pair started to fight.
The court heard Miller pulled the student’s hair and bit his fingers, drawing blood.
The student said he “didn’t want to fight” and they went their separate ways.
In relation to his conviction of sexual activity with a child, Mr Ashworth told the court that Miller was 19 at the time of the offence, which resulted in the victim falling pregnant, while she was 15.
Mr Ashworth said the victim was “under the care of social services” at the time, having met Miller - now 35 - when she was 14 and he was 18.
“He told her that age was just a number and that others simply wouldn't understand their relationship,” Mr Ashworth said.
He went on: “Things soon turned abusive on the defendant's part.
He exploited her, fed her with drugs, legal highs and alcohol,” adding the abuse then became physical.
Mr Ashworth explained the victim had her child, which was later given up for adoption.
Representing Miller, Nick Lewin insisted Miller’s age “didn't match his maturity at the time of this offending”.
He said: “Rather than this being a mature adult picking on a vulnerable child, these are two vulnerable children becoming engaged in risky (behaviour)” which ultimately resulted in pregnancy “as a result of two children with enormous difficulties”.
Mr Ashworth added: “He was himself undoubtedly an individual who was incredibly vulnerable.” He admitted Miller’s behaviour has historically been “utterly stupid and utterly inexplicable” but that it’s explanation lies in deeply entrenched difficulties, including mental health issues, previous traumas, neurodivergence and alcohol and drug addiction.
Sentencing Miller, His Honour Judge James Adkin told him: “You were on bail awaiting sentence for sexual offence when you assaulted a group of students.
“They had the misfortune to walk by you down Roberts Road , you were loud, you had your top off.” He told the court how Miller had made a lewd remark to the group, causing them to laugh.
Miller, however, became confrontational.
Judge Adkin said: “You went to your address and retrieved a frying pan which you used as a weapon.” In relation to the sexual offence, the judge told the defendant: “(The victim) was vulnerable.
She was under the care of social services, you knew about that in my judgement and the jury found you knew her age when you had sex with her and she had your child.” He went on to stress that Miller had been “aggressive” towards the victim and “used violence” as well as supplying her with drugs and alcohol.
He told Mr Miller that he continued to be abusive after the claimant fell pregnant and stressed the fact she had to face losing a child to adoption was an aggravating factor, creating a “lifelong impact”.
He accepted the defendant's own difficulties, traumas and neurodivergence when passing his sentence.
Miller was jailed for a total of 58 months.
