TONY JACKA OF IVYBRIDGE SHAMES MILITARY AND MEETS DUCHESS OF CORNWALL IN PLYMOUTH BEFORE BEING JAILED FOR PAEDOPHILIA

In a shocking turn of events, Tony Jacka, a former senior Royal Marine based in Ivybridge, has been convicted and sentenced for heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of a young girl. Jacka, who once held a distinguished position within the military, including roles such as Regimental Sergeant Major of 3 Commando Brigade and second-in-command of a rehabilitation unit for injured service personnel, was publicly exposed as a paedophile after a series of disturbing revelations.

His misconduct came to light after he was found to have boasted online about his criminal activities to other offenders, revealing a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior. The police investigation uncovered that Jacka, aged 50, had engaged in indecent assaults on a girl between 2004 and 2007, with the victim being just a child at the time. Despite the serious nature of these allegations, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had initially decided not to prosecute Jacka five years prior, a decision that was later heavily criticized by the court.

In addition to the assaults, Jacka admitted to downloading and possessing 139 indecent images of children between 2010 and 2013. The police investigation revealed that Jacka had repeatedly touched the girl indecently in her bed over a three-year period, with the victim eventually reporting the abuse to authorities in 2009. However, due to a lack of supporting evidence at the time, the case was not taken to court, a decision that drew criticism from prosecutors who found it “strange.”

Further investigations led to Jacka’s arrest at Devonport Naval Base, where police discovered that he had been accessing indecent images of children. Messages sent by Jacka to other paedophiles, in which he boasted about his crimes, were also uncovered. Authorities found sickening search engine terms on his computer, underscoring the extent of his depravity.

Remarkably, Jacka’s military career was once highly regarded. He served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Northern Ireland, earning a reputation for exemplary service. A reference from a senior officer highlighted that Jacka set high standards for himself and others, though the court noted he failed to uphold those standards outside of his professional duties.

During the trial at Plymouth Crown Court, Judge Graham Cottle condemned Jacka’s actions as “completely abhorrent” to right-minded individuals. The judge also criticized the CPS’s earlier decision not to prosecute, expressing his disbelief at the missed opportunity to bring Jacka to justice sooner.

Jacka pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault and four counts of sexual activity with a child, along with admitting to possessing indecent images. He was sentenced to four and a half years in prison, with a portion of his sentence to be served concurrently. The court ordered that Jacka be released at the halfway point of his sentence but mandated that he remain on the Sexual Offender Register for ten years.

In a final note, the court acknowledged Jacka’s willingness to confront his issues and his previous support for injured personnel with emotional difficulties. Nonetheless, his crimes have left a lasting scar, and his fall from grace serves as a stark reminder of the hidden dangers that can lurk behind a seemingly respectable façade.