Sex offender Joseph Davey jailed indefinitely
A man who subjected children to "utterly vile and depraved"
sexual abuse could spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Joseph Davey, 61, a former steel workers’ union branch
president, was jailed indefinitely on Friday for public
protection.
A judge said he poses a significant risk of re-offending and
ordered that he must serve a minimum of eight years before being
considered for parole.
Maidstone Crown Court heard that Davey, formerly of Sheerness,
subjected his victims to various sex acts including rape. He also
took photographs.
Prosecutor Deborah Charles said the former Merchant Navy seaman
told one girl that if she told anyone of the abuse, she would be
the one who went to prison.
Davey, now of Coventry, West Midlands, admitted four charges of
rape, five of sexual activity with a child, one of indecent
assault, three of indecency with a child, one of causing a child to
engage in sexual activity and two of causing child pornography.
He also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice in
relation to trying to make one of his victims retract her statement
to the police.
Passing sentence, Judge Andrew Patience QC described the
consequences of Davey’s offending as "devastating".
"You treated them in a way which was cruel, degrading,
humiliating and deeply, deeply damaging. What you did is also
properly described as utterly vile and depraved and done simply for
your own sexual gratification.
"Their impact statements speak eloquently of lives so damaged
that I fear even the passage of time may not heal them."
Crispian Cartwright, defending, told the court Davey had been
regarded highly by former work colleagues in the steel industry,
having been appointed secretary and later president of his local
union branch.
"All that reputation now counts for nothing," he said.
If released Davey will be subject to a sexual offences
prevention order, which includes a ban on having unsupervised
contact with children. He must also sign on the sex offenders’
register indefinitely.
Saturday, February 06 2010