December 2012

Easterton man admitted six rapes and other offences

A man who abused three underage girls, repeatedly raping one of them, has been jailed for life.

Michael Gwyther had forced himself on the child from the age of 12 and also offered her for sex to other men.

Gwyther, 44, was also in the process of grooming two other school girls for his perverted desires when their parents found out and contacted the police.

And when officers arrested him they found indecent pictures and a film of one of their classmates on his mobile phone.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that one of the girls’ mothers was looking at her daughter’s computer and found inappropriate messages from Gwyther.

She said the 14-year-old from Westbury then revealed that he had given her a lift in August last year and put his hand on her leg.

Another girl, aged 15 and from the Lavington area, who had also got a lift from him, said she too had been molested by him around the same time.

Miss Marlow said when the police were looking into those matters they found the incriminating evidence of the third child on his mobile.

When they tracked down the girl in the images she revealed the depth of the abuse.

She revealed he had been raping and abusing her since she was 12 years old, later taking her to a place where strangers gathered to have sex.

The child told officers that he videoed her when they were there, though the footage has never been uncovered.

Gwyther of Haywards Place, Easterton, admitted six rapes, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, three counts of sexual activity with a child and three of making an indecent photo of a child.

Marcus Davey, defending, said his client was full of remorse for what he had done and realised he faced a lengthy jail term. He urged the judge to impose a determinate sentence so Gwyther would know when he was to be released.

But Judge Douglas Field ruled he presented a serious risk of significant harm by committing offences in the future and imprisoned him for public protection.

He said: “You have corrupted her by engaging in ever more serious sexual activity with her, starting when she was about 12 and ending when 14 or 15.

“When she was 12 you even started raping her: you raped her on six occasions, twice when she was under 13.

“You did all this to gratify your entrenched deviance: you have an excessive sexual interest in underage girls.

“You started grooming the other victims. You made contact over the internet. This was to groom them so they would meet you so you could commit sexual offences against them: it occurred thankfully in a minor way.

“Your offending has caused your victims very considerable psychological damage. It’s quite understandable to hear they have difficulties dealing with everyday life and that will last for some time.”

He said Gwyther would not be freed until the parole board think it is safe to do so, not being considered for release until he has served seven years, with 385 days for the time he was on remand being deducted.

December 2012

An evil paedophile who took a 12-year-old girl he was abusing to a dogging site where she was raped by another man has been jailed for life.

Pervert Michael Gwyther repeatedly raped the youngster and took her to a notorious open-air sex site where he offered to share her with other men.

The sick 44-year-old was also grooming two other schoolgirls when their parents found out and contacted police, Swindon Crown Court heard.

Police found indecent pictures and an explicit video of one of their classmates on his phone when they arrested him at his home in Easterton, Wilts..

Sick Gwyther enticed a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old girl into his car on separate occasions and molested them both.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told the court police uncovered the shocking abuse of another girl when they examined his mobile.

When police tracked down the girl in the images she was too terrified to detail the horrific abuse she had suffered at the hands of depraved Gwyther.

She eventually told how he had been raping and abusing her since she was 12, and he even took her to notorious dogging site The Barn, where strangers gathered to have sex.

Gwyther forced the young girl to have sex with a man while videotaping them, but that footage has not been found.

Evil Gwyther admitted six rapes, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, three counts of sexual activity with a child and three of making an indecent photo of a child.

Marcus Davey, defending, said his client was full of remorse for what he had done.

Judge Douglas Field ruled Gwyther presented a serious risk of reoffending.

He said: “You have corrupted her by engaging in ever more serious sexual activity with her, starting when she was about 12 and ending when 14 or 15.

“When she was 12 you even started raping her. You raped her on six occasions, twice when she was under 13.

“You took her to what was known as dogging sites where strangers gather quite openly to have sex with each other. There you have instigated her having sex with unknown men.

“You did all this to gratify your entrenched deviance; you have an excessive sexual interest in underage girls.

“You started grooming the other victims. You made contact over the internet.

“This was to groom them so they would meet you so you could commit sexual offences against them.

“Your offending has caused your victims very considerable psychological damage.

“It’s quite understandable to hear they have difficulties dealing with everyday life and that will last for some time.”

September 2012

Man, 44, admits child rape

Child rapist Michael Gwyther has admitted sex offences against three underage girls including taking one ‘dogging’ where she had sex with other men.

The 44-year-old pleaded guilty to six counts of rape against the girl, starting when she was about 12 years old, and causing or inciting a child to take part in sexual activity.

He also admitted two counts of sexual activity with a child in relation to the two other young girls when they were aged 14 and 15.

Judge Douglas Field remanded Gwyther, of Haywards Place, Easterton, near Devizes in custody to Monday, September 24 when he is due to face sentence on the charges. 

Charges of meeting a child following sexual grooming will not be proceeded with, prosecutors told Swindon Crown Court.

It had been alleged that he met the girls, from Westbury and West Lavington, following sexual grooming.

He had initially denied charges of sexual activity with the two teenagers on separate occasions last year but changed his pleas and admitted the counts.

Gwyther has now admitted six rapes, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, three counts of sexual activity with a child and three of making an indecent photo of a child.