September 2020

Perverted monster caged for child sex crimes in Plymouth

A pervert has been jailed for six years for child sex offences – which were filmed on a mobile phone.

Depraved David Tovey, aged 39, confessed after police found images on the handset, a court heard.

His victim, an underage girl, was described as vulnerable.

Widower Tovey went on to intimidate a housemate who alerted police to his offences, Plymouth Crown Court was told.

Judge William Mousley jailed him for six years and ordered him to sign the Sex Offender Register for life.

Tovey, formerly of Keyham Road, pleaded guilty to two serious serious sexual offences involving the girl between March and July.

He also admitted three counts of possession of indecent images, the pictures which were found on the phone.

Tovey, recently living in Yeovil in Somerset, also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice by intimidating a witness.

Rachel Drake, for the Crown Prosecution Service, described the victim as a “vulnerable teenager”.

She added that police visited Tovey at his shared house in Keyham Road after concerns raised by a neighbour and a social worker.

The barrister added that they found the indecent images on the mobile phone – which Tovey had incited the girl to take.

Miss Drake said that Tovey went on to threaten the neighbour who had given a police statement about him.

The court heard the defendant had previously been jailed for three years by a judge at Taunton Crown Court in 2009 for the sexual assault of a girl.