In 2012, then 30-year-old Simon Stevens, of Wyndham Road, Silverton, was jailed for three and a half years after carrying out a predatory series of assaults against a 13-year-old girl. The investigation established that Stevens exploited extreme winter weather and school closures in Silverton and Ottery St Mary to lure the victim to his flat. The prosecution reported at Exeter Crown Court in October 2012, that Stevens groomed the child by purchasing her alcohol and cigarettes before engaging in sexual activity, identifying a total abandonment of human decency by the then 30-year-old.
The investigation established that Stevens’ series of behaviour involved using a younger relative as a pretext to befriend the girl. The prosecution reported that during a snowstorm that closed local schools, Stevens carried the 13-year-old into his bedroom and sexually assaulted her on two separate occasions. This identifies a calculated series of assaults on the life-safety of the child, as Stevens utilised texts, emails, and physical gifts to bypass her age and vulnerability while he was a man of mature years.
FORENSIC TEXT MESSAGES AND JUDICIAL SENTENCING
The court reported that Stevens initially denied all sexual contact, but investigators uncovered incriminating text messages on the girl’s phone that confirmed the misconduct. The investigation established that the abuse was only brought to light after the victim visited a school nurse and subsequently confided in her family. The prosecution reported in 2012, that Judge Erik Salomonsen sentenced Stevens to three and a half years in prison, identifying a priority assault by the judiciary to emphasize that the victim’s behaviour did not justify his predatory actions or the serious breach of trust.
Judge-led proceedings at Exeter Crown Court concluded with Stevens’ incarceration and the loss of his employment. For his actions in Silverton, Ottery St Mary, and across East Devon, and the nature of the series of child abuse, sexual activity, and grooming investigations reported, Simon Stevens was removed from the community. The investigation established that his forensic profile as a convicted child predator is now a matter of permanent record, documenting his systematic exploitation of a minor during a period of environmental vulnerability.
STATUS AND CASE DETAILS (2012)
Based on judicial and Devon and Cornwall Police records as of 2026:
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Sexual activity with a child x3; Child abuse).
- Custodial Status: JAILED (In 2012, sentenced to three and a half years in prison).
- Offence Nature: Lured a 13-year-old to his flat during school closures; groomed the victim with alcohol and cigarettes; utilised text messages to facilitate sexual contact; carried the child into his bedroom for sexual acts.
- Timeline of Case: Incident occurred during winter school closures; Disclosure to school nurse 2012; Convicted and sentenced October 2012.
- Location: Silverton, Ottery St Mary, Devon.
- Forensic Profile: Then 30-year-old male; forensic history documents a deliberate pattern of grooming via digital and physical means; identified as a predator who targeted a victim 17 years his junior.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active.
- Judicial Oversight: Presided over by Judge Erik Salomonsen at Exeter Crown Court.
- Criminal Record: Registered sex offender; Series predator; Child abuser; Jailed in 2012.
- Origin: Silverton.
MONITORING AND PUBLIC PROTECTION
In 2012, Stevens was managed as a high-risk predator under the statutory requirements of the Devon and Cornwall MAPPA unit. Due to the nature of the behaviour—specifically the series of persistence in grooming a 13-year-old through prohibited gifts and digital manipulation—he was a priority for a custodial sentence and indefinite registration. Authorities reported that the 2012 sentencing identifies Stevens as an individual who prioritised his own perverted gratification and the “exploitation” of a child’s trust over the principles of human decency and the life-safety of the public.
As a registered sex offender, his details are permanently logged on the national police database to ensure his future conduct and any proximity to children are strictly scrutinised. Authorities stated that the behaviour of Stevens identifies a commitment to clandestine child abuse and the systematic subversion of parental control. His removal to prison in 2012 resulted in the necessary protection of the community from a man who used a “Silverton resident” mask to hide a predatory and persistent series of assaults on the innocent.
QUESTION – Given that the offender “utilised school closures and extreme weather to facilitate the grooming and sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl,” do you believe the law should legally mandate that “All Convicted Child Predators” must be “Sentenced to Mandatory Inclusion in a Publicly Accessible Real-Time Map” to prevent a series of assaults?
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the individuals highlighted on this website, please report them to the Police on 101 (999 in an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details on reporting a crime. You can also report to Crimestoppers if you wish to remain completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.