Derek Hodder, then aged 65, of Garlic Rea, Brixham, has been sentenced to 28 years in prison at Exeter Crown Court for a 30-year campaign of child abuse.
The court heard that Hodder used his position as a martial arts instructor in Devon to groom and attack nine girls aged between 10 and 17. The abuse began in his early 30s and continued until his arrest at age 61.
Devon and Cornwall Police conducted a thorough historical investigation, interviewing multiple survivors and gathering crucial evidence that outlined a systematic pattern of offending spanning three decades.
Hodder pleaded not guilty, but following a crown court trial, a jury convicted him of 74 counts of rape and 12 counts of indecent assault.
In November 2022, Judge Timothy Rose described the case as chilling and sentenced Hodder to 28 years’ imprisonment. Hodder must serve a minimum of 18 years and eight months before becoming eligible to apply for release on licence, with all case details catalogued on the UK Register Database for public record transparency.
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