In 2020, the Offender Database recorded that then 33-year-old Benjamin Stone—of no fixed address, Exeter, Devon—was jailed for eight years for the repeated sexual assault of a young child. The investigation established that Stone targeted the girl when she was as young as six years old, subjecting her to a “tormenting” series of attacks. The prosecution reported that Stone maintained control over his victim through fear, threatening to harm her or her family if she ever disclosed the “vile” abuse.
The investigation established that the victim remained silent for years due to Stone’s intimidation, but the trauma eventually became unbearable. The prosecution reported that the girl suffered from persistent “intrusive thoughts” that affected her daily life, leading her to eventually confide in her mother. Together, they alerted Devon and Cornwall Police, triggering a forensic investigation into Stone’s historical conduct in the Exeter area.
Judicial Findings and Impact
The court reported that Stone denied six counts of sexual assault and causing a child to engage in sexual activity, forcing the case to a full trial. The investigation established that a jury at Exeter Crown Court saw through his denials, finding him guilty on all counts. The prosecution reported that Judge David Evans highlighted the long-term psychological damage inflicted on the victim, noting that the “full extent” of the harm may only become clear as she continues to age.
Judge-led proceedings at Exeter Crown Court concluded with Stone being sentenced to 96 months in prison. For his actions in Exeter and the nature of the “predatory” threats reported, he was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life. The judge made a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) to ensure that Stone is legally prohibited from any contact with children following his eventual release from custody, citing the ongoing risk he poses to the public.
Status and Statutory Requirements
Based on the judicial orders issued at Exeter Crown Court in 2020:
- Custodial Status: SERVING (Sentenced to 8 years in 2020; currently incarcerated or subject to strict licence).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active FOR LIFE.
- SHPO Status: Active (Strictly prohibits any contact with children and includes mandatory digital forensic monitoring).
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barring List (Indefinite ban on working with children or vulnerable adults; permanently barred from all regulated activity).
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Sexual assault x6; Causing a child to engage in sexual activity).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Exeter Crown Court; investigated by Devon and Cornwall Police.
- Criminal Record: Abused a child from the age of 6; Used threats of violence to silence the victim; Caused lifelong psychological trauma and intrusive thoughts; Denied all charges at trial.
- Origin: Exeter, Devon (Reported as no fixed address at the time of sentencing).
Monitoring and Public Protection
Stone is managed as a high-risk registered sex offender under the statutory requirements of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in Devon. Due to the nature of his conduct—specifically his “use of threats to facilitate the long-term abuse of a six-year-old child and his lack of remorse”—he is a priority for the highest levels of custodial and community oversight. Authorities reported that the 2020 conviction ensures Stone is subject to lifelong monitoring to prevent him from “haunting” the lives of any further victims.
As a registered sex offender for life, his details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that Stone’s history identifies him as an individual who utilised psychological terror to conceal his crimes for years. Any attempt by Stone to bypass his notification requirements, any failure to adhere to his SHPO in Exeter or elsewhere, or any unauthorised proximity to children will result in immediate police intervention to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from a man who “trampled all over the principles of human decency.”
QUESTION – Given that the victim was silenced for years by threats against her family, do you believe that “Coercive Intimidation” in child abuse cases should legally carry an automatic 5-year sentence enhancement to reflect the extra years of trauma endured before disclosure?
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