CAPTION: The court heard a moving impact statement from the victim
Volunteer church youth leader sentenced at Exeter Crown Court
John Fox, 82, from Exmouth, has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison after being convicted of 13 counts of indecent assault against a child at Exeter Crown Court on Tuesday 22 October. He will also go on the sex offenders register for life and be banned from contact with children and vulnerable adults.
The conviction relates to Mr Fox’s time as a volunteer youth leader at a church in Surrey during the 1990s. In a victim impact statement read out in court, the victim said: “I was groomed and abused by a man I had trusted as a child.
“I feel robbed of my teenage years and all the normal experiences I should have had. He isolated me. I was in awe of him. I was totally manipulated and taken advantage of. His actions will stay with me forever.”
Sentencing him, the judge said: “You took advantage of your trusted role in [the victim’s] life. You groomed and exploited [the victim] for your own sexual gratification.”
Mr Fox was also, until recently, a volunteer youth leader at a church in the Diocese of Exeter. He was immediately asked to stand down from his role as soon as the church leadership and Diocese of Exeter learned of the allegations against him.
It is important to note that the victim in this court case is not linked to any church in the Diocese of Exeter.
We take the safety and wellbeing of all who have contact with our churches very seriously and have robust safeguarding procedures in place. The Diocese of Exeter Safeguarding team has been working with the police and statutory authorities in relation to this case and is offering support to those affected. Please contact the safeguarding team if you have any safeguarding concern or require support yourself.
