A woman and her partner from Cornwall have been sentenced to prison for plotting to drug and rape her six-year-old daughter. The couple, whose identities are being withheld to protect the victim, were sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court on Friday, August 30.
The woman, from East Cornwall, received a 17-year prison sentence, while the man, from North Cornwall, was sentenced to 13 years. Both were also given a 20-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, reported ITV News.
The investigation began in 2021 when the man accidentally left his phone with someone at a pub, who then discovered disturbing messages related to the sexual abuse of a young girl. Police seized the phone as evidence and subsequently arrested both individuals.
Detectives uncovered text messages revealing that the woman had planned to drug her six-year-old daughter to allow the man to rape her. They also found sexually explicit images of the child, which the woman had taken and sent to him.
The woman faced five charges and pleaded not guilty to all. However, at a trial held at Truro Crown Court in May 2024, she was found unanimously guilty by the jury and sentenced to 17 years for the following offences:
Conspiracy to rape a child under 13Conspiracy to assault by penetration of a child under 13Administering a substance with intent to stupefy to allow sexual activityDistributing indecent images of a childPossession of indecent images of a child
The man pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to rape a child under 13 and possessing indecent images of a child. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Detective Inspector Sara Ward, the Senior Investigating Officer, said, “This is an extremely harrowing case, and we welcome the sentences handed down by the judge today. I want to thank everyone who supported the police investigation through what has been a long and challenging process due to the nature of these crimes. My sincere thanks also go to the investigation team, who have acted with the utmost professionalism and commitment in bringing these offenders to justice for their depraved acts. The young victim was betrayed by the person who should have been protecting her. All of our thoughts remain with the victim.”