February 2015
Pervert jailed for six years for sex assault on child at holiday park
A man who was caught sexually assaulting a young child at a holiday park near Bodmin has been jailed for six years.
David Coombs was staying at Michaelstow Holiday Park in St Tudy on September 20 when another visitor at the site caught him with the girl, aged under 13, who cannot be named for legal reasons, Truro Crown Court heard on Wednesday.
Nigel Wraith, for the prosecution, said the 50-year-old claimed he was just showing the youngster his “thing” and that the girl had asked him to look at a spot on her bottom.
Police were called and the girl was interviewed. At first she denied anything had happened: “She said she was scared to tell the police what had been happening for fear of getting herself into trouble,” said Mr Wraith.
“This sort of behaviour had been on some five occasions. She said Mr Coombs had told her not to tell anybody and she was frightened to tell people.”
At an earlier hearing Coombs, listed in court papers as of no formal abode, had admitted five counts of sexually assaulting the girl.
Kelly Scrivener, for the defence, said Coombs had chosen not to appear in court, despite being brought to the building from custody, because of the shame and remorse he felt, and had not wanted her to put forward in mitigation the fact that he had himself been abused as a child.
“He has never got over that and he threw himself into his employment,” said Ms Scrivener.
She said Coombs had worked in a trusted role in the service industry for 15 years, during which time he had to deal with extremely difficult and harrowing environments.
Sentencing Coombs to six years in jail, Judge Simon Carr said he had no doubt that had he not been caught red-handed the abuse would have continued and escalated.
He said: “I accept his remorse at this stage is genuine.”
Judge Carr added that the offence had a devastating effect on the girl and her mother. “Sadly, I suspect this is something she will carry with her for the rest of her life,” he said.
Coombs was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order indefinitely and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.
