Plymouth commando jailed for rape

Corporal Sam Evans will serve 14 years

A Plymouth commando who left a woman with a permanent medical condition after raping her at his home has been handed an 18-year sentence.

British Army Corporal Sam Evans was jailed for 14 years and will spend a further four years on licence after being considered a danger by a judge. He was also put on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Plymouth Crown Court heard that the 29-year-old targeted a woman he recognised from a dating app when he saw her at a Plymouth nightclub last July.

He engineered her return to his house while she was intoxicated and vulnerable having lost her mobile phone - all under the pretence of getting her home safely.

Once he had isolated his victim his mock gallantry vanished and he became violent, subjecting her to repeated sexual and physical attacks which left her hospitalised.

The woman suffered concussion, severe bruising, and was left with a permanent internal medical condition.

Evans, of Ker Street, Devonport, was sentenced on Monday after being convicted last month of rape, two counts of sexual assault by penetration, non-fatal strangulation and assault causing actual bodily harm. He was found not guilty on a second count of rape and a further count of assault by penetration. Evans denied all offences.

Speaking after sentence the victim said the attack had caused ‘irreparable damage’ but vowed that the ordeal would not ‘break her.’

During the trial, the court heard that the pair connected through a dating app in the two months before the assault. Evans, based at Plymouth Citadel at the time, had persistently tried to meet her in person but the victim was not interested.

She was out with friends at Annabel’s nightclub last summer when Evans turned up with friends. He knew that she frequented the venue and CCTV footage shows him following her around the club, watching her from a distance.

When the victim became separated from friends she was approached outside by Evans who had called a taxi. He immediately wanted to go to his house but she insisted on going to a North Hill bar to meet her friends, arriving around 4am.

After an hour she wanted to go home and a concerned friend took her to a nearby taxi rank. Evans followed and assured the friend he would get her home safely by sharing the taxi.

Instead Evans asked the driver to take them to Devonport, around four miles from the victim’s home. They stopped at a garage a short walk from his flat so that both could use the cashpoint. Evans paid the driver and then told him to leave.

During the journey, the victim realised she had lost her mobile phone and on arrival at Devonport she had no idea where she was. CCTV footage shows the woman clearly unsteady on her feet and being led by Evans to his home.

Once inside he said he loved her which made her uncomfortable and she asked him to call her a taxi. He didn’t and instead took her to his bedroom and locked the door. His demeanour instantly changed and he turned violent, hitting her across the face, pinning her to the bed by her throat and savagely raping her.

The court heard that during the ordeal Evans knelt on her chest restricting her breathing, held her throat until she passed out and urinated on her.

After the attack, the victim asked him to call her a taxi but again he refused, instead offering to drive her home. She agreed as she felt she had no choice and wanted the ordeal to end after being there for four-and-a-half hours.

Evans told her he felt bad for her and asked whether she was going to say anything as he would be ‘in trouble', adding that he ‘never wanted anyone to know what he had done.’ However, he also said that his actions would have been worse if his housemates had not been home at the time.

Her mother noticed her facial injuries when Evans dropped her home, but the victim didn’t want to call the police in fear that her attacker knew where she lived.

She went to Derriford Hospital that day as she was in terrible pain, and disclosed the ordeal to staff who called police. She was treated for multiple injuries including concussion, a jaw injury, significant bruising to her chest, bruised arms and neck, and cuts and bruises to her mouth.

An investigation was launched by officers from Devon and Cornwall Police’s Project Gemstone, a specialist sexual offences investigation team in Plymouth. The suspect was identified and his vehicle details circulated on Force systems.

Around 2 a.m. on Thursday 7 July 2022, officers stopped Evans’ van on the A38 at Glynn Valley. He was arrested on suspicion of rape and assorted items including chains and ropes, plus the victim’s false eyelash which came off during the attack, were seized from his home.

In police interview Evans admitted he and the victim had sexual intercourse but denied rape and assault or that the woman had specified she wanted to go home beforehand.

He admitted ‘lightly choking her’ and that ‘potentially’ he could have caused the throat injuries but had not meant to hurt her. He went on to admit that he may have been ‘heavy handed’ and could have made her lose consciousness for a period of time.

Evans consistently denied all offences but was convicted on five charges following a trial at Plymouth Crown Court.

After the case, the victim described how the attack had changed her life and how she intended to use her experience to help other victims of sexual violence.

She said: “Sexual assault is more than just a physical assault; my body is the shell in which I hold everything that I am. A violation to someone’s body is a violation to the very core of a person. It is hard to put into words the irreparable damage Sam Evans has caused me.

“But at a time when I was at my most vulnerable, when I felt scared and isolated, Devon and Cornwall Police was there for me. I have personally been touched by the support the whole Gemstone team has shown me. I would especially like to thank Detective Sergeant Rhian Jones, Detective Constable Lee Tucker and Sexual Offences Liaison Officer Shelley Charlton for the dedication, compassion and humanity they have shown me throughout this journey. 

“I have transformed in this process while cooperating with the police assisting them with their investigation, and have felt empowered holding my perpetrator accountable for his actions. I would encourage any victim of rape and sexual assault to come forward so that together we can put an end to sexual violence. You are not alone, there is support waiting for you.

“I will not let what happened defeat me, this will be the making, not breaking of me. I will now use my experience and strength gained in these last nine months to help others like myself. My life has changed, but it has gone in a new direction. Above all else, I want other survivors to know that there is life and hope again after sexual assault.”

Detective Constable Lee Tucker, officer in the case, welcomed today’s sentence and said: ”I believe this is one of the worst cases of its kind that Devon and Cornwall Police has dealt with.

“The victim was subjected to a brutal and horrific ordeal at the hands of Evans. The level of premeditation he showed leading up to the incident, what he did on the night, and how he manipulated someone very vulnerable into gaining his trust, demonstrates that he is very dangerous.

“It seems clear that he was leading a double life. The impeccable serviceman who is well liked and well respected, and then the other side to him where he is using the dating app to prey on this vulnerable woman. Throughout the trial he showed no remorse and tried to manipulate the whole court as to his version of events which were proven to be lies.

“Throughout this case the victim has displayed enormous strength and bravery. She has always maintained that her motivation was to see this dangerous man behind bars and out of the community.

“I sincerely hope that this significant sentence will encourage other victims of sexual offences to come forward knowing that they will be believed and fully supported.”

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Steve Fleetwood added: “I applaud and admire the strength the victim has shown throughout this process. Without her courage this prosecution would never have gone ahead to take this violent rapist off the streets of Plymouth.

“I would like to praise the dedication of Detective Constable Lee Tucker and Detective Sergeant Rhian Jones who have gone above and beyond in every aspect of this investigation, providing exemplary support for the victim. I would also like to recognise the above and beyond efforts of the specialist support officer PC Shelley Charlton. She has been pivotal in helping the victim to give her voice at court. They should all be rightly proud of today’s sentence which we hope has achieved justice and a measure of peace for the victim.

“We began Project Gemstone in Plymouth in June 2022 as part of a national initiative to better collaborate with the CPS to improve our response to rape and serious sexual offences. This case is one example of the ground-breaking results that can be achieved with suspect focused investigations and highly trained specialist officers supporting victims through the process.

“The operation will continue to identify, encourage and support such victims in our quest to bring offenders to justice, in particular those who commit violence against women and girls.”

Support is available if you need help or assistance relating to sexual assault: 

National Rape Crisis Helpline: 0808 802 9999
Devon and Cornwall Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC): 0300 3034626
Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Independent Sexual Advisor Service: 03458 121212
Victim Care Unit: 01392 475900
Devon Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Services: 01392 204 174
In an emergency, always call 999 and in a non-emergency please visit www.dc.police.uk/contact or telephone 101.