A TEENAGE cadet corps corporal sexually assaulted two 13-year-old boys while pretending to measure them for new uniforms.

The 17-year-old touched the private parts of one boy and offered to give him oral sex but was repulsed by the second, who refused to let him take down his pants.

The corporal was a senior and trusted NCO in the cadet corps at a school in Devon who had a secret interest in child abuse images and adolescent boys.

He took each of the two victims in turn from the parade hall to an empty classroom where he told them he needed to measure them up for a new uniform before ordering them to take off their trousers.

His first victim was left traumatised that left the cadets immediately and has become isolated and reluctant to join in any group activities.

His abuser, now aged 18, from Devon, admitted two counts of sexual assault, one of inciting a child to sexual activity and three of possessing indecent images of children.

He was jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years and ordered to do 48 days of rehabilitation activities by Judge David Evans at Exeter Crown Court. 

He was put on the sex offenders’ register and banned from any unsupervised contact with under age boys for five years by a sexual harm prevention order.

He said he was suspending the sentence because it gave the probation service a better chance of working with the defendant to prevent future offending.

The judge told him: ‘It seems you took some thought over this in advance, taking them off to be alone with you.

‘You used the pretext of measuring for a uniform in order to touch one on the penis, and asking if you wanted him to suck it.

‘He said no, and you touched the other boy on the leg. You admitted you were motivated by a sexual attraction to under age boys. It is clear you caused very real emotional and psychological harm.’

Mr Brian Fitzherbert, prosecuting, said the senior cadet abused the boys at a meeting of the school corps in April 2021 and told them not to tell anyone.

The first victim was visibly upset when he got home and his parents persuaded him to disclose what had happened and second boy then came forward.

The cadets have a strict policy on uniform measurements, which should only be carried out over clothing and in the presence of at least two officers.

The defendant had previously been found with child abuse images on his phone by police in July 2020 and his case was still under investigation when he abused the two cadets.

There were 13 images in the worst category, effectively showing child rape and the youngest boy in the photographs and movies was aged about four.

Mr Martin Salloway, defending, said his client was struggling with his own sexuality at the time. He is deeply remorseful and keen to work with probation to change his attitudes and behaviour.