A MARTIAL arts coach who raped or abused nine different girls while running classes in a seaside town has been jailed for 28 years.

Ross Hodder used the Aikido club he ran in Brixham, Devon, to target vulnerable girls who were having problems at home or school.

He raped four of them and sexually assaulted another five over a period of 32 years. Some were groped during naked massages in which he told them he had to touch every part of their bodies.

Carpet fitter Hodder groomed the girls with alcohol, cannabis and presents and started relationships with the four that he raped. When the relationships ended, he moved on to the next girl.

He had sex with the victims in his car and works van, at his home, and at hotels in London and Exmouth where he took them on overnight trips.

He offered some of them work at a Sunday market stall he ran or at properties he helped to maintain and used the payments as hush money to keep them sweet and stop them from talking.

He assaulted some of the girls at the Aikido dojo which he ran at a variety of venues in Brixham over the years, including a church hall.

Many of the rape counts covered multiple offences which meant that he was convicted of at least 74 separate rapes.

Three of the victims read out personal statements at Exeter Crown Court and four more wrote accounts of how much they have suffered as a result of his abuse.

Hodder refused to leave the cells to face the victims in the courtroom, instead watching proceedings on a laptop, an act which the prosecution described as cowardice.

The impact statements told how many of the girls were encouraged to join Hodder’s aikido club by their families to improve their confidence or cope with bullying at school.

They told of years of mental torment, suicide attempts, and damage to their relationships with families and partners.

One said: ‘You were supposed to be a positive figure in my life but you took it on yourself to abuse that trust to fulfil your sick and twisted fantasies.’

Another said: ‘I thought I was the only one. I shudder every night to think that I should have spoken out so this did not happen to others.

‘That guilt stabbed me but I comfort myself by remembering I was only a child.

‘I used to jump up at any noise in the night because I thought the Bogeyman was coming.’

One said the abuse made her feel so dirty that she self-harmed. She said: “He preyed on my vulnerabilities to groom me and make me feel disgusted with myself.

‘His abuse was systematic, persistent and pre-meditated.’

Hodder, aged 66, of Garlic Rea, Brixham, denied but was convicted of 19 rapes and one count of buggery against four girls, and 13 counts of indecent or sexual assault or sexual activity with a child against all nine.

He was found not guilty of four further rapes against one of the girls by a jury at Exeter Crown Court earlier this year.

Hodder was jailed for 28 years by Judge Timothy Rose who said he had brainwashed his victims after driving a wedge between them and their families.

He told him: ‘There was a pattern of behaviour which for you became a tried and tested routine. You repeated a familiar formula in which you met the victims through your aikido class.

‘You systematically exploited their weaknesses to gain utter psychological control. This decades-long pattern of offending became a way of life for you.

‘You pursued one victim after another as an active paedophile and rapist of children. I am acutely aware of the dreadful impact on your victims. The impact statements gave voice to the dreadful harm you have brought about.

‘You have shown no remorse or insight. Fortunately, the victims have been extremely brave and they are the ones who have brought you to justice.

‘In my view, you still pose a significant risk because of your insatiable desire to exploit and abuse young people. This was a massive campaign of rape.’

Miss Rachel Drake, prosecuting, said Hodder had pursued a campaign of rape against four of the victims and that they would all prepare impact statements before the sentencing hearing.

During the trial she told the jury that Hodder, known by his middle name of Ross, had exploited his position as a sports coach and respected member of the community to target vulnerable girls.

He met most of the victims through his Aikido club and carried out some of the sexual assaults there.

He told one teenager that he had to touch her private parts during a Shiatsu massage because he had to reach ‘every muscle in her body’.

The offending started in 1986 and continued until police were contacted by an 18-year-old girl in 2018. The other victims then came forward.

Hodder denied all the allegations but said he had consensual sex with two girls when they were 16 and 17 and over age. He claimed the girls were fantasists and liars who had got together to blacken his name.

His version was discredited by evidence from friends, partners and parents who were told about the allegations long before Hodder’s arrest.

Mr Kevin Hopper, defending, said Hodder is in poor health and has suffered heart attacks, a stroke, and recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

POLICE have praised the courage of the victims of a martial arts coach who has been jailed for abusing young girls over more than 30 years.

Derek Hodder, from Brixham, who was known as Ross, ran a club that attracted youngsters from a wide area of South Devon. He used his position to groom and abuse nine different girls.

He was only brought to justice after his last victim went to the police in 2018 and the earlier victims came forward after learning of the investigation.

After the sentence, the police and prosecutors described Hodder as highly dangerous and thanked the victims.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Jerry Godfrey said: ‘This is the outcome of a four-year investigation by specialist officers within Torbay’s Public Protection Unit who have worked tirelessly to ensure that the victims received some sense of justice.

‘Whilst the sentence is significant and reflects the gravity of offending, it is not lost on me that the impact of Hodder’s horrific conduct will have a life-long effect on all of the victims involved.

‘Hodder demonstrated he is a very dangerous human being, utilising his position within the community and taking advantage of these young girls whose safe spaces were compromised by his predatory behaviour.

‘I commend the victims for their strength of character, resolve and their ongoing support and trust with the investigation to seek justice.

‘I hope that today’s sentencing can provide them with a sense of closure and comfort that he can no longer harm them, or anyone else, in this abhorrent way.

‘Devon and Cornwall Police are committed to supporting survivors of rape and serious sexual assault and I hope the outcome of this investigation shows that time isn’t a barrier, and no matter how long ago an offence took place, we will always fully investigate these types of crimes.

‘I would urge any victims to please talk to us. We have specially trained officers who work closely with partner organisations to provide support to victims and witnesses through every step of the process, from the time of reporting right thought to the trial and beyond.’

Officer in the case, Detective Constable Diane Gaze said: ‘I am very relieved for all the victims and their families that this case has finally reached its conclusion.

‘I have been the OIC for the whole investigation since the first victim came forward in February 2018 and feel privileged to have worked with each of these brave women and to have achieved a sense of justice.

‘Most of the victims were adults when they came forward to speak with the police and it has been a difficult process to put themselves through.

‘Their assistance was imperative to this investigation.

‘I hope that the courage that they have shown in supporting this process throughout might convince others in a similar position to come forward and have their voices heard.’

Lisa Cassidy, District Crown Prosecutor for the CPS South West Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit, said: ‘Hodder’s work as a martial arts coach gave him access to young children and he exploited this over many years.

‘He showed a clear pattern of abuse, grooming young girls and encouraging them to distance themselves from the adults in their lives.

‘I would like to commend and thank the victims for their strength in coming forward to support this prosecution and in telling what happened to them.

‘The CPS worked closely alongside our partners in Devon and Cornwall Police to build the strongest possible case against Hodder to ensure he was held responsible for these devastating crimes.

‘The CPS is committed to delivering justice for the victims of rape and sexual assault.

‘We want every victim to have the confidence that their case will be fully investigated by the police and that, in every case where our legal tests are met, the Crown Prosecution Service will charge and prosecute.’

If you require help or assistance relating to sexual abuse please take a look at the below list of helplines.

In an emergency always call 999 and in a non-emergency please visit www.dc.police.uk/contact.

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

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