A Scout volunteer has been jailed for more than 20 years after using his position to sexually groom five children. Mark Ellett took his young victims to secluded areas and told them to 'pinky promise' they wouldn't report his assaults.
Ellett, 32, won the trust of parents, before using it to abuse their children, including assaulting several minors under 13, Taunton Crown Court heard. The sexual predator continued to deny the allegations as he was investigated by police, falsely insisting the victims and their witnesses were making stories up.
Victims describe lasting impact
In an impact statement, one of the victims said they had experienced things 'no child should ever have to endure', which had 'affected nearly every aspect of my life'. Another said: 'When I first heard about this, I was in denial – there's no way someone can be so monstrous to do this to multiple people surely?'
'What happened to me took away a part of that innocence far earlier than any child should lose it. Things were introduced into my life that I was far too young to understand or process', a third victim recounted. They added: 'Looking back now as an adult, I can see the difference between the young person I was before, and the person I began to become afterward.'
Conviction and sentencing
Ellett was found guilty by a unanimous jury on 19 counts of sexual offences. These included assaulting a child under 13 by penetration, five counts of sexual assault of child under 13 and five counts of sexual activity with a child under 16.
He was sentenced to a total of 20 years and eight months in prison, three of which to be served under extended licence. Ellett is also subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
Police praise victims' courage
DS Phil Pockey said: 'Outwardly, Matt Ellett presented himself as a caring individual and earned the trust of children and parents alike. But secretly he used that position to groom and inflict horrific abuse against five children.
'Ellett was as manipulative as he was predatory, by taking those victims to secluded areas to abuse them and telling them to pinky promise they would not tell anyone what had happened. He maintained his innocence throughout the police investigation and trial, falsely claiming the victims and other witnesses were making this up.'
He added: 'All the victims in this case have shown an incredible amount of courage by reporting what happened, supporting our investigation and the subsequent trial. We know that is not easy and it is a testament to their character that Ellett is now behind bars. Cases like this show that no matter whether the sexual abuse is recent or non-recent, victims will be believed and we will do all we can to bring perpetrators to justice.'
