Research assistant charged with sexual assault

A researcher who worked at Exeter University has been found guilty of several indecent assaults after being recognised on a bus.

Leonard Davey, 64, denied six indecent assaults against one girl and three against another during the 60s and 70s. However the City Crown Court found him guilty of all charges and he will be sentenced on 1 November.

He remains in custody.

One of the two girls Davey abused spotted him by chance on the bus. Seconds later, the bus passed a balcony where a naked five year old girl ran outside. Watching him ogle the child, she felt a duty to report what had happened to her in the past.

The four day trial heard how the two victims were abused repeatedly by Davey when he was aged around ten or 11. He admitted playing “doctor and nurse” games. One occasion occurred when a girl visited Davey’s home and the other when he crept into a girl’s bedroom.

Davey worked as a research assistant at Exeter University, at the Centre for Rural Policy. He worked for 18 years on providing statistics for Defra and the European Commission and was highly respected in his field.

The Students’ Guild were unable to comment as the case is still ongoing.