Former Sea Cadet volunteer from Sheffield jailed for child abuse

Phillip Grove carried out the attacks in the 1990s, while living in Somerset

Philip Grove
Author: Liam ArrowsmithPublished 26th Feb 2024

A former Sea Cadet volunteer who sexually abused a number of children has been jailed for more than 20 years.

Philip Grove, from Sheffield, was living in Taunton at the time, and was found guilty of 15 charges, including rape.

The 70-year-old was jailed for 22 years on Sunday, with the judge saying he showed a "lack of remorse".

During his trial, the court was told the incidents happened over a span of six years, while he was a Chief Petty Officer at a Sea Cadet group.

A police investigation began in 2020 after one of the victims came forward with what happened to her and other victims.

In a statement read out in court, one of the victims said: “For almost 30 years, I have lived in constant shame. Shame which I have owned but it was never actually mine to own.

“The whole of my adult life has been overcast in shadow, which I have never been able to shake off...

"A part of me, who I am, was taken away from me by Phillip Grove.

“My days are plagued by the memories of what happened and the nights I manage to get sleep, I am haunted by nightmares of both the incidents and Phillip himself.”

The judge also granted a life-long Sexual Harm Prevention Order and banned him from working with children.

Grove will be registered as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.