April 12, 2022 11.56 am This story is over 22 months old

Grimsby musician who groomed and raped young fans jailed for 17 years

He “showed no remorse” through the trial

A Grimsby guitarist who emotionally manipulated young girls before sexually abusing and raping them has been sentenced to serve 17 years in prison.

Serial predator Cassius Povey, 29, of Elsenham Road in Grimsby, who made a name for himself in the Leicester music scene, preyed on fans after befriending them on Facebook.

He would then groom his vulnerable, young victims, (all with mental health problems and difficult home lives), before abusing them. In some cases, he used drugs and alcohol to achieve his sickening ambitions.

One of his victims became pregnant at just 14 and had an abortion, an experience she described as ‘the most traumatic thing she ever had to do’.

Another of Povey’s victims was raped after she attempted to take an overdose in front of him. She was intoxicated at the time of his attack.

Cassius Povey, 29, was sentenced to serve 17 years in prison for grooming, assaulting and raping young girls

Povey was caught after one of his victims bravely spoke out on Facebook in 2020, prompting others to come forward and to report him to police.

Victim Meg Foley, who decided to waive her right to anonymity, took to social media to stand up to the serial rapist. She told BBC reporters she was in no doubt that if she hadn’t spoken out “he’d still be doing it now.”

Courts in Leicester heard the Povey sentenced on April 8 for 19 sexual offences, including eight counts of rape against five separate victims, and some of accounts involving multiple rapes.

In addition to the 17-year custodial sentence, Povey was put under an extended license period of three years, as the judge regarded him as dangerous.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for life.

Cassius Povey was convicted by a jury at Leicester Crown Court in January this year of:
– Two counts of raping a woman over the age of 16 and
– Six counts of raping a girl aged 13, 14 or 15

He had previously pleaded guilty to:
– one count of cause and incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in penetrative sexual activity
– Eight counts of engage in a penetrative sexual act with a girl aged 13 to 15
-One count of engage in non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15
-One count of meeting a girl under 16 following grooming

In his police interviews, and throughout the trial, Povey claimed that he thought all the girls were 16 or over at the time of the offences – which occurred between 2010 and 2016 – and that the sexual activity was all consensual.

Judge Robert Brown said Povey “showed no remorse” for his actions throughout the trial.

“All of the victims in this case have found you to be manipulative and cunning.”

Officer in case, DC Kev Sharkey from the force’s Signal team, said: “While this sentence will not change the experiences these young girls went through, I hope the fact that Povey will be behind bars for such a significant amount of time, offers some comfort.

“The sentencing today has been at the end of a long court process and all the survivors have shown incredible strength, patience and dignity throughout.

“Their evidence has strengthened the case against Povey, making sure he serves the time behind bars that he deserves.”