A mental health crisis worker who sexually abused a teenage girl in his care has today had his sentence increased after the Solicitor General, Robert Buckland QC MP, referred it for being too low.
Givemore Tonderai Gezi, 40, met the victim through his role as a team leader with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services crisis team. The two kept in contact after their first meeting, with Gezi falsely telling her that he was single, and lying about his age.
Over the next few weeks, Gezi engaged in repeated sexual activity with the victim. They had sex for the first time within a few days of the victim's 16th birthday, and continued to have unprotected sex after this. Gezi's offending was eventually discovered by his wife, who reported him to the police.
Gezi was originally sentenced in December 2018 to 7 years and 8 months in prison at Exeter Crown Court. Today, the Court of Appeal has increased this to 10 years.
Commenting on the increase, the Solicitor General said:
Gezi lied to and manipulated a young, vulnerable victim into an inappropriate sexual relationship. It is only right that he should spend longer in prison given the heinous abuse of trust he committed
