Teeth-whitening salon co-owner guilty of rape

Ricky Stubberfield is due to be sentenced in October

A man who ran a teeth-whitening salon in Plymouth has been found guilty of 23 sexual offences including rape against seven women.

Ricky Stubberfield, 31, of Walnut Gardens, Plympton, committed the offences, which included eight counts of rape, over a period of 11 years between 2013 and 2024.

Plymouth Crown Court heard some of the assaults took place at the Essex Smiles teeth-whitening salon on Mutley Plain, Plymouth, where Stubberfield had been the co-owner and manager.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Laura Opie said the evidence had given "a horrifying picture of a man who repeatedly abused women for his own sexual gratification". He is due to be sentenced at the same court on 21 October.

Stubberfield was found guilty of eight counts of rape, nine counts of sexual assault, four counts of assault by penetration, one count of making indecent images of a child and one count of exposure.

He was arrested on 9 June 2024 after a number of complaints had been made to police.

The court was told a number of the victims had been contacted by Stubberfield via social media and offered free dental services in exchange for promoting his business.

Prosecutor Ms Opie said in those incidents Stubberfield had used his position "to lure women with the promise of free treatment, before sexually assaulting them".

He had carried out other offences in a variety of areas of Plymouth, she added.