A man in the U.K. who was convicted of sexually assaulting women, including those he lured into his teeth whitening salon with a promise of free treatment, was sentenced on October 21 to more than two decades in prison.
Ricky Stubberfield, 31, who was convicted at a trial in June for eight counts of rape, nine counts of sexual assault, four counts of digital penetration, indecent exposure, and making an indecent image of a child, was sentenced to 26 years in prison, according to a news release from the Devon and Cornwall police in the U.K.
Additionally, he must register as a sex offender for life.
Between 2002 and 2024, Stubberfield messaged influencers on Instagram, offering them free teeth whitening in exchange for their promotion of his business, Essex Smiles. When women showed up to his business, he sexually assaulted them, according to the press release.
During that period, Stubberfield assaulted five women, all in their 20s, at his salon. Stubberfield sexually touched four of the women while they were receiving teeth whitening treatments. He also exposed himself to a fifth victim.
Before the assaults, Stubberfield made inappropriate sexual remarks and asked about their sex lives. Once he had a woman in the chair and put a mouth guard in, he seized the opportunity to sexually assault her. Also, he asked the women for photos and made repeated forceful sexual advances, according to the press release.
His fifth victim had a toddler with her when she went to his salon to buy a product. Stubberfield asked her out on a date, and she declined. Then he showed her a picture of his genitalia before pulling down his pants and exposing himself.
During the investigation, police learned that Stubberfield reportedly began abusing women as early as 2013. In 2013, Stubberfield sexually assaulted a woman he met on a dating site. He raped another woman twice in 2021.
