A TV psychic described as a “fraud” has been sentenced to four years and five months in prison for sexually assaulting two women. John Starkey, aged 74, presented himself as a well-known clairvoyant with decades of experience, but his criminal actions came to light when he confessed to charges of sexual assault and penetration.
During the sentencing at Caernarfon Crown Court, Judge Nicola Jones condemned Starkey as a “total fraud” and criticized his behavior as a betrayal of trust. Starkey, who bragged about his appearances on various TV and radio shows, used his psychic sessions as a cover to carry out the assaults, according to the court proceedings.
The investigation into Starkey began after a woman reported being sexually assaulted by him in Wolverhampton in 2018. Subsequently, he lured the same victim to a hotel room in London under false pretenses of meeting other clients, where he instructed her to undress and assaulted her, falsely claiming it was part of a twisted “spiritual cleansing” initiation.
Another victim, who had an interest in clairvoyance, was attacked by Starkey in October 2022 while seeking a consultation at a shop where he worked in Llandudno. Starkey instructed her to remove her clothes and then sexually touched her, leading to his arrest by the police.
In his defense, Robert Fitt highlighted Starkey’s previously good character and serious health issues, stating that he had a limited life expectancy of three to five years. Starkey, residing in Rhodfa’r Grug, Upper Colwyn Bay, north Wales, was sentenced to four years and five months in prison, with half to be served in custody and the remainder on license.
Judge Jones imposed indefinite notification requirements on Starkey from the date of his plea, along with restraining orders to prevent contact with the victims and a statutory surcharge. Regarding the 2022 assault, Judge Jones emphasized the breach of trust, noting that the victim had sought Starkey’s professional guidance and expertise in good faith.
