THE garden of a couple jailed for a string of "sickening and horrific" historic sexual abuse is being dug up by police after they received a tip off.

Special investigators and officers have returned to the bungalow this morning on Cullompton Hill, the home which belonged to paedophiles David and Pauline Williams, who were also friends of Fred and Rose West.

It is understood that no human remains have been found at the property, but the dig will continue.

It is not known exactly what the police are looking for, but it is rumoured that police could be searching for the body of a baby, a source has revealed.

Somerset County Gazette:

(Police investigators enter the building)

Specialist search officers returned to the scene this morning to continue their probe, which is expected to last a further two days.

Detective Superintendent Keith Perkin said: "These are ongoing investigations linked to historic intelligence at the bungalow.

"We have specialist search officers involved in the excavation and hope impact on the community is reduced as much as possible.

“In the meantime, we will have extra officers patrolling the area to help offer reassurance to the local community.”

The couple were jailed for historic sexual offences dating back to the 1980s last November following a trial, and since then the home has been empty. 

David Williams was handed a life sentence, and his wife Pauline was jailed for 12 years plus four years extended license.

The pair ran a pub in Exeter and also Fred and Rose West's local pub. 

Somerset County Gazette:

(David Williams with his wife Pauline before they enter court)

Police arrived at the bungalow yesterday morning and have been there ever since. 

DS Keith Perkin said in a statement outside the property yesterday afternoon that they are on the scene at the home of David and Pauline Williams as a result of receiving “certain information of a historical nature."

DS Perkin would not take any questions from the media.

Somerset County Gazette:

DS Perkin live at the scene

A statement from Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Following intelligence received, Devon and Cornwall Police are undertaking excavation work at a property on Cullompton Hill, Bradninch, Cullompton, Devon.

"This relates to historic intelligence connected to the address and its former occupants. It is expected to up to four days to complete.

"Specialist officers will be involved in the excavation which we hope will have as little impact on the local community as possible."

Somerset County Gazette:

(the house covered up)

The pair were convicted of a number of charges, following a catalogue of abuse that started in Gloucester in the 1980s and continued when they moved to Devon in the 1990s.

They were found guiltyof 48 individual and joint charges stemming over 15 years.

David was found guilty of a number of offences including 11 counts of indecent assault, 10 counts of rape, two counts of gross indecency with a child, three counts of indecency with a child, two of cruelty and two cases of aiding and abetting an indecent assault.

His wife Pauline was found guilty on two counts of aiding and abetting rape, two counts of aiding and abetting an indecent assault, and three counts of indecent assault.

Somerset County Gazette:

(The scene on Cullompton Hill during the investigation)

Detective constable Debbie Dow from the Child Abuse Investigation Unit led on the case, named Operation Abbey.

She said: “David and Pauline Williams carried out a string of sickening and callous sexual attacks on children and teenagers without remorse over a 15 year period.

“Their campaign of abuse started in Gloucester and continued when they moved to Devon and lived in Exeter and Tiverton.

Somerset County Gazette:

“The abuse was both physical and sexual and undertaken by both David and Pauline Williams; one victim was as young as seven-years-old when this started.” 

Suzanne Cox, who has lived in the village all her life, said she had stood next to Pauline in the school playground.

She said: "I didn't know the couple personally, but we always used to see them waiting at the bus stop.

"I stood next to Pauline in the school playground and said hi and she told me her name but that was about it.

Somerset County Gazette:

(Suzanne Cox)

"She kept herself to herself and I know there was a child involved who was in my daughter's class.

"This village is not somewhere where you would expect this to happen- it's a bit of a shock and it's going to hampen our reputation.

"We're all very protective of our village.

"I did forensic science at uni and studied the Fred West case and now this has happened.

"People have said that there was a baby seen with the couple when they were here and that's perhaps who is being looked for... but it's just awful."

Another resident of the village said: "I've lived here since I was three and nothing has ever happened like this.

Somerset County Gazette:

"It's just awful- we used to see the couple walking about and I never spoke to them but when the court case came out everyone knew.

"The media frenzy is just ridiclous."

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, told the Press Association that police officers had been at the bungalow since Tuesday.

She said: "It is pretty gruesome, terrible really.

"I think they only lived there for a couple of years at most. An old lady lived there before, she was a church-going lady, she would be turning in her grave if she knew.

"They obviously moved here as a hideaway because it is a villagey place where nobody would know them.

"The man spoke to me once at a bus stop and I saw the lady a few times, but I didn't know them."

She said nobody knew about the horrific crimes the couple committed until it hit the headlines when they were convicted and jailed.

She said: "We found out they were friends of Fred West, they are terrible.

"It is terrible. You don't expect it, do you?

"No-one has lived in the house since they were jailed - it has been empty."

The local postman of the village said: “It’s horrible, of course it is.

“We didn’t know anything about it until all the news reports, it’s just grim.”

A resident, whose aunt used to live in the house, said: “I’ve lived here since the 1950s and my aunty used to live in that house.

“The authorities brought that couple here and they can sort this out.

“They were obviously here to hide something.

"Nobody knows who the police are looking for, this village used to be so close, but now nobody knows each other.”