Search results for Kent

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Martin Bugden jailed for 12 years after brutal rape and harassment

Martin Bugden, 32, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison at Canterbury Crown Court for a violent rape and subsequent harassment of his victim.

On 21 January 2021 at his Ashford home, Bugden overpowered the woman despite her repeatedly saying “no” and raped her. He then dragged her by the hair across the floor and threatened to kill her if she contacted police.

A neighbour heard the disturbance and called police at 11.45pm. Officers arrived within 10 minutes, found both inside the property and arrested Bugden. He denied the offences of rape and sexual assault in interview.

Released on bail with a no-contact condition, he continued to harass the victim with repeated texts and phone calls, leading to a further arrest. He was charged with nine sexual offences, including two counts of rape.

Formerly of Waghorn Street, Chatham, Bugden was sentenced last Thursday.

Investigating officer Det Con Josh Cooper said:

“This was a brutal attack that has robbed the victim of her sense of security and has left her with lasting mental anguish. I would like to commend her for her continued resolve throughout this investigative process. I am satisfied that my team was able to secure such a substantial sentence that reflects the severity of his offending. He will be placed behind bars for a considerable amount of time where he can no longer pose a threat to women in our community.”

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A sex offender who targeted a young person in a Rainham pub has been jailed.

Stephen Roche visited the premises near London Road on 18 April 2025 and approached a child who he did not know.

Roche spoke to victim for a short time before touching them under their clothing. The child immediately reported what had happened to a relative and the police were notified.

Roche, of Pembury Road, Gillingham was arrested later the same day and was subsequently charged with sexual assault.

Court

The 40-year-old pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court and on Wednesday 1 July was sentenced to 1 year and 2 months’ imprisonment.

Roche will also be subject to a Community Order for 2 years, plus a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and Restraining Order for 8 years.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Nathan Hales, said:

‘Roche saw his opportunity to take advantage of a vulnerable child while they were briefly sitting alone in a pub.

‘He actions for his own gratification were appalling and attending officers were quick to track him down at his home address and detain him.‘I would like to commend his young victim who, whilst distressed by their ordeal, was quick to raise the alarm and ensure this man was brought justice.’

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A sex offender from Ashford who targeted both children and adults has been jailed for more than 20 years.

In 2021, an investigation was launched into Lewis Stevens after allegations were made that he had raped two children in the late 2000s.

While enquiries were underway, a woman reported to officers she had also been raped by Stevens and another complained he had sent her indecent images of himself.

Officers also established he had sexually assaulted a third child. Stevens, of Newtown Green, was arrested in November 2021 and later charged with multiple sexual offences.

Court

He denied all allegations against him and was convicted by a Maidstone Crown Court jury of 10 charges including five counts of rape of a child.

At the same court on Thursday 16 July, Stevens, 34, was given an extended sentence of 22 years and 6 months in prison. He will serve a further 6 years and 6 months on licence when he becomes eligible for parole.

Remorseless

Investigating officer Detective Constable Robert Hughes said:

‘Stevens’ sickening crimes occurred over a prolonged period of time, showing him to be a persistent and remorseless danger to the community.

‘His victims have endured horrific experiences, and Stevens’ denial of his actions have forced them to relive them in what must have been a very difficult court process.

‘We are satisfied he will spend a long time behind bars, and we hope this jail term will give those he’s abused a sense that justice has been served.’

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A rapist from Lydd has been sentenced to eight years in prison.

During the evening of 12 June 2023, a woman was invited to an address where Steven Johnson was living. After offering her cannabis, Johnson exploited her vulnerability and sexually assaulted her. Despite the victim repeatedly telling him ‘no’, Johnson prevented her from leaving his room and raped her.

Following the incident, she immediately contacted a friend, who reported the offence to police on her behalf. Officers attended and located Johnson inside the property on Manor Road.

Arrested

He was arrested and was later charged with one count of rape and sexual assault.

The 52-year-old denied the offence, but following a 4 day trial at Canterbury Crown Court a jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

Johnson was sentenced at the same court on 16 July to eight years' imprisonment with licence upon release. He was also made subject to a 15-year restraining order prohibiting any contact with the victim.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Maria Goodwin said:

‘Johnson took every opportunity to deny the overwhelming evidence against him and showed no remorse for his actions. The only emotion he expressed throughout the investigation and court proceedings was in regard for himself.

‘I would also like to commend the victim for her resilience, strength, and determination. Despite the significant emotional impact the offences had upon her, she showed considerable courage reporting the incident and pursuing the matter to ensure Johnson was held accountable for his actions. Her strength of character and commitment for justice is deservingly recognised.’

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A child sex offender from the Sevenoaks area has been jailed for more than 4 years.

Obianata Onyia targeted the victim multiple times in the early 2020s.

The 30 year old was arrested in December 2023 after the child reported the abuse to a family member who then contacted police.

Charged

Onyia, formerly from New Ash Green, was charged with 7 counts of sexual assault.

He originally pleaded not guilty but later changed his plea.

On Thursday 16 July 2026, Onyia was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months’ imprisonment at Maidstone Crown Court.

He will spend a further 3 years and 9 months on license, received a 10 year restraining order preventing him from contacting the victim and is subject to a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). He has also been added to the Sex Offenders' Register.

Police Staff Investigator Becki Pike said:

'Onyia is an appalling criminal who targeted a child multiple times. He showed no remorse for his actions or the trauma he has caused.

'The victim showed enormous courage in reporting what had happened to them. They assisted throughout our investigation and the criminal proceedings and I hope they can feel some closure now their abuser has been jailed.

'We would urge anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse to report it. Our specially trained officers are there to listen and support you and will seek to bring the offender to justice.’

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A child sex offender who taught at a boarding prep school in Canterbury has been convicted of non-recent crimes involving two young victims.

Dennis Fletcher, formerly of Magdalen Court in Broadstairs, pleaded guilty to the indecent assault of a boy at Junior King’s School between 1978 and 1982.

Fletcher, who was a resident boarding master, was convicted of a further indecent assault against a second boy at the same school during the same period, following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court.

Investigation

Specialist detectives from Kent Police launched an investigation after Fletcher’s offences were reported to them in 2020. A further victim was identified in 2022.

Extensive enquiries were completed, which involved gathering and processing complex evidence and multiple interviews with Fletcher under caution.

A case file was presented to the Crown Prosecution Service in January 2025 and Fletcher was later charged.

He admitted to one charge but pleaded not guilty to the second offence, for which a jury then found him guilty in a unanimous verdict.

Jailed

On Friday 3 July 2026, Fletcher was sentenced at the same court to 11 years and 9 months’ imprisonment.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Sarah Cullingham, said:

‘Fletcher abused his position of authority in the most appalling way imaginable, carrying out repulsive crimes against children for whom he should have provided nurture and care.

‘Thanks to the courage of the two victims, he is now rightly behind bars where he belongs.

‘This case highlights that it is never too late for victims of sexual abuse to come forward to us. We understand how difficult it can be to speak about crimes that took place many years ago, but we will treat every report seriously and sensitively.

‘We will listen to victims, support them throughout the investigative process and do everything in our power to build a case that brings offenders to justice, regardless of how much time has passed. Specialist services are available to help victims process what has happened to them, to provide practical and emotional assistance, and they will not have to face the journey alone.’

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A sex offender from East Malling who drove at speeds of 85mph in country lanes to evade arrest has been jailed again.

Jordan McGrath-Coulstock was jailed for more than 2 years, less than 6 months after being released from prison.

On 11 April 2026, patrols in Cuxton spotted a vehicle without tax or a valid MOT. Further checks showed it was registered to McGrath-Coulstock who was disqualified from driving and was also subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Officers attempted to stop the vehicle but it sped off. With the assistance of the National Police Air Service, it was pursued towards Luddesdown village with McGrath-Coulstock reaching speeds of more than 80mph on the narrow country roads.

After less than 5 minutes, he'd crashed his car and attempted to flee on foot, discarding a phone in the process.

Officers were close behind and arrested him whilst recovering the phone. McGrath-Coulstock’s had breached the conditions of his SHPO by possessing it.

The 26 year old, of Carnation Crescent in East Malling was later charged with dangerous driving, 2 counts of failing to comply with the sex offenders register requirements and 2 counts of breaching a SHPO.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Friday 26 June at Maidstone Crown Court to 2 years and 2 months' imprisonment.

Police staff investigator Natalie Armstrong said:

'We regularly monitor sex offenders to ensure they comply with any conditions on their conduct that are imposed by the court. McGrath-Coulstock was only released from prison in February and less than 6 months later he is back behind bars.

'He showed a complete disregard for the restrictions that allowed him to live in the community and was arrogant enough to believe he could get away with it. 'When spotted by a patrol he endangered other road users and seemed more concerned about his vape than the potential consequences of his driving. It is only right he is back in jail and he will receive additional scrutiny when he is eventually released.’

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Ramsgate sex offender sentenced for historic abuse.

A sex offender from Ramsgate has been jailed for over 20 years after his crimes were uncovered 30 years later.

Historic abuse

John Sladden carried out a sustained campaign of sexual abuse against three young girls over several years. In March 2024, all three victims made formal reports to Kent Police.

Two victims initially came forward together, reporting that Sladden had sexually assaulted them on multiple occasions when they were children. A third victim later contacted officers, stating that she had been subjected to prolonged sexual abuse by Sladden over several years in her childhood.

Based on their accounts, detectives established that the offences took place from the late 1990s into the early 2000s. A thorough investigation was launched, involving detailed enquiries into the historic offences.

Guilty

The 72-year-old was arrested and charged with multiple sexual offences. Following a four-week trial at Canterbury Crown Court, on 11 June 2026 a jury found him guilty of 11 child sexual offences. Sladden was sentenced at the same court on Friday 3 July to 21 years’ imprisonment.

Detective Constable Susan Kingsnorth said:

‘This was a complex investigation into multiple reports of historic sexual abuse, and I am pleased that our specialist team was able to secure justice for the victims. Sladden’s abuse of these three women has had a devastating and lasting impact on their lives, and I hope this conviction can provide them with some comfort.

‘I hope this outcome encourages other victims who have suffered sexual abuse, no matter how long ago, to come forward and speak to us. You will be listened to and supported.’

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A Maidstone predator who attempted to groom two young girls he had contacted on social media has been jailed.

Trevor Cook was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months’ imprisonment after he bombarded his potential victims with obscene images of himself and repeatedly demanded explicit content from them in return.

At around 4.45pm on 22 February 2026, Kent Police was made aware that Cook had planned to meet one of the children at a fast food restaurant near Broadway.

Officers promptly attended the scene and arrested him. His phone content was reviewed and investigators established he had been attempting to meet girls for sex.

When his home was searched, officers seized train tickets and proof of a hotel booking.

Charged

Cook, of Massey Close, Maidstone, was later charged with attempting to communicate with a person under the age of 16 for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification, attempting to cause or incite a child under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity, and arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.

Guilty

The 41 year old pleaded guilty to the offences and was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday 29 June.

Following his release, Cook will serve an extended licence period of 4 years and be made the subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Alan Wolfe, said:

‘Cook intentionally targeted underage victims and attempted to groom them. He tried to gain their trust by calling them ‘Princess’, feigned interest in their family members, and promised gifts of sweets and chocolates.

‘To a child, these actions might be misconstrued as affection. In reality, Cook is a dangerous paedophile who intended on carrying out a sexual assault on at least one child.

‘I am pleased the judge identified his lack of remorse concerning his offending. The prison sentence will prevent him committing further offences and – upon his release – he will be closely monitored by specialist officers.’

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A sex offender from Maidstone has been jailed for sharing what the lead investigator described as the worst images and videos they had ever seen.

Alan Richens was sentenced to 3 years’ imprisonment for distributing hundreds of indecent images of very young children on the Telegram app.

He will be subject to a 15 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) following his release and remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.

On 12 November 2025, Kent Police received information that the user of a social media account had uploaded indecent images of children to the internet.

Initial enquiries identified Richens as the perpetrator.

Officers forced entry to his home address in London Road, where they found him sleeping. He was arrested and subsequent searches led to the seizure of a mobile phone.

Digital forensic analysts reviewed the content on the device and found obscene Telegram messages between Richens and another account, in which they discussed child sexual abuse.

Throughout the conversation, the 51 year old shared more than 218 indecent images.

Investigators later discovered conversation threads of a similar theme with other Telegram users and Richens was charged with making indecent photographs of children and distributing indecent photographs of children.

He pleaded guilty to the offences and was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday 22 June 2026.

Police staff investigator, Abigail Beale, said:

‘Richens habitually engaged in obscene online conversations with other paedophiles, making and sharing the worst images and videos I have ever seen.

‘His heinous actions were carried out solely with his sexual gratification in mind. He bore no consideration for the welfare or wellbeing of the vulnerable children involved in the creation of the digital content he was consuming.

‘Following his release, Richens will be monitored closely to protect others from harm.’

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A repeat sex offender from Chatham has been jailed after breaching a court order multiple times.

Andrew Veck, 34, was subject to an interim Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) having previously admitted to committing sexual offences including voyeurism, where he had secretly filmed a teenager showering.

SHPO

The SHPO allowed officers to conduct random checks of his address, the first being in August 2025. Uncovered were a range of internet-enabled and storage devices which he had failed to declare to police, including a mobile phone, hard drives and USB sticks.

Further review of one hard drive revealed footage of another victim using the toilet, filmed without their consent. He was also found to have been using private browsers which deleted his search history.

Taken without consent

In October, an unmarked patrol spotted Veck in his partner’s car on Fifth Avenue, Margate. After stopping him, it was confirmed that he was uninsured for the vehicle and had taken it without his partner’s consent, for which he was also arrested.

During an unscheduled visit on 5 November 2025, as permitted by the SHPO, officers requested Veck present any undeclared internet enabled devices. Though he denied having any, he was arrested after a phone was heard ringing and he suggested it was a neighbour’s. The device was located in his loft alongside cannabis.

Court

At Medway Magistrates’ Court on 11 November, he pleaded guilty to all charges. Veck, of Ordnance Street, Chatham, was sentenced to 28 months in prison on Thursday 18 June 2026. He will serve an additional 12 months for breaching his suspended sentence.

Investigating officer PC Areolito Gashi said:

‘His vile behaviour and persistent disregard for court orders and safeguarding measures highlights Veck as a remorseless man and a danger to society.

‘Continuing to commit crimes, especially in the face of having previously been caught and being given a suspended sentence, show how relentless and arrogant he is in his offending.

‘SHPOs serve a very useful role in monitoring sex offenders, as has been proven here. They restrict sex offenders’ ability to offend but, if they breach their orders, they shall end up behind bars just as Veck has.'

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A registered sex offender who failed to comply with orders imposed on him has been jailed

Lewis Densley was made the subject of a Sexual Risk Order after he was convicted in February 2025 for engaging in sexual communication with a child.

The order included notifying officers of any developing personal relationships with women, not having any unsupervised contact with children and using any computer or device capable of accessing the internet unless he had notified police in advance, among others.

Kent Police received a report in December 2025 that Densley had been sending sexual messages to two women.

Officers carried out further checks and found him to have a hidden phone with images and messages sent to an individual in May 2025.

Arrest
Once arrested Densley had two phones on him and it was discovered that he had also began a relationship with another woman and had stayed at her house when her children were present, failing to notify police of this.

The 30 year old from Beaumont Drive, Northfleet was charged with 6 counts of breaching a Sexual Risk Order.

Following a guilty plea, he was jailed for 2 years and 9 months at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday 22 June 2026.

Police Constable Leona Valsler said:

‘Sexual Risk Orders help to reduce the risk offenders like Densley may pose to the public and enforcing them is a responsibility we take very seriously.

‘Densley thought he could get away with not telling us about his phones and relationships, but our specialist officers have been able to bring him to justice.‘He will now serve a jail term as a result.’

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A jail sentence has been imposed on a prolific child sex offender following the discovery of thousands of child abuse images across multiple devices.

Investigation

In 2025, Andrew Sharp uploaded an indecent image of a child to the internet. This illegal internet usage was flagged to detectives at Kent Police who launched a full investigation.

A warrant was obtained for Sharp’s property in Station Road, Lydd, Romney Marsh, and officers attended in June 2025 to seize his internet enabled devices. Sharp wasn’t in the country at the time officers conducted the warrant but was notified of the seizure of his digital assets. A laptop was analysed, and digital forensics experts discovered the presence of child sexual abuse material.

When he re-entered the country, Sharp sent a message to a contact in his phone where he confessed to possession of indecent images and revealed that he had also taken indecent images of a young girl.

Discovery

The 69 year old was arrested upon his return on June 21, 2025, and was interviewed in custody. He admitted to the possession of the indecent images found on his laptop, alongside revealing that he had sexually assaulted a young girl across four years.

He was charged with sexual assault and two other indecent image related offences. Sharp was then remanded in custody.

Enquiries progressed in the investigation, and whilst he was on remand, further laptops attributed to Sharp were discovered. Across his devices, detectives found thousands of child abuse images, as well as hundreds of images of his young victim, which gave detectives reason to believe she had been raped.

Following a detailed forensic review of the seized laptops, detectives located 17,382 indecent images of children.

Charges

Sharp was further arrested in November 2025. He pled guilty to 12 additional charges including rape and continued to be remanded in custody whilst he awaited sentencing.

On Friday 19 June 2026, Sharp, was sentenced to 13 years and 6 months in prison at Canterbury Crown Court. Additionally, the court granted a restraining order against his victim for 20 years, alongside a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same amount of time.

Detective Constable Andrew Hunter said:

‘At no stage during the investigation did Sharp show any remorse for the sustained campaign of abuse he inflicted on his victim or for possessing such terrible images. I am pleased to see him behind bars where he can cause no further harm to our community, or to his victim.

‘I want to thank the victim and her family for their continued cooperation and for the resilience they have shown throughout this complex and upsetting investigation.’

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A sex offender from Ramsgate who targeted two girls enjoying a night out together in Canterbury has been jailed.

Harry Homewood, 22, formerly of Augustine Road, pleaded guilty to multiple sexual offences before Canterbury Crown Court.

His crimes were reported to Kent Police in the early hours of Saturday 14 March 2026.

Victims approached

The victims, two friends in their late teens, had been socialising in the city centre the previous evening.

At around 2.30am, whilst walking in Station Road East, the girls were approached by Homewood, who was unknown to either of them.

Repeated assaults

Homewood started speaking to the girls before touching them over and under their clothing. He carried out repeated sexual assaults and made inappropriate comments, despite the victims’ efforts to make him stop.

The girls were able to alert friends who were in the area and police were made aware of the incident. Officers attended and Homewood was arrested shortly afterwards.

He was charged the following day.

Offender jailed

After pleading guilty, Homewood was sentenced at the same court on Thursday 4 June to 3 years and 9 months’ imprisonment. He will be subject to police notification requirements indefinitely.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Kirsty Chilcott, said:

‘Every woman and girl has the right to feel safe while they are out socialising and the repulsive, aggressive behaviour of sexual predators such as Homewood will never be tolerated.

‘Homewood’s offending has had a significant impact on both of his victims, whose courage I would like to commend. I hope they can take some comfort in knowing that he is in prison, where he belongs, and that restrictions are in place when he becomes eligible for parole to safeguard against future offending.

‘Anyone who thinks they can offend in this way should know that they can expect to be tracked down by us and brought before the courts, where they will be made to answer for their actions.’

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The discovery of an abusive video on an old mobile phone has led to a 14-year prison sentence.

Warren Conn was arrested in January 2026 after a woman found a 25-minute clip of him sexually assaulting her several years earlier when he lived in Sandwich. She had no memory of the recording being made and had never consented to the sexual activity depicted. Following a detailed digital forensic investigation, further videos were uncovered indicating that Conn had raped her.

He was arrested by the Police Service of Northern Ireland at his home address in County Armagh, where he had returned after living in Kent.

Searches of his home uncovered two mobile phones and a laptop. These were seized and handed over to Kent Police’s Digital Forensics Unit. An investigation into the devices found a large quantity of indecent images of children.

PSNI officers handed Conn over to Kent Police officers in Belfast, and he was flown back to Kent for the investigation to be continued.

The 50-year-old was remanded in custody and was later charged with 15 sexual offences including rape and possession of indecent images of children. After three interviews across two days, he admitted the offences and entered guilty pleas to all charges.

On Thursday 28 May 2026, Conn, formerly of Kings Park Mews, Lurgan, was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court to 14 years’ imprisonment.

Detective Constable Joe Warner said:

‘This case shows that no matter how much time has passed, victims can still come forward, and they will be taken seriously.

‘I want to commend the victim for her courage and her continued support throughout this complex investigation. Her bravery in reporting these horrific offences has ensured that Conn was held accountable.’