ALAN KENT OF RUNCORN SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE IN MERSEY
Alan Kent, a man from Runcorn, was convicted of abusing two children over a period of several years and offering to pay them for sexual favours.The offences occurred in two separate periods: the first starting around 2005 and the second around 2015, with a decade separating the incidents.
The Crown Prosecution Service stated that Kent preyed on the children similarly in both cases, offering money in exchange for sexual acts and indulging his sexual fantasies while the children, who were very young, understood very little of what he was asking.
The victims' parents were unaware of the abuse until they eventually spoke out—one after becoming an adult and revealing the abuse to her partner, and the other after telling a teacher at her school.
Police were called, resulting in Kent's arrest at his home in June 2019.
He was charged with nine counts of sexual assault on a child, four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one charge of attempting to sexually assault a child.
Kent denied all charges, but he was found guilty following a trial.
On Friday at Liverpool Crown Court, Kent received a sentence of seven years in prison.
Additionally, he was placed on the Sexual Offenders Register for life and was issued an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
This order prohibits him from having any contact with girls under the age of 16 and from making any contact with his victims.
Jo Lazzari, Head of the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit at CPS Mersey Cheshire, commented: "Alan Kent’s offending has spanned several years and caused unimaginable distress and trauma to his two victims.
His offending appears to have worsened over time, and he has learned nothing from the harm he has caused.
Now in his seventies, some of his offending dates back nearly twenty years, but that did not prevent the CPS from pursuing prosecution." She also praised the victims and their families for coming forward: "The CPS would like to thank the victims and their families for helping us bring this dangerous predatory offender to justice.
Their courage to support the trial has undoubtedly helped protect other children from his depravity.
We recognize that abuse has a lifelong impact for survivors.
If anyone has been affected by similar trauma, we urge them to come forward regardless of how long ago it happened.
We are working closely with police and courts to ensure as many perpetrators as possible are brought to justice and that victims receive the support they need."
