ALAN TILLEY FROM CHATHAM SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS ON YOUNG GIRLS IN THE 1990S

In a case that has spanned decades, Alan Tilley, aged 31 and formerly residing in Tadburn Green, Chatham, has been sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of multiple sexual offenses committed during his teenage years. The charges, which include two counts of indecent assault and one count of indecency with a child, date back to the 1990s when Tilley was approximately 13 or 14 years old.

During the proceedings at Maidstone Crown Court, it was revealed that Tilley had engaged in inappropriate and abusive behavior towards three young girls while acting as a babysitter. The court heard detailed accounts of how Tilley persuaded one of the victims to undress in a bathroom, after which he also removed his clothing and lay on top of her in a manner that was clearly sexual in nature. The most serious of the charges involved Tilley convincing one of the girls to perform a sex act on him while she was naked, an act that caused significant distress and trauma.

It was also disclosed that, years after the incidents, one of the victims confided in her mother, revealing that Tilley had subjected her to “dirty and disgusting things.” This disclosure prompted the victims to report the abuse to the police last year, leading to Tilley’s arrest and subsequent conviction. Throughout the trial, Tilley maintained his innocence, vehemently denying any sexual contact with the girls involved.

Defending Tilley, solicitor Tom Stern argued that the offenses occurred when Tilley was himself a child, stating, “He was a child. He has matured into adulthood. He was 13 or 14. It is not classic grooming by a predatory adult who knows exactly what they are about.” Despite this, Judge Charles Macdonald QC emphasized that the sentence would have been the same at the time the offenses occurred, underscoring the seriousness of the crimes.

Judge Macdonald highlighted that the primary mitigating factor was Tilley’s age at the time of the offenses, noting, “They (the victims) were all vulnerable because of their ages and gullibility.” The judge’s comments reflect the gravity of the abuse and the vulnerability of the victims, who were minors at the time.

DC Ally Smith expressed her commendation for the victims’ resilience, stating, “I would like to commend the victims in this case and express how proud I am of them for the way in which they have behaved throughout the investigation and whilst at court. It was an extremely difficult time for them and I hope that they can now begin to move on from this terrible ordeal.” She reaffirmed the commitment of Kent Police to pursue justice, emphasizing their dedication to identifying and prosecuting offenders involved in abuse cases.