ALLAN TILLEY, CHATHAM PERVERT, SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE IN GILLINGHAM

In a case that has spanned over a decade and a half, Allan Tilley, aged 31 and residing on Tadburn Green in Chatham, has been finally brought to justice for heinous acts committed against young girls he was entrusted to care for. The disturbing offences occurred between 1994 and 1997, a period during which Tilley was himself a teenager, and involved the sexual abuse of three vulnerable girls aged between six and seven years old.

Despite maintaining his innocence throughout the legal proceedings, Tilley was convicted by a jury on August 8 at Maidstone Crown Court. The jury found him guilty of two counts of indecent assault and one count of indecency with a child. Following the verdict, Tilley was sentenced on September 22 to a two-year prison term. The court heard harrowing details of how the abuse was carried out in the privacy of the victims’ homes in Gillingham, where Tilley, acting in a position of trust as a babysitter, lured the young girls into bathrooms after their parents had left.

Prosecutors described how Tilley instructed the children to undress and then engaged in inappropriate touching. On one particularly disturbing occasion, he forced one of the victims to perform a sex act on him. The court was also told that Tilley encouraged the girls to wash their intimate areas while he watched, and in another incident, he lay naked on top of one of the children, further violating their innocence and trust.

During the trial, Tilley’s defense lawyer, Tom Stern, urged the judge to consider the case as if Tilley were 15 years old at the time of the offences, emphasizing his immaturity and the fact that he was exploring his own sexuality. Mr. Stern argued that this context should influence the sentencing, asserting that Tilley was not a predatory adult and that the offences were not typical grooming behavior. However, Judge Charles MacDonald rejected these claims, stating that Tilley had pleaded not guilty and was a denier of his actions, showing no remorse.

Judge MacDonald clarified that he could not interpret the offences as experimentation or confusion, emphasizing the seriousness of the crimes committed against very young girls. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the legislation regarding sexual offences with children had become harsher after 2003 and took this into account when determining the sentence.

In delivering his judgment, the judge noted that although the sentence might seem shorter than expected, it was appropriate given the circumstances. He condemned Tilley for abusing a position of trust and exploiting the vulnerability of his young victims, who were gullible and frightened into keeping their ordeal secret. The judge highlighted that there was more than one victim, all of whom were extremely young girls, and pointed out Tilley’s status as a denier, which prevented him from accepting responsibility.

Despite the gravity of his crimes, the court acknowledged that Tilley was underage at the time of the offences and had maintained a good character both before and after. He was ordered to serve half of his two-year sentence in custody, minus 45 days already spent on remand, before being released on license for the remainder of his term. Additionally, Tilley will be subject to a sexual offences prevention order for ten years, which prohibits him from working with females under 16 or living with a female under 16 unless accompanied by a parent or guardian aware of his convictions.

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Ally Smith expressed her commendation for the victims’ resilience and bravery throughout the investigation and court proceedings. She emphasized the police’s commitment to identifying and prosecuting offenders involved in child abuse, reaffirming their dedication to protecting vulnerable children and bringing perpetrators to justice.