DANIEL ABRAHAM GILLINGHAM SCHOOL PREDATOR ESCAPES PRISON IN MAIDSTONE COURT SCANDAL

In a case that has shocked the local community, Daniel Abraham, a teaching assistant from Gillingham, narrowly avoided imprisonment after being convicted of sexually abusing a young girl while employed at a school in Sittingbourne. The incident, which took place over five years ago, has left a lasting impact on the victim, who was just a child at the time of the assault.

According to court proceedings at Maidstone Crown Court, Abraham, aged 35, admitted to the sexual assault of the girl during his tenure at the school. The court was told that the offences occurred more than five years prior to his arrest, and the trauma inflicted on the victim was profound enough that she later discarded all her school photographs, unable to bear the memories associated with them.

It was only after Abraham was dismissed from his position—initially suspended for a separate incident—that the victim confided in her family about the abuse. Her disclosure marked a turning point in the investigation, which uncovered disturbing details about Abraham’s conduct.

Prosecutor Daniel Stevenson highlighted that despite Abraham’s participation in safeguarding training designed to protect pupils, he was observed engaging in inappropriate behaviour, such as putting his arms around a child. The court was also informed that Abraham was reported to authorities after being seen staring at children while they were changing, which led to his suspension and subsequent dismissal from the school.

The victim’s mother provided a heartfelt written statement to the court, describing her distress upon learning of her daughter’s ordeal. She expressed how hearing the details of Abraham’s actions was “heartbreaking,” and emphasized the lasting emotional scars left on her child.

Abraham was arrested in November 2020. During police interviews, he initially denied any sexual interest in children, despite evidence of an interest in teenage sexual abuse images. The victim later gave a statement to police, revealing her feelings of fear and loss: “After what he did I was scared of going to school, scared of him. I have thrown away every photograph of that time because I can’t look at them. I feel I have lost a part of my childhood. I want him to regret what he has done to me.”

Following his conviction, Abraham was sentenced to 21 months in prison, but the sentence was suspended for two years. Additionally, he was ordered to undergo treatment aimed at addressing his sexual offending behaviors. The court also mandated that he complete 120 hours of unpaid community work. As part of his sentence, Abraham is now prohibited from working with children in any capacity and is required to sign the sex offenders’ register for a period of ten years.

Judge Julian Smith addressed the court, stating that Abraham had been warned repeatedly about his inappropriate behaviour around children but chose to carry out acts that “satisfied his sexual interest.” As Abraham left the courtroom, a supporter of the victim’s family made a threatening remark directed at him, which was promptly addressed by court staff to maintain order and safety.