RAINHAM MAN DANIEL SENNETT SENTENCED FOR GROOMING AND SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING SCHOOLGIRL

In October 2014, a disturbing case emerged from Rainham involving Daniel Sennett, a 36-year-old engineer specializing in building management. Sennett was convicted of serious sexual offences after grooming a teenage girl and engaging in sexual acts with her, leading to his imprisonment for nearly five years.

During the proceedings at Maidstone Crown Court, the judge described Sennett’s actions as “serious and wicked offending against a vulnerable girl,” emphasizing the gravity of his misconduct. Sennett, who resided on Berengrove Lane in Rainham, pleaded guilty to charges including inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and four counts of sexual activity with a minor.

The court heard that Sennett’s relationship with the victim, a 15-year-old girl, began after they connected through a shared interest in sports. At the time, Sennett was separated from his wife, and their communication quickly escalated from innocent exchanges to more inappropriate and sexual in nature. The prosecutor, Christopher May, revealed that Sennett, who used the alias “Ralph,” sent increasingly explicit text messages to the girl, including indecent photographs of himself. In one message, Sennett expressed his feelings by saying, “I probably like you more than I should or are allowed. I would probably go to jail for you.”

Concern grew among the girl’s parents when they noticed a change in her behavior. She initially claimed she was meeting someone but did not disclose that it was an older man. The mother eventually discovered the extent of her daughter’s interactions with Sennett after reading her diary, prompting her to contact the police.

During police interviews, the girl disclosed that sexual acts had taken place between her and Sennett, although she clarified that they did not involve full intercourse. She recounted that Sennett had asked her to wear her school uniform for him, a request she refused. He also instructed her on what to say if questioned by the police. Sennett reportedly told her he hoped to avoid serious consequences, jokingly suggesting he would only face a slap on the wrist and be placed on the sex offenders’ register. The prosecutor noted that Sennett described his request for her to wear her school uniform as a “fantasy.”

Following the incident, the girl continued to receive counseling and was reported to be suffering from severe anxiety. The court took these factors into account when sentencing Sennett to four years and eleven months in prison. Judge Charles Macdonald QC highlighted that mitigation was “extremely limited,” reflecting the seriousness of the offences. Additionally, a sexual offences prevention order was issued, and Sennett’s name will remain on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Defense lawyer Tom Stern acknowledged the gravity of Sennett’s actions, stating, “Ugly as this offending is, he is a man who has achieved a great deal of positive things in terms of work and personal life. His home life was collapsing. There is gross ill-judgement on his part. He is unlikely to recover from his tarnished reputation.”