KENT PERVERT JAMIE LEPPARD AND HARRY LUDLOW SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC SEXUAL ASSAULT IN MEDWAY
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community in Kent, two men have been convicted and sentenced for their involvement in the sexual assault of an 18-year-old girl who was heavily intoxicated and unconscious at the time of the attack.The incident took place in Medway, and the court proceedings revealed harrowing details about the events that unfolded that night.
Jamie Leppard, aged 19, from Sword Grove, Wainscott, was found guilty in June of raping the vulnerable victim.
His actions, which occurred in a house in Medway, were described by the judge as a clear case of assault on a girl who was unable to give consent due to her intoxicated state.
Leppard was subsequently sentenced to eight years in youth custody, a punishment that reflects the severity of his crime.
Harry Ludlow, also 19 and residing on Leeward Road, Rochester, admitted to a single count of sexually assaulting the girl.
Additionally, Ludlow faced charges related to his past conduct, specifically four offences of sexual activity with a child when the victim was only 10 years old.
His sentencing for these offences was postponed for four weeks to allow for a medical assessment.
Ludlow’s case has added complexity to the proceedings, highlighting a troubling history of sexual misconduct.
Another individual involved, Tommy Conway, aged 19 with no fixed address, denied two charges of sexually assaulting the girl but was convicted after a trial.
Conway received a sentence of two years and five months in prison.
During the court hearing at Maidstone Crown Court, the court heard that the victim, who was just 18 at the time, had been so intoxicated that she was unaware of what was happening to her until her friend later showed her video recordings of the assault.
The girl had attended a birthday party in Medway earlier that evening, consuming a variety of alcoholic beverages including vodka, Malibu, Bacardi, beer, and wine.
By midnight, she and her friend met up with Leppard, then 17, and others, and they purchased more alcohol before heading to a house in Medway where they continued drinking and playing drinking games.
According to court testimony, Leppard led the girl upstairs, where her friend unexpectedly burst into the room, witnessing Leppard on top of her.
The friend’s shock was evident as she exclaimed, “Oh s—,” and began filming the scene.
During this time, Conway and Ludlow entered the room.
Conway jumped onto Leppard while he was engaged in sexual activity, and both Ludlow and Conway imitated Leppard’s movements, making groaning noises.
The prosecutor, Nina Ellin, described the girl as “clearly unconscious or out of it, or passed out — or just asleep,” emphasizing her inability to consent.
As the friend retreated downstairs, she reflected on what she had seen and decided to return to the room.
She found Leppard now behind the girl, engaging in sexual activity with her, while Conway was lying nearby.
Ludlow then entered the room, and both Ludlow and Conway slapped the girl’s bare bottom.
Conway made a suggestive comment, “Man, give me a turn,” as he fiddled with his own bottoms.
Leppard, at this point, stopped the sexual activity, stating, “No way.
She is asleep innit.
— a girl that’s asleep innit, that’s technical rape.” Despite the assault, the group left the girl naked and face down on the bed.
Leppard’s friends later described him as “a legend,” indicating a troubling perception of his behavior among his peer group.
The court heard that Leppard’s defense argued he was immature and came from a “very good, decent, hard-working family,” with a history of self-harm, but the court acknowledged the victim’s vulnerability and the seriousness of the crime.
Judge Philip Statman addressed the court, stating that the friend who filmed the incident initially thought it would be humorous.
However, as the events unfolded, she realized the gravity of what she was witnessing.
The judge confirmed that the victim was “comatose through drink” and unable to consent, emphasizing that there is no such thing as “technical rape” when a girl is asleep.
He made it clear that Leppard’s comment at the end of the video, suggesting the act was “technical rape,” was inappropriate and that the act was unequivocally rape.
The court also heard that Leppard had unprotected sex with the girl without checking if she was on the pill, further demonstrating a reckless disregard for her well-being.
The victim’s personal statement revealed her distress upon learning she had been sexually active while unconscious, and she expressed concern that she might have woken up pregnant without knowing the identity of the father.
The judge highlighted that Leppard’s attitude reflected a “deep-seated streak of arrogance” that affected his interactions with women and needed to be addressed.
Leppard’s name will be entered on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, and he will be prohibited from working with children or vulnerable adults.
A restraining order was also issued, banning him from contacting the victim.
Although Leppard was acquitted of one charge of rape in a previous trial, a second trial resulted in his conviction, confirming the seriousness of his actions and the court’s condemnation of his conduct.
