KENNETH MANN SENTENCED IN HASTINGS FOR OFFENCES AGAINST YOUNG GIRL

Kenneth Mann, 43, a plasterer now residing on Seafield Road in Portchester, was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Monday for crimes that occurred in Hastings. Previously convicted at Hove Crown Court on March 23 of raping and sexually assaulting a girl, as well as inciting her to commit an act of gross indecency, Mann was found guilty on these charges. He was also acquitted of further alleged offences involving indecency with a child, sexual assault, and indecent assault.

As part of his sentence, Mann will be registered as a sex offender for life and was issued an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order that prohibits any contact with the victim.

Detective Sergeant Steve Shimmons of the Hastings-based Safeguarding Investigations Unit explained, ‘The girl was aged between nine and 13 at the time of the offences. Mann came to know her locally in Hastings and cynically exploited her innocence and vulnerability for several years in the early to mid-2000s, seeking his own sexual gratification before moving to Hampshire.’

He added, ‘She kept this distressing experience to herself until four years ago when she first contacted us. Even then, she was hesitant to support a prosecution, but she later returned and, over time, regained her confidence, allowing the investigation to move forward. She bravely gave evidence in court, which was crucial in securing the guilty verdicts.’

Detectives encourage anyone experiencing or who has experienced similar predatory behaviour to seek help and not suffer in silence.