KEVIN HAMPTON CHESHUNT PAEDOPHILE SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS FOR ABUSE IN HERTFORDSHIRE

In a case that has shocked the community of Cheshunt and the wider Hertfordshire area, Kevin Hampton, a 49-year-old man, has been sentenced to a decade behind bars for a series of heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse of young girls. The offences, which spanned over three decades starting from 1974, have left a lasting scar on the victims, many of whom are now adults but continue to suffer the emotional and psychological consequences of Hampton's depraved actions.

During the proceedings at St Albans Crown Court, it was revealed that Hampton's victims were as young as five years old at the time of the abuse. The court heard harrowing accounts from the women, who described how their lives had been profoundly affected by Hampton’s predatory behavior. Despite their brave efforts to come forward, many of them faced disbelief and skepticism from their communities, which only compounded their suffering. Judge Seddon Cripps, who presided over the case, listened attentively to impact statements from each of the victims. He acknowledged the deep emotional scars left by Hampton’s crimes, noting that although the abuse occurred when the victims were children, the effects persisted well into their adult lives.

Addressing the court and the gathered public, which included some of the victims and their families, Judge Cripps emphasized the importance of truth and justice. He stated, “Your accounts were true and accurate and those who disbelieved you owe you an apology.” The judge’s words underscored the gravity of the case and the importance of believing victims of such heinous crimes.

Kevin Hampton, who hails from Cheshunt, pleaded guilty to a total of ten counts of indecency, seven counts of indecent assault, and three charges related to the possession of indecent images of a child. The prosecution, led by Richard Jones, detailed Hampton’s disturbing pattern of grooming and abusing young girls. It was revealed that Hampton, who was married in the mid-1970s, first targeted an eight-year-old girl. He initiated contact in a park, offering her a chocolate bar and gradually gaining her trust. The grooming escalated as he coerced her into performing sexual acts in exchange for sweets.

The court also heard that Hampton’s depravity extended to a five-year-old girl, whom he also groomed with sweets, telling her it was their “little secret.” The young girl was subjected to sexual assault in Hampton’s lorry cab, with him paying her small sums of money—five or ten pounds—for her to perform sexual acts. Further, he was found to have fondled another girl, aged seven, on multiple occasions. The police investigation, which culminated in Hampton’s arrest in February 2004 at the timber yard where he worked, uncovered videos that revealed additional victims and documented his abusive activities. The police seized these videos, which showed Hampton’s exploitation of yet another girl, and also included footage of him filming his own disturbing acts with a video camera.

In sentencing Hampton, Judge Cripps described him as a “seducer and abuser of young girls,” condemning his actions as deeply immoral and damaging. The court sentenced him to eight years in prison for the ten indecency offences and six years for the indecent assaults. Additionally, Hampton received an extended 10-year sentence to run concurrently for possessing indecent images of a child and for the indecent assault involving her. The judge’s ruling reflects the severity of Hampton’s crimes and the profound impact they have had on his victims, as well as the community’s demand for justice in this disturbing case from Cheshunt and the Hertfordshire region.