MALCOLM STRINGER SENTENCED IN GILLINGHAM AND MARGATE FOR LONG-TERM SEXUAL ABUSE

In a harrowing case that spanned nearly a decade, Malcolm Stringer, a man with connections to both Gillingham and Margate, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for the sexual abuse of a young girl. The court heard that Stringer, who resided on Harold Road in Cliftonville, Margate, systematically groomed his victim, convincing her that the abuse was a secret between them. The judge described how Stringer manipulated the girl emotionally, threatening to send her to prison if she ever disclosed the abuse and even implying he would take his own life to prevent her from revealing the truth.

At the age of 63, Stringer appeared frail and was assisted from the dock after Judge Philip Statman emphasized that he would not be eligible for parole until he had served at least half of his sentence. The court was told that the abuse began in 1983 when Stringer was living in Edmunds Way, Gillingham, and the victim was only five years old at the time. Prosecutor Fiona Moore-Graham detailed that the abuse was not isolated but was a systematic pattern that persisted for nine years.

The victim, who later confided in a friend around the age of 12, revealed the ongoing abuse. By the time she was 13 or 14, she had told Stringer to stop, which prompted him to sob and plead for forgiveness, claiming ignorance and begging her to forget everything that had happened. Despite her disclosures, authorities only managed to locate and arrest Stringer in September of the previous year.

During the trial at Maidstone Crown Court, Stringer admitted to multiple charges, including two counts of rape, seven counts of indecent assault, and one count of a serious sexual offence involving another individual. His defense lawyer, Edward Henry, described Stringer as being “ill, burnt out, decrepit,” and expressed deep remorse for the suffering caused to his victim. Mr. Henry also noted that due to various health issues, Stringer was uncertain about how much longer he had to live.

The victim, who watched the proceedings from the public gallery, listened as Judge Statman detailed the severity of the crimes. The judge recounted that the acts of indecency escalated to rape when the girl was just 10 years old. It was only after she became a mother herself that she found the strength to report the abuse to authorities.

Judge Statman addressed Stringer directly, stating, “You must have thought by then that you had escaped justice, but your crimes have finally caught up with you. I am told you are remorseful. In my judgment, you have little insight into what you have done.” The court also ordered that Stringer be placed on the sex offenders’ register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his conduct.