MARTIN SCOTT JAILED FOR 15 YEARS IN CANTERBURY FOR HISTORIC SEXUAL ABUSE

In June 2014, Martin Scott, aged 39 from Essex, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted of multiple serious sexual offenses against a young girl. The crimes, which occurred over a decade earlier in Canterbury and Ashford, included rape, sexual assault, indecent assault, and committing a sex act with a child.

Scott, dressed in a grey suit, displayed a smirk as Judge Simon James addressed him at Canterbury Crown Court. The judge told him, "You cynically and systematically abused your vulnerable victim." Scott had denied five counts of rape, along with other charges, but a jury found him guilty of all of them.

The judge acknowledged the victim’s bravery for reporting the initial incident. However, Scott cunningly convinced her parents that he was innocent, leading her to withdraw her allegations and falsely claim she had lied. Judge James remarked, "Far from using that as a close shave, you took it as a green light to continue the abuse, thinking she would be unlikely to tell anyone again or that no one would believe her." Nevertheless, she did report him, and the jury believed her.

The court heard that Scott befriended the girl when she was only 12 in 2003. He showered her with gifts and expressed love for her. He sexually assaulted her multiple times between ages 15 and 17. When she threatened to tell someone, Scott threatened her, warning that she would be placed in care.

One particularly disturbing incident involved Scott indecently assaulting her while she was recovering in hospital after an accident. The victim finally reported the abuse in early the previous year, leading to Scott’s arrest. He denied all charges when questioned on July 5, 2013.

At sentencing, Scott received a 15-year prison term, was ordered to register as a sex offender, and was subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order. Detective Constable Cate Lonergan, who investigated the case, stated, "This man took advantage of a young girl who trusted him. He has denied all charges and continues to deny his actions."

She added, "We welcome the sentence. It won’t erase the emotional and physical pain she endured as a young girl, but it does provide some closure after she struggled with whether to report the abuse. Our case shows that historic allegations will be thoroughly investigated by Kent Police, and offenders will be brought to justice where evidence exists."