SEX OFFENDER MARTYN HODGES OF SEVENOAKS SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN JAIL

On March 11, 2011, Martyn Hodges, a serial sex offender from Sevenoaks, was sentenced to five years in prison for crimes committed against two young girls aged 6 and 11.

Hodges, 54, of Greatness Lane, Sevenoaks, who has a long history of sexual offenses dating back to 1971, pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual assault in Maidstone Crown Court.

During the case, it was revealed that Hodges, who suffers from heart disease, told one of the victims that if she disclosed what had happened, he would suffer a heart attack.

Prosecutor John O’Higgins highlighted Hodges’ extensive 40-year criminal record as a sex offender. His first offenses occurred when he was just 16, involving indecent assault, with additional convictions in the 1970s. In 1981, Hodges was sentenced to 18 months in jail for offences including indecent exposure, causing actual bodily harm, and indecent assault. His most recent conviction was in 1989, resulting in a four-year jail sentence.

Hodges' defense attorney, Jan Hayne, admitted that her client accepted his guilt and acknowledged the risk he posed. She mentioned that he had been participating in a rehabilitative program, which she claimed had “to a certain extent” been effective.

In addition to his five-year jail term, Hodges will be subject to a two-year extended licence period following his release, increasing the likelihood that he would face additional detention if he re-offends.

Judge Philip Statman addressed Hodges directly, stating: “You were engaged in grooming these two young girls for your own purpose of sexual gratification. You sexually assaulted them at a time when they were particularly vulnerable. What makes this so serious is the level and persistency of your criminal activity.”

The judge considered issuing an indefinite sentence but ultimately decided against it, describing such a move as “draconian.”