September 2016 Ex-scout leader jailed after sex offences against six victims A former Kingsdown scout leader was today given a 25-year extended jail sentence for “brazen” sex offences against six victims – including filming some of the vile acts. Peter Turner – now sporting a goatee beard -thought his sordid secrets from more than 40 years ago – would remain hidden. But when the newspaper The Mercury revealed he had downloaded sick sex images in 2014 – one of his victims read the story and alerted the police. That publicity – said the judge – had acted as “a catalyst to those who had been abused to give them the strength to come forward and reveal the secrets which they had been forced to live with since childhood”. Today, the six received justice when he finally paid for his vile abuse – and four of the courageous women were in court to hear the sentencing. Some of them wept as details of how the abuse had wrecked some of their lives, ruined marriages or left them feeling guilty for not reporting the attacks sooner. Turner sat impassively listening to Victim Impact Statements of some of those who had been attacked when they were just six, being read to Judge Simon James. The judge told him he had shown no empathy or remorse and was still in “complete denial” about his sex interest in children. He sent him to prison for 20 years and added another five years which he will have to serve on licence. Now Turner will have to serve at least 13 years inside before he can apply for parole – but will not be released until the authorities are sure he no longer poses a threat against children. As the blue T shirted pervert – who never once looked at his victims during the two hour hearing – was led away, a man in the public gallery mockingly waved saying: “Go do your bird!” A jury at Canterbury Crown Court convicted Turner of 16 offences of rape, indecency with children, indecent assault and possessing child sex images. Turner, 58, of Kingsdown Road, St Margaret’s at Cliffe, had denied the offences, despite his conviction two years ago for downloading sick images. Police had found pictures of children as young as four being abused – 15 at the worst level five, 329 at level four, 359 level three, 95 level two and 1,800 at level one on his computer. He wrote to his lawyers after the first trial: “I wish I was dead … my life is over. I must have been out of my mind.” Prosecutor Simon Taylor said the pervert – trusted as Akela of the Kingsdown colony of Cubs – got away with his crimes for so long because victims were reluctant to report them. He told the jury that one of the victims only revealed the appalling attacks because she was having nightmares. Turner claimed the women had made up the allegations and had lied after learning he had been convicted for downloading vile images in 2014 – the case appearing on our front page. That triggered one of the victims to contact police, who then launched a new probe into his secret dealings. The prosecutor said: “The suggestion that this was a malicious campaign cooked up by six malevolent women because he was an easy target because of his previous conviction can be seen for what it is – nonsense.” Mr Taylor revealed that one of the victims was attacked when she was a teenager, during a bike ride to Deal, when he was buying supplies for the Cub Scouts. He managed to secure the silence of his victims with threats that they would never be believed if they spoke out – and faced being taken into care. Mr Taylor told the judge how changes in sentencing since the offences were committed had showed how attitudes had changed, including one which carried a maximum sentence of two years in the 1980s now attracted a top range sentence of 14 years. June 2016 Scout leader faces prison for child sex attacks A former Kingsdown Scout leader is facing a long jail sentence for sex crimes going back 40 years. Twisted Peter Turner thought he had got away with abusing six victims in what the prosecutor described as “a brazen manner”. It was revealed that The Mercury’s front page story in March 2014 prompted women to tell police about the attacks. Now a jury at Canterbury Crown Court has convicted him of 15 offences of rape, indecency with children, indecent assault and possessing child sex images. Turner, 59, of Kingsdown Road, St Margaret’s at Cliffe, had denied the offences, despite his conviction two years ago for downloading sick images. Police found pictures of children as young as four being abused – 15 at the worst level five, 329 at level four, 359 level three, 95 level two and 1,800 at level one on his computer. He wrote to his lawyers after the first trial: “I wish I was dead … my life is over. I must have been out of my mind.” He has been remanded in custody until September while reports are prepared which will consider the dangers he poses to youngsters. Prosecutor Simon Taylor said the pervert – trusted as Akela of the Kingsdown colony of Cubs – got away with his crimes for so long because victims were reluctant to report them. He told the jury: “People react to distressing events in a huge variety of ways. There is no right way to behave after being raped or sexually abused. Men do abuse young children, it is a sad fact. “You know that some of the complainants kept the abuse secret and held it completely within themselves. Others disclosed it to a select few as they tried to leave their childhoods behind and build a life.” Mr Taylor told the jury that one of the victims only revealed the appalling attacks because she was having nightmares. Turner claimed the women had made up the allegations and had lied after learning he had been convicted for downloading vile images in 2014 – the case appearing on our front page. That triggered one of the victims to contact police, who then launched a new probe into his secret dealings. The prosecutor said: “The suggestion that this was a malicious campaign cooked up by six malevolent women because he was an easy target because of his previous conviction can be seen for what it is – nonsense.” Mr Taylor revealed that one of the victims was attacked when she was a teenager, during a bike ride to Deal, when he was buying supplies for the Cub Scouts. During the trial the pervert told the jury that there was no computer in his home until 2005 which contradicted the evidence by one of the victims.  Mr Taylor said “What a whopping great big lie that was!” He said Turner’s brother Andrew revealed that the two had bought computers together in 1999 – and he still had the receipts.  Now Judge Simon Jones has told the ex-Scout leader: “You have been convicted of very serious sexual offences and there is only one possible sentence, that of imprisonment of some considerable length.” March 2014 Jail for respected Kingsdown Scout leader from St Margaret’s nr Dover after child sex abuse shame revealed A Scout leader has been jailed for nine months for downloading more than 2,500 indecent pictures of children being sexually abused – some as young as two. Peter Turner, 56, was highly respected by countless boys and girls at the Deal 12th (Kingsdown) Cub group. But his voluntary position as Akela there was not enough to protect him when his vile secrets were discovered. In March last year, police raided the home Turner shared with his mother and brother in Kingsdown Road, St Margaret’s. He claimed when he searched the internet for “models”, he was looking for images of trains. But police officers did not believe him and took his computer away for analysis. They found sick images of children as young as four being abused – 15 at the worst level five, 329 at level four, 359 level three, 95 level two and 1,800 at level one. Turner pleaded guilty to five charges of making and possessing indecent images at Canterbury Crown Court. Now, in addition to his jail term, Turner is expected to be banned from working with children for life. He wrote to his lawyers: “I wish I was dead… my life is over. I must have been out of my mind.” He admitted all the charges, including downloading sex images of a two-year-old child. Prosecutor Alex Rooke told the court Kent Police received a tip-off from officers in Gloucestershire. “He told officers he had been putting in the terms ‘models’ into the internet search engine, which was to do with his interest in railway information, but that had brought up pictures of girls. “He said he would navigate away from them and didn’t save them. He said he was a Scout leader and had downloaded images to do with Scouting.” Mr Rooke said the computer was forensically examined and more than 2,500 images were discovered. Turner later wrote a letter to his lawyers, which was read out to the court, saying: “When it all started I was mad that these sites said they were legal… one site led to another. At no time did I pay anyone. “Before I knew it I was downloading more and more. I can’t believe how I could have done this without knowing. “I wish I was dead and don’t care any more. As far as I’m concerned, my life is over. I have never harmed a kid in my life. I still can’t think of what happened. I must have been out of my mind.” Niall Doherty, defending, said Turner was “deeply ashamed” and had turned to downloading the illegal images out of boredom. But Judge Simon Taylor told the Scout leader he had been accessing vile images at a time when he was looking after children of a similar age. “I regard that as a substantial aggravating feature and what is clear is that you have little insight into your behaviour. “It is impossible to conclude other than the fact you have an underlying sexual interest in children. “Right-minded people are entitled to ask the courts that those who seek out these vile abuse images should receive real and meaningful punishment.” Turner was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for 10 years and given a sex offenders’ prevention order to protect children in future. Scout Association spokesman Chris Foster said it “condemns the actions of Turner”. He added: “Turner was suspended from any form of contact with the movement as soon as we were informed by police. “We can confirm that he will never again be allowed to work within the Scout movement.”