ROY KEMP SENTENCED IN DOVERCOURT FOR CHILD ABUSE OFFENSES AT CHELMSFORD CROWN COURT

In June 2001, Roy Kemp, a 64-year-old resident of Ashley Court on Ashley Road in Dovercourt, was sentenced to seven years in prison after a court hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court. The court heard that Kemp had deliberately targeted and exploited young boys over a span of more than a decade, engaging in multiple acts of indecent assault and possessing illegal images of children.

During the proceedings, Kemp admitted to five counts of indecent assault committed against boys between the years 1973 and 1985. In addition, he pleaded guilty to possessing a collection of indecent photographs of children, which included images taken between January 1997 and August of the previous year. Furthermore, he admitted to possessing computer-generated images depicting children under the age of 16, highlighting the extent of his illegal activities.

It is important to note that at an earlier hearing, Kemp had denied 11 charges of indecent assault on boys, four charges of indecent assault on girls, and two charges related to taking indecent photographs of children. However, these denials were later withdrawn, and the prosecution accepted his pleas, leading to the charges being formally dropped and remaining on file as part of the case record.

Kim Jenkins, representing Kemp, argued that his guilty pleas had spared the victims the trauma of giving evidence in a public court setting. This was seen as a mitigating factor in the case, and the court acknowledged the significance of Kemp’s decision to admit guilt.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Pearson addressed the public gallery, which included some of Kemp’s victims. The judge expressed understanding of the emotional toll the proceedings had taken on those affected, stating: “This has not been an easy experience for you. When you were visited by the police, you had to make a very difficult decision. That decision was not only to tell but to relive those experiences. It was a brave decision. It was the right decision. This court is grateful to you all.”