SAMUEL CULVER FROM TUNBRIDGE WELLS SENTENCED FOR PREDATORY BEHAVIOR AND ATTEMPTED CHILD ABDUCTION

In June 2015, Samuel Culver, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses involving young girls, was sentenced to 20 months in prison after attempting to lure a 15-year-old schoolgirl into an alleyway in Tunbridge Wells. The incident marked yet another chapter in Culver's pattern of predatory behavior, which has spanned several years and included previous convictions for similar offenses.

According to court reports, Culver, aged 26 at the time, had been observed following the teenage girl as she made her way home on a September afternoon. The girl, who was also 15, recounted her experience to police, describing Culver as acting “like a leech” by standing uncomfortably close to her and whispering, “Come up the alleyway with me.” This unsettling encounter took place in the vicinity of Tunbridge Wells, a town where Culver has resided for some time.

Prosecutor Mark Mullins revealed that police had seized Culver’s computer a month prior to the incident, uncovering disturbing search history that included terms such as ‘pre-teen sex’ and ‘11-year-old sex,’ indicating a troubling interest in underage girls. Culver was scheduled to face trial in April on charges of child abduction with intent to commit a sexual offense. However, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of attempted child abduction, which the prosecution accepted. Additionally, Culver admitted to indecently exposing himself to a 31-year-old woman outside his residence in August of the previous year.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Philip St. John-Stevens acknowledged Culver’s autism diagnosis, noting that his communication style could be “overly direct” and that he had a tendency to invade others’ personal space. Nonetheless, the judge emphasized that these traits did not serve as an excuse for his actions. The court also considered Culver’s extensive criminal history, which includes a 2007 conviction for indecent exposure and a 2012 series of offenses involving attempted child abduction and sexual misconduct.

Describing the details of the September 22 incident, Mr. Mullins explained that around 3:20 pm, the girl noticed Culver walking approximately five meters behind her. As she crossed a road toward a wooded footpath, Culver overtook her and positioned himself directly in front of her. The girl attempted to back away, but Culver moved closer and persistently urged her, “Come up the alleyway with me.” Her account described Culver’s invasive behavior as “like a leech,” constantly invading her personal space and frightening her enough to run away and call her mother. Culver was arrested the following day at his home on Brook Road.

The court also heard about Culver’s earlier offense in August, where he was caught standing at a garden gate with his T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms pulled down to his knees, performing a sex act in public. His criminal record further includes a 2007 conviction for indecent exposure and a 2012 incident where he shouted from his window at a schoolgirl passing by, with his trousers pulled down to expose his boxer shorts, and holding a knife in his hand, inviting her inside his home.

Defense lawyer Timothy Bass described Culver as a vulnerable individual with an “unhealthy and unattractive” interest in young girls. He argued that Culver needed help in learning how to communicate and behave appropriately. Regarding the attempted child abduction, Mr. Bass emphasized that it was less serious than Culver’s previous convictions, noting that there was no sexual intent or physical contact involved—just an invitation to go into the alleyway.

Following his sentencing, Culver will be required to register as a sex offender for the next ten years and will be subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. Despite serving nearly nine months on remand, Culver is likely to be released within weeks, given the 20-month sentence handed down by the court.