Chatham sex offender Stephen Pyle jailed for repeated indecent assaults on young child, including rape

A convicted sex offender, Stephen Pyle, of Bracken Lea, Chatham, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for multiple sexual offences including rape of a child, four counts of indecent assault, and five counts of creating indecent images of children. Pyle, aged 66, was living in Chatham during the 1990s, where he encouraged young children to visit his residence, which was stocked with alcohol and drugs. He groomed a child over a two-year period, giving massages that became increasingly indecent. The victim disclosed the abuse in 2017, leading to Pyle's arrest. During the investigation, police found 17 indecent images on a desktop computer and 34 more on a laptop, including some of the most serious category. Pyle pleaded not guilty but was convicted on all charges following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court. When released, he will be under a four-year extended license and subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order. The police officer involved stated, “The victim has had to live with the memory of the abuse... this predator has been jailed and I hope the sentence will encourage anyone who has suffered sexual abuse recently or in the past to contact us.”