A pervert with a criminal record for sexual offenc
A pervert with a criminal record for sexual offences dating back nearly 30 years began an 15 month jail sentence for molesting a little girl at the Old Bailey today.
(fri)
Richard Matthews, 45, preyed on the child repeatedly whenever he was left alone with her at her home in Ashford, Kent, the court heard.
Matthews abused the trust of her family during what Judge Stephen Robbins described as a ‘sustained course of totally inappropriate sexual conduct’ with such a young girl.
The court heard today (fri) that Matthews was convicted of rape back in 1972 when he was 17.
He was only given a conditional discharge then.
Three years later he was sent to borstal for having unlawful sex with a girl under 16.
In 1976 Matthews escaped with a suspended jail sentence at the mid-Kent Crown Court despite being convicted again of having unlawful sex with a girl – that time under the age of 13.
Earlier this month a jury at Maidstone Crown Court convicted Matthews of two charges of indecent assault.
The first count reflected a continuos course of abuse dating from between January 1996 and October 1999 while the second related to a specific incident in which he subjected the girl to an intimate sexual assault.
Matthews, of Kilndown Close, Ashford, denied the charges.
Charles Gratwicke, prosecuting, told the court how his behaviour came to light around Christmas 1998 when the girl complained to her mother that he had interfered with her.
Last October the traumatised youngster relayed the saga of abuse during interviews by social services and police.
Matthews was arrested and he denied behaving improperly towards the girl.
But Judge Robbins told the greying defending said he had been convicted of two indecent assault charges relating to when the girl was aged between six and nine.
‘It was necessary for her to give evidence and to be cross examined on your behalf therefore you receive no discount from your sentence.
‘You were found guilty of a sustained course of what was totally inappropriate sexual conduct by you on such a young girl when you were in a position of trust.
‘You have a bad record for sexual offences when you were much younger with girls, but that was 25 years ago and you are not being sentenced for those matters now.
‘Having said that these courts have to have a sense of priority for these offences as opposed to some other offences.
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Matthews showed no emotion as he was jailed for 15 months, concurrent on each charge.
He was also ordered to sign on the sex offenders’ register once he is released so that police can keep track of him.
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