January 2015

Serial paedophile slapped with nine year jail sentence for abusing young girl in Tonbridge

 

A MAN has been sentenced to nine years in prison after being found guilty of sexually abusing a young girl in Tonbridge.

Gary Colin Deveney, 48, was arrested in June 2013 after he was reported to police by the mother of the victim.

The victim had made comments that concerned her mother, and it was established by detectives that Deveney was suspected of sexually assaulting the victim at an address in Tonbridge between 2010 and 2011, when the victim was aged between three and four years-old.

Deveney was arrested in prison, as he was already serving a prison sentence for sexual offences from an unrelated case from 2011, and interviewed at a London police station.

He was later charged and stood trial at Canterbury Crown Court, having denied six counts of sexual offences against a child.

Having been found guilty, Deveney was sentenced at the same court on January 9 to nine years in prison. He will also have to serve an extended licence period of three years.

Detective Constable Emma Crombie from Kent Police said: “Deveney denied the offences, but from the information that the victim provided us it was clear that he had taken advantage of a child who was far too young to understand the gravity of what was happening. 

“A couple of years later the victim made passing comments to her mother, who contacted us. That allowed us to gather the evidence from a very brave victim, and put Gary Deveney in front of a judge and jury. 

“I think the sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and it is reassuring for the victim and her family that Deveney is now in a place where he cannot cause any further harm.”

Deveney has a history of sexually abusing young girls. In 2011, while living in Westerham, he pleaded guilty to six counts of indecent assault on six girls below the age of 14. His youngest victim was just seven years old.

The offences took place over a 14-year period between 1990 and 2004 in various locations in the Dartford area.

Then, he was sentenced to four years, given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order and is now on the sex offenders register for life.

 

November 2011

 

Gary Colin Deveney, from Westerham, indecently assaulted young girls in Dartford

PREDATORY paedophile has been jailed for four years for sexually abusing children.

Gary Colin Deveney, of Ash Road, Westerham, was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on November 3 after pleading guilty to six counts of indecent assault with a girl under the age of 14.

The offences were committed against six young girls from 1990 to 2004 in various locations in the Dartford area.

Detectives in Kent Police’s child abuse investigation unit arrested Deveney on June 4 and charged him on June 5.

The court heard Deveney, aged 45, would target and groom girls, some as young as seven years old, give them drugs and alcohol, and then sexually abuse them.

Judge Jeremy Carey said Deveney had “an unnatural and wholly criminal like for young girls.”

Deveney was given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order until further notice and will be required to sign the sex offenders register for life.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Naomi Moore, of the child abuse investigation unit, said: “We welcome the sentence handed out which finally brings this predatory paedophile to justice.”

She added: “The success of this investigation would not have been possible without the bravery of the victims and they should be commended for their courage in coming forward to report these crimes.

“Without their courage, this case would never have come to court.

“I also hope this sentencing will give past and present victims of these types of offences the confidence to come forward to report these crimes knowing those responsible will be brought to justice.”