Kevin Luckhurst

A former Kent Police officer has been jailed for nine years after being convicted of historical sexual offences against a young girl. Kevin Luckhurst, now 58 and from Istead Rise, was found guilty at Maidstone Crown Court of three counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault, with the crimes dating back more than 40 years.

The offences occurred when Luckhurst was just 14 years old and living in Faversham. According to court proceedings reported by KentOnline, Luckhurst initiated the abuse by telling the victim he wanted to play a game before raping her and instructing her to keep it a secret. The victim, giving evidence from behind screens, described her fear and compliance: 'I was so fearful of him. I was told on the first occasion not to say anything to anyone – about it being a secret.' She recounted trying to mentally escape during the assaults by concentrating on other thoughts and not resisting due to intimidation.

• The abuse involved multiple incidents of rape and indecent assault.
• Luckhurst joined Kent Police shortly after, serving an exemplary 30-year career as a dog handler until retirement.
• The victim reported the crimes to the police decades later, after the abuse ceased when she confronted him as a teenager.

During the trial, Luckhurst denied all charges, but the jury convicted him on the specified counts, unable to reach verdicts on the remaining five. Judge Charles Macdonald QC, sentencing Luckhurst, emphasised that the passage of time offered no mitigation, stating: 'You now face custody in middle life because of crimes of your youth, but on the other hand the corrosive effect on the victim has been long and you have escaped justice for much of your life.' The judge highlighted the opportunistic nature of the offences and efforts to silence the victim, noting a lack of remorse: 'You put the victim through a very agonising experience. The jury has vindicated her. Clearly, there is no shame or remorse here. This is extremely sad and a very serious case.'

Defence barrister Bozzie Sheffi argued Luckhurst's exemplary character, citing references from his police career and post-retirement roles with the Environment Agency and National Trust. However, the judge gave limited weight to his character, stressing the need for punishment to deter others. In addition to the nine-year custodial sentence, Luckhurst's name will appear indefinitely on the sex offender register and he is barred from working with children or vulnerable adults.

The case was heard at Maidstone Crown Court in January 2016, with reporting by Keith Hunt for KentOnline. Kent Police refused to release a photo of Luckhurst due to the offences' nature and his age at the time of commission.