ALAN READ FROM OVERCLIFFE, GRAVESEND, JAILED FOR SEX OFFENCES INVOLVING CHILDREN

In a case that has shocked the local community of Gravesend, Alan Read, a father of four residing in the Overcliffe area, was sentenced to a total of nine months in prison after admitting to multiple serious sex offences involving minors. The offences, which took place in June 2006, involved Read using the internet to communicate with young girls aged between 13 and 15, during which he caused them to view sexual acts and shared indecent images of children.

At Maidstone Crown Court on a recent Friday, the 40-year-old Read pleaded guilty to a total of twelve charges. These included six counts of causing a child to view a sexual act and six counts of making indecent images of a child. The court heard that Read had engaged in online conversations with the girls, during which he used a webcam to show them his genitals and even provided a link to his personal website, where further inappropriate content was accessible.

The court was informed that Read’s offending came to light after one of the victims, a 14-year-old girl, confided in her parents about her interactions with him. This disclosure prompted a police investigation, which led to the arrest of Read in August 2006. During the subsequent search of his residence, authorities seized his computer and uncovered evidence of his online communications with multiple young girls, as well as 26 indecent images of children stored on his device.

Police interviews with the victims revealed disturbing details of their contact with Read, who admitted to the offences and expressed an awareness of his attraction to children, stating that he needed help. Prosecutor Katie Fox outlined that Read had contacted the girls through an internet chatroom, where he showed them explicit images and engaged in sexual conversations.

In sentencing, Judge James O’Mahony described Read’s actions as profoundly disturbing, stating, “Any member of the public listening to what you have been doing would say you are sick.” The judge emphasized the gravity of the offences, which involved multiple instances of online sexual abuse. As part of his sentence, Read was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes.

Despite his criminal activities, Read is known to be a father who has supervised access to his children, a fact that adds further concern to the case. His defence argued that he had no intention of meeting the girls in person and was many miles away at the time of the offences, but the court found that the severity of his actions warranted a custodial sentence. The six-month sentence for the other charges will run concurrently with the nine-month term, resulting in his immediate imprisonment and a lasting impact on his reputation and freedom.