COLIN SEAL SENTENCED IN SIDCUP FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS ON CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS

In April 2005, a disturbing case unfolded involving Colin Seal, a 44-year-old minicab driver from Sidcup, who was convicted of multiple serious sexual offenses against minors and teenagers. Seal, employed by Abba-Dart Taxi Service in Sidcup, appeared before Blackfriars Crown Court to face charges that shocked the local community and prompted a police investigation into his conduct.

Seal pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and two counts of indecent assault. The revelations came to light after one of his victims, a teenage girl, disclosed her assault last summer, which subsequently led to the uncovering of three additional incidents. Authorities expressed concern that Seal may have harmed other victims who had yet to come forward, raising fears that his offending could be more extensive than initially known.

The court heard harrowing details of the assaults. In August of the previous year, a teenage girl, whose parents had been long-standing friends of Seal, stayed overnight at his residence on Clarence Crescent, Sidcup. Seal shared the flat with another individual. The girl, after an evening out with Seal and mutual friends, awoke in the early hours to find Seal in her bedroom. She described how the bedclothes had been pulled back, her underwear had been lowered, and Seal was positioned on her bed with his hands on her bare thighs and his head between her legs. Overcome with fear and distress, she fled to the living room in tears and confided in another friend about the incident.

This second friend, in her early twenties, then revealed that she had previously stayed at Seal’s flat with her young child. During that stay, she was awakened by an alarm in another room and discovered Seal on the bed with her. She recounted how Seal had one hand on her breast and the other inside her underwear. Like the first victim, she fled the scene in tears. Seal later claimed he could not remember the events.

Following the second incident, Seal was asked to leave the flat. The teenage girl returned home and disclosed the assault to her family. The situation took a further disturbing turn when her older brother, during a family discussion, broke down and revealed that, twelve years earlier, he had also been indecently assaulted by Seal. He recounted how Seal, while he was asleep on the sofa after a barbecue at Seal’s home, had been caught rubbing and sucking his private parts. The boy, frightened, pretended to be asleep, and Seal left the room after a few moments.

The court also heard from another man who came forward, claiming he had been assaulted by Seal when he was approximately 11 years old. This incident occurred while he was staying in the house where Seal had lived with his ex-wife. He described how Seal had shown him a pornographic film and then assaulted him when he woke up. Neither of these boys had informed their parents about the abuse at the time.

James Sutherland, representing Seal, stated that his client claimed to have been a victim of abuse himself during his teenage years and expressed that Seal now recognized the need for help. The court sentenced Seal to five years in prison for each of the offenses, with the sentences to run concurrently. Additionally, Seal was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life, banned from working with children indefinitely, and ordered not to associate alone with anyone under 18 or allow minors to stay overnight at his residence.

Judge Alan Hitching addressed Seal’s victims during the sentencing, emphasizing that they were not responsible for what had happened to them and should not blame themselves for any subsequent assaults. He urged them to let go of the 'what ifs' and find peace. The judge’s words aimed to provide some comfort to the visibly upset victims, reinforcing that justice had been served.

Detective Constable Mark Gay, who led the investigation, praised the bravery of Seal’s victims in coming forward and highlighted that the sentences reflected the court’s view of the severity of the crimes. He also appealed to others who might have been assaulted by Seal to contact him directly at 020 8284 9361. Seal’s family, who had been unaware of his actions, publicly disowned him following the revelations, underscoring the shock and betrayal felt by those close to him.