GAVIN JONES SENTENCED FOR ATTEMPTED RAPE IN YALDING AND LONDON

In a case that has spanned several years, Gavin Jones, a man with connections to both London and Yalding, has been sentenced to a significant prison term after an attempted sexual assault on a young girl in Yalding. The incident took place in 2006, but it was only in recent years that justice was finally served.

According to court records, Jones, aged 36 and formerly residing in Abbey Wood, London, orchestrated a disturbing encounter with a 14-year-old girl. On May 10, 2006, he had initially arranged to drive her from her place of employment to her home address. Instead of following through with this plan, Jones diverted to the train station in Yalding, where he took the girl to an empty parking lot near Yalding Train Station.

During the drive, Jones threatened the young victim with violence, warning her that he would harm her if she did not comply with his demands. Once parked, he locked all the vehicle doors and deliberately broke her phone, preventing her from calling for help. His actions escalated as he attempted to carry out a sexual assault, a terrifying ordeal for the girl who was left in a state of fear and helplessness.

At the time, the victim was too frightened to report the incident immediately. It was only in May 2014 that Kent Police received information linking Jones to the crime. This new evidence prompted officers to approach the victim, who then agreed to cooperate with the investigation and pursue charges against Jones.

Gavin Jones appeared before Maidstone Crown Court on November 18, 2014, where he pleaded guilty to one charge of attempted rape. The court subsequently sentenced him to seven years in prison. Additionally, Jones was ordered to be placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities.

Detective Constable Jono Pearce expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “I am delighted with the sentence and would like to thank the victim who showed great courage in coming forward and assisting with our investigation. Jones has finally been brought to justice for an offence which occurred eight years ago, and I would like to remind anyone who is a victim of a sexual assault that it doesn’t matter how long ago an offence had occurred, we will always investigate every single complaint.”

Supporting this sentiment, Detective Sergeant Paddy Kerr of the British Transport Police added, “Violent crime on the railway is rare, but this was a truly horrific crime; a frightening experience for the victim. We will investigate any incidents of unwanted sexual behaviour reported to us. Our officers will do everything they can to catch offenders. I want to thank Kent Police for a thorough investigation that has concluded with the offender behind bars.”