KEVIN BALDOCK FROM HOVE SENTENCED FOR ONLINE GROOMING IN CRAWLEY

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the local community, Kevin Baldock, a 47-year-old resident of Hove, has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison after being found guilty of attempting to meet an underage girl for sexual activity. The incident took place in the context of a disturbing online grooming operation that culminated in his arrest in Crawley.

Kevin Baldock was the owner and manager of the Revival Coffee Company, a popular establishment located on George Street in Hove. His criminal actions came to light following a thorough investigation conducted by the Sussex Police Paedophile Online Investigation Unit (POLIT). The investigation was intelligence-led, indicating that authorities had been monitoring his online activities for some time before making an arrest.

On Tuesday, February 20, at Hove Crown Court, Baldock was formally sentenced after previously pleading guilty on January 18 to two charges of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity. It is noteworthy that a separate charge of grooming related to the same matter was not pursued further and remains on the court record without a conviction.

As part of his sentence, Baldock will be registered as a sex offender for an indefinite period. Additionally, he was handed a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which imposes strict restrictions on his access to children and the use of computers, aiming to prevent any future offending behavior.

His arrest took place on Monday, December 18, in Crawley, following a detailed investigation by detectives from the Sussex Police POLIT unit. At the time of his arrest, Baldock was managing the café in George Street, Hove. Authorities conducted searches at both his workplace and his residence in The Drive, Hove. During these searches, officers seized electronic devices, including an electronic tablet used by Baldock to engage in online chats with the girl.

Detective Constable Martin Harmer provided insight into the case, stating, “Baldock was engaging in sexualised chat online with someone he believed to be an 11-year-old girl, with the clear intention of meeting her for sex. In reality, he was communicating with an undercover police officer.”

He further explained that Baldock had arranged to meet the girl in Crawley town centre on that Monday morning, with the explicit plan of finding a hotel room to carry out sexual activity. However, his plans were thwarted when he arrived at Crawley railway station, where he was promptly arrested by officers.