KEVIN PURDY FROM FARINGDON SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN OXFORD

In September 2022, Kevin Purdy, a resident of Faringdon, faced justice at Oxford Crown Court for heinous acts of sexual assault involving two young girls. The court heard harrowing details of his crimes, which spanned over a period of time and inflicted significant emotional trauma on his victims.

During the proceedings, the mother of the first victim, a young girl who was just eight years old at the time of the abuse, expressed her outrage and called for a severe punishment. She stated that Purdy 'deserved a life sentence' for his repeated sexual misconduct against her daughter. Her emotional testimony underscored the profound impact of the abuse, which was read aloud in court, highlighting the distress caused to both the victim and her family.

Judge Maria Lamb, presiding over the case, sentenced Purdy to nearly seven years in prison. She explained that he would serve two-thirds of his sentence—specifically six years and four months—before being eligible for parole. Additionally, he was given a seven-month sentence for a separate incident involving the repeated groping of another girl in her early teens. This sentence will be served consecutively, meaning Purdy will spend a total of over seven years behind bars.

Following his release, Purdy will be subject to an extended period of supervision by the probation service, lasting for a year on licence, as a 'sexual offender of particular concern.' He will also remain on the sex offender register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities.

Judge Lamb emphasized the severity of Purdy’s actions, stating, “The damage you have caused has been well and truly illustrated by the distress which was demonstrated by [the first victim’s mother] and by [the second victim] herself. Both of them read victim personal statements to this court.” She acknowledged the understandable anger expressed by the victims’ families, noting, “One can quite understand why [the first victim’s] mother would say you deserve a life sentence. One can understand the sentiments.”

The court detailed the disturbing nature of the crimes. The first victim, a young girl, was subjected to repeated sexual touching while Purdy was ostensibly reading her stories. Judge Lamb remarked, “You did it, I am quite satisfied, under the pretext of reading her a story. It must have looked like this was innocent and blameless behaviour on your part. But sexually assault her you did – and repeatedly.” She added, “You touched her [sexually] while you were reading her stories. She asked you to stop, but you ignored her.”

The second victim, an early teen, was also subjected to abuse on at least five separate occasions. Despite her pleas for him to stop, Purdy continued his misconduct, ignoring her requests. The court noted that his partner was present during the incidents and was likely to lose her job at a primary school because she failed to provide evidence to support the prosecution, as stated by defence barrister Jose Olivares-Chandler.

Purdy, who resides on Lechlade Road in Faringdon, pleaded guilty in August to three counts of sexually assaulting a girl under 13 and one count of sexual assault on a female. His conviction and subsequent sentencing reflect the gravity of his crimes and the ongoing concern for the safety of children in the community.