ROBERT HEDGES CRANBROOK AND TENTERDEN SEX OFFENDER JAILED FOR CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULTS AND INDECENT IMAGES

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Cranbrook and Tenterden, Robert Hedges, a resident of Caxton Close in Tenterden, has been sentenced to prison for serious sexual offenses involving a young boy. The lengthy legal proceedings revealed disturbing details about the abuse that Hedges committed several years ago, which had remained hidden until the victim finally found the courage to speak out.

Hedges, aged 48 at the time of sentencing, faced multiple charges related to indecent assault. He initially denied three counts of indecency, but after a trial at Maidstone Crown Court, he was convicted of two charges and acquitted of one. The court heard that the offenses took place when Hedges was approximately 31 years old, targeting a six-year-old boy at his home in the Cranbrook area.

The court was told that Hedges lured the young victim into a makeshift teepee-like structure, where he subjected the boy to sexual acts. During the assault, Hedges reportedly tapped the child's face and whispered, “This is our secret, don’t tell anyone,” attempting to silence the young victim and keep the abuse hidden. The jury also considered allegations that Hedges had made the boy perform similar acts on another occasion, but they ultimately acquitted him of that particular charge.

Prosecutor Alan Gardner explained that the victim kept his ordeal a secret for several years, only revealing the truth to his mother in 2010. The young boy confided that he could no longer bear the burden of silence, hinting to his mother that he was troubled by something he could not explain. He later disclosed the abuse to a counselor, prompting police involvement.

When Hedges was arrested in May 2010, he denied the allegations, claiming there was no truth to the accusations. During the investigation, police seized his computer and discovered eight indecent images of boys, including one with images at the lowest level of severity. Search terms such as “boys naked” were used in his online activity. Despite denying creating indecent images of children, Hedges had previously been convicted on related charges, although the jury in that case failed to reach a verdict on the indecency charges, leading to a retrial.

Hedges’ defense lawyer, Nina Ellin, highlighted that his father was seriously ill at the time, suffering from blood clots on his lungs and pneumonia, which may have influenced his client’s circumstances. However, Judge Charles Macdonald QC emphasized the gravity of the offenses, describing child abuse as “a good example of the wicked and corrosive nature of abuse of this sort.”

Ultimately, Hedges was sentenced to six years in prison for the indecent assaults. Additionally, he received a three-month sentence to run consecutively for the possession of indecent images. As part of his sentence, Hedges will be listed on the sex offenders’ register and is prohibited from working with children. Furthermore, a sexual offences prevention order was imposed for a period of 15 years, restricting his activities and contact with minors in the future.