The court victory of a gay couple from Kingston over the mother and daughter who subjected them to ongoing homophobic abuse may have struck a blow for gay rights, but countless more traumatic hate crimes are going unreported in the county.

Karen Reeves, 44, and her 22-year-old daughter Christie Myles, both from The Halt, Whitstable, were sentenced on Thursday for harassment following a campaign of homophobic abuse against Michael Harris and Shires Crichton.

Now Kent Police is urging gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people who are being subjected to homophobic harassment to take a lesson from the couple and speak to the authorities.

Community liaison officer for south Kent Mick Cronin said: "Homophobia, while not particularly prevalent in Kent, will always be present.

"We are under no illusions that we hear about every hate crime that occurs in the county.

"The problem is that people suffering homophobic abuse are often afraid that if they report a crime, they will end up being 'outed' through the courts and in the press.

"Others have an outdated perception of the police in regards to homosexuality and transgender issues.

"Historically, we have not been the most sensitive organisation in the world, but we have moved on tremendously from those days."

Last year 165 incidents of gay hate crime and 12 of transgender hate crime were reported to Kent Police.

But police fear many people are suffering in silence.

Mr Cronin added: "The message is to have faith and confidence in us and report these crimes. We will take care of it for them, but we cannot do anything about something we do not know about."

A gay rights group has praised the courage of Mr Harris and Mr Crichton.

Andrew Brettell, of Gay Pride in Canterbury, said the abuse they suffered was "disgraceful."

Reeves, 44, was jailed for 150 days for homophobic abuse spanning six months last year.

She used phrases like "poof" and "faggot" and drove her car at Mr Crichton.

Mr Brettell said: "It must have been horrendous for them.

"We hope that our activities will raise the profile and confidence of the gay community to the point that the straight community here knows we will not be harrassed in this way."

Myles, 22, received a two-year supervision order for her part including filming Mr Harris on a camcorder.

Reeves and Myles were also banned for five years from Kingston.