by Keith Hunt

A pervert who sexually abused a girl more than 30 years ago has been sent to jail.

Kevin Hunt was told by a judge it was “a disgraceful course of conduct” with an extremely vulnerable victim.

The 56-year-old, of South Park Road, Maidstone, denied six charges of indecent assault but was convicted by a jury. He was jailed for three years.

Maidstone Crown Court heard he touched a girl at a young age and committed another sex act with her.

Simon Taylor, prosecuting, said Hunt was in his 20s at the time.

He put his hand down the girl’s trousers and touched her. He kissed her, putting his tongue in her mouth.

Mr Taylor said Hunt would use the girl’s legs to perform a sex act on himself.

Her mother confronted Hunt telling him: “I know what you did.” He replied: “It wasn’t very much.”

When arrested in March last year, he denied all the allegations. He also denied he had ever been challenged over them.

After the verdicts, it was revealed that Hunt was jailed for nine months in 1989 for a sexual offence with a girl.

Tom Dunn, defending, said Hunt had sustained an industrial accident and was in pain.

“His life has been on hold since this complaint was made,” he said.

“It has hung over his head for 16 months, but he now has closure. This has been a very unhappy chapter in his life.“

Judge Martin Joy said Hunt was convicted on strong evidence.

“This was a disgraceful course of conduct,” he said. “She was very young and extremely vulnerable and it was necessary for her to relive this traumatic period in her life during interviews and in the witness box.

“Everyone could see in the court that she was hyperventilating and had tears. It is hardly surprising.”

Hunt’s name will appear on the sex offenders’ register and a sexual offences prevention order will last for 10 years.