TWO Kent police officers who helped bring an end to years of sexual abuse on a group of remote South Pacific islands have been made Members of the British Empire (MBEs).

Deputy Chief Inspector Rob Vinson and retired Detective Inspector Peter George were recommended for the award in recognition of their central involvement in the Pitcairn islands case.

The officers were sent to the South Pacific to investigate allegations of sexual assault dating back to the 1960s on the sparsely populated Pitcairn islands.

It emerged that the idyllic location had an unspoken culture of unlawful and non-consensual sex that had been ongoing in secret for generations, due to its Bounty mutineer heritage.

Approximately 30 men and women were interviewed about the assaults, some whom had never spoken about their trauma before, and more than 100 offences were recorded.

Nine men were ultimately tried and sentenced to up to six years in jail for their part in the years of abuse.

Father of three Det Ch Insp Vinson, who also headed up teams dealing with the September 11 and the Bali bombings, made regular visits to the island between 2000 and 2006 as part of the investigation.

The 40-year-old from Broadstairs said: “Many thought that I was living it up in paradise, having so much fun. But it was anything but. It was intense and exhausting work in great isolation in a place that could be volatile.

“This was my focus for more than six years. That commitment was personally not easy.

“The real heroes were the victims who stood firm to tell their stories. This was the silent voice of Pitcairn finally heard and believed.”

He said the MBE was a ‘staggering honour’.

Det Ch Insp Vinson joined Kent Police in 1987 and spent the majority of his service in both Canterbury and Thanet. In his spare time he manages the Thanet-based Trinity under-10s football team.

Retired Decective Inspector and current Investigative Advisor at Tonbridge Police Station Peter George also received an MBE for his role in the Pitcairn investigation.

Mr George said: "Pitcairn became much more than just another job. It was a very difficult, but ultimately rewarding investigation; to receive this honour is something I never dreamed would happen and I am overwhelmed by it.

"I would like to pay tribute to the victims in the case who stood firm and gave evidence without which we would not have secured nine out of ten convictions."

Mr George joined Kent Police in May 1970 and enjoyed stints in the Regional Crime Squad, the Major Crime Unit and the Prison Liaison Unit.

He retired as an officer in May 2000, but remained employed as a civilian.