Locations
Chapman Avenue, Maidstone, Kent, ME15
Description
A security expert led a secret life as a child rapist and made his victim "pinky promise" not to reveal the abuse.
Ken Clark had toured China, India and Japan as a high-ranking executive with a nationwide security company and even volunteered to help the NHS during the Covid pandemic.
But behind the facade, he preyed on children as young as three and kept silent with "a pinky promise" where people grip eachother's little fingers and make an agreement.
Family members listened and wept in the public gallery as they heard evidence against the 65-year-old at Maidstone Crown Court.
Clark, formerly of Chapman Avenue, Maidstone, was found guilty of 18 child sex offences, including rape, and having indecent images.
He has now been given a 20-year jail sentence. The judge added an extra year which will be served on licence when the parole board allows him to be freed.
As he was being led away - refusing to look at the public gallery - one mother shouted: "I hope you ******* rot".
In 2012, when he was logistics manager for Secom in Maidstone, he bragged about getting tickets to go to Leeds Castle for the Olympic Torch celebrations.
He wrote: "The weather that week was a lot of rain and despite a few dark clouds, the event went without a drop. Dizzee Rascal and Twist & Pulse performed on stage.
"Lloyds TSB gave us the opportunity to hold a real Olympic Torch and Coca Cola gave away special bottles of coke to drink. Other sponsors gave away frisbees, wrist bands, banners and flags etc.
"I must admit, being there and seeing it caused a lot of emotion for people and I felt honoured to be a part of it."
But a jury heard despite the respectable image Clark was secretly attacking youngsters.
The judge, Recorder Simon Stirling heard during a three-year campaign of rape he left his victims suffering nightmares, panic attacks, suicidal thoughts and probable long-term psychological damage.
One of his victims was particularly vulnerable because of a medical condition.
The sex attacks only ended when one victim spoke out, revealing Clark had made them promise not to say anything.
Even then Clark denied the attacks and tried to blame others - but the jury saw through his lies.
Tom Dunn, defending, told how Clark had enjoyed a career in security providing services for the Chinese government, building hospitals in India and also working in Japan.
He added that now Clark had lost everything, his job, his wife and his home.
But the judge said his contributions to society was nothing in comparison to the damage he had done to his victims - and ruled that he still posed a danger to children.