Locations
Windmill Lane West, West Malling, ME19
Description
A pervert who abducted a teenage girl and had sex with her at a bed and breakfast has been jailed for just over five years.
A judge said Jessie Hilden had targeted a vulnerable child and groomed her for his sexual gratification.
Despite admitting his guilt, the 30-year-old “displayed a disturbing lack of insight” into the realities of his behaviour and implications.
“There is no sign of any genuine remorse,” said Judge David Griffith-Jones QC. “A sentence of some length is demanded. Nothing less will do.”
Hilden, of Caravan Site, Windmill Lane West, West Malling, admitted abducting a child, two offences of sexual activity with a child and perverting the course of justice.
Maidstone Crown Court heard on Tuesday the victim was aged 14 when Hilden preyed on her.
She had gone into foster care because there was a high risk of child sex exploitation.
Prosecutor Bridget Todd said the girl was close to her 15th birthday when she failed to return to her care home and was reported missing.
Efforts were made to find her. She was believed to be at a hotel in Maidstone with Hilden.
It was revealed that he had taken her to the bed and breakfast, bought her alcohol and had intercourse with her without using protection. It included an unnatural act which caused her pain.
When police spotted Hilden later in Knightrider Street in Maidstone, he said he claimed he had not see the girl and did not know her.
"He took advantage of me. I was young and stupid..." - victim
But CCTV footage from the B&B confirmed they were there together. When arrested in May, Hilden denied having an inappropriate relationship with the teenager.
He was released on bail with a condition not to contact her but there were telephone calls between them in which he urged her to delete everything from her phone and go to the “gavvers” (police) and lie.
Miss Todd said Hilden had 19 previous convictions for 30 offences, mainly for dishonesty.
The victim said in a statement that she “felt disgusted” about what happened. “It makes me feel dirty,” she continued.
"He took advantage of me. I was young and stupid.
“I had issues at home and that made me vulnerable. He gave me money and things, which was exciting. Now I know he was lying.
“I struggle to sleep. I get bad dreams – nightmares and flashbacks about what he did to me. It has knocked my confidence. It messed up my GCSEs, messed up everything.”
She added: “I hate him for what he has done.”
Passing sentence, Judge Griffith-Jones said: “She was a troubled young girl and vulnerable. You began to curry her friendship. You groomed her, promising her things.
“You said you would take her on holidays and eventually marry her. You sought to alienate her from her family.”
It was clear Hilden, who had a troubled upbringing and turned to drugs and alcohol, preyed on the girl’s immaturity and vulnerability from the outset.
“She had been taken in and beguiled by you,” he continued. “You lied to her. You took advantage of her in order to use her for you own sexual gratification.
“The psychological damage your actions will have inflicted on her can only be imagined. Her victim statement describes her emotional turmoil and upset.”
The judge said there was considerable aggravation in the disparity in ages.
“I hope you will address your deviant thinking and behaviour,” he added.
He was jailed for a total of five years and two months – four years and eight months for the sex offences, 15 months concurrent for child abduction and six months consecutive for perverting the course of justice.
His name will appear on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely. He will be barred from working with children and a sexual harm prevention order was made.