In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that 23-year-old Dean Luckhurst was sentenced for the predatory grooming and sexual abuse of a child. Following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court, the defendant—a former Ramsgate, Kent, resident who moved to Dover, Kent—was convicted of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. It was reported that Luckhurst used social media to manipulate a girl from Swale, Kent, striking up a relationship in November 2018 before arranging a physical meeting to carry out the abuse.
The investigation established that in February 2019, Luckhurst met the victim at Teynham Railway Station, Kent. Kent Police reported that he led the child to a secluded wooded area nearby, where he provided her with cannabis before abusing her by penetration. The prosecution reported that Luckhurst continued to send sexual messages to the victim with the intent of maintaining the abusive relationship until the matter was reported to the authorities in March 2019.
The court reported that Luckhurst’s actions involved the deliberate manipulation of a child to satisfy his own sexual desires. Maidstone Crown Court, Kent, heard that the defendant had also sent an indecent image of himself to the victim during their online correspondence. The investigation established that Luckhurst was eventually tracked down and arrested in Margate, Kent, on 5 April 2019, after his digital trail was analysed by specialist officers.
Judge Adele Williams presided over the sentencing on 24 December 2019, where the gravity of the grooming and subsequent physical abuse was detailed. For his actions in Teynham, Kent, and Swale, Kent, Luckhurst was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by a further four years on extended licence to ensure long-term public protection. Luckhurst will be on the Sex Offenders Register and subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the individuals highlighted on this website, please report them to the Police on 101 (999 in an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details on reporting a crime. You can also report to Crimestoppers if you wish to remain completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.