A reprehensible Seaway Paedophile retiree, Stuart Hart, who sexually molested two children over a decade has been condemned to prison for exhibiting “no remorse” for his atrocious offences, as stated by Judge Samantha Cohen.
Stuart Hart, aged 85, first refuted the allegations, asserting that the girls in question possessed “vivid imaginations.”
Hart, from Seaway, Canvey Island, was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Thursday, October 3, for offences committed over a decade.
An 85-year-old man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for the sexual abuse of two young girls, following an intricate investigation by the Child Abuse Investigation Team.
An inquiry into past charges against Hart commenced in May 2022 following a referral to Essex Police that outlined numerous instances of sexual abuse involving underage females.
While being interviewed he denied all the allegations against him and disgracefully described them as “fanciful” and said his victims had “vivid imaginations.”
Hart was subsequently charged with three counts of assault by touching in relation to two children. At a previous hearing at the same court on May 24 he had pleaded guilty to two charges of assault by touching. He pleaded not guilty to the third charge, and this was withdrawn.
“Tell the police, you will be believed, and they will do their best to get justice. Please don’t suffer in silence,” one of Hart’s victims said.
On the first count, Hart was sentenced to 18 months behind bars. He was jailed for six months for the second charge and these sentences will run concurrently. Her Honour Judge Samantha Cohen said during his sentencing: “You have shown no remorse at any point in what you have done.”’
One of his two victims said: “This has had a major impact on my life, I think it will affect me for the rest of my life. It had been difficult going through this process, but it has definitely been worth it. I’m relieved to see him go to prison for what he has done.
“I would like to tell anyone who has been through something similar that if you tell the police, you will be believed, and they will do their best to get justice. Please don’t suffer in silence.”
Detective Constable Ian Burgess, who led the investigation, praised the bravery of the victims coming forward to report the crimes. He said: “What these young girls have gone through over a number of years is horrific and they have shown incredible bravery to come forward to report this abuse.
“This was a complex investigation, with the offences going back a number of years. But the work of a number of detectives and staff at Essex Police, alongside the witness testimony of our victims, ensured Hart had no choice but to admit his crimes.
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