A 58-year-old Ramsgate paedophile who subjected five children—some as young as three years old—to a sustained series of sexual attacks has received an extended custodial sentence of 22 and a half years’ imprisonment at Canterbury Crown Court.
Gary Teague, from Ramsgate, Kent, appeared in the dock for sentence on Tuesday 19 December 2017 after a jury convicted him across 13 sexual offence charges following a criminal trial.
The court heard that Teague had already been sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment the previous year after a jury rejected his defence and convicted him of two counts of voyeurism—after he was caught secretly filming children bathing and storing the footage on his personal computer—alongside one count of inciting a child to carry out a sexual act.
Following that initial conviction, Teague was brought back before Canterbury Crown Court to face 13 further sexual offence charges involving children as young as three. Maintaining his denials, Teague forced a trial before jurors returned guilty verdicts on all 13 counts.
In a dramatic intervention following the verdicts, sentencing judge Heather Norton revealed to the jury that one of the children had originally reported being the victim of a sexual attack in 2012, five years before Teague was finally brought to justice.
Describing the failure to pursue the earlier complaint as “deeply disturbing”, Judge Norton demanded formal explanations from both investigators and the Crown Prosecution Service by the end of January:
“I am very concerned about how it is that this allegation was not properly investigated at that time. That fact is deeply disturbing and I would like an explanation why her claim was not followed through. And I would like an explanation from the Crown Prosecution Service as to why when (other) allegations were already under investigation, the complaints against just two of the victims were tried – and not all of them together. That could have had a severe impact on decisions of juries and could have had a severe impact on justice. It was a gross miscalculation. I need an answer by the end of January.”
Responding to the judge’s remarks, Detective Sergeant Paul Deslandes of Kent Police stated:
“Kent Police carried out a thorough investigation into Gary Teague in 2012. However, at that time there was insufficient evidence for a prosecution. Subsequently more evidence came to light, the investigation was re-opened, and Teague was charged and successfully convicted.”
During the proceedings, the court heard that Teague had maintained a facade in his community as a “kind, hard-working and a devoted family man”, leaving acquaintances shocked by the revelations of his offending. However, Judge Norton noted that behind closed doors his abuse involved a “considerable degree of planning” against vulnerable children—even telling one child who threatened to expose him that she would not be believed because of her age.
Addressing one of the survivors seated in the public gallery, Judge Norton praised all of the victims for their “strength and integrity” in coming forward to ensure Teague faced justice.
Under the provisions of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992, all five child victims in this case are protected by mandatory, lifelong statutory anonymity. Any publication, broadcast, or public dissemination of information capable of leading to their identification is strictly prohibited under UK law.
Sentencing Teague, Judge Norton imposed an immediate custodial term of 22 years and six months’ imprisonment, with an additional four years to be served on extended licence upon release. Teague was also made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), lifelong notification on the Sex Offenders Register, and restraining orders banning him from contacting any of his victims.
Image – Anonymous Artist Impression
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