Appeal judges increase paedophile's sentence (From Western Telegraph)

Appeal judges increase paedophile's sentence

4:00pm Saturday 2nd February 2013 in News

A paedophile who molested a girl, then returned to “blight” her life in her early teens, has had his “unduly lenient”

jail term increased by top judges.

London’s Criminal Appeal Court heard that David Lawrence Kember’s grooming and abuse of the girl made her an easy victim when he began to target her again years later.

Kember, aged 31, whose address was given as Cross Lane, Kilgetty, was arrested after the girl plucked up the courage to tell her mother about the abuse. He was jailed for seven years at Worcester Crown Court in October last year.

He pleaded guilty to indecent assault and assault of a child under 13 by penetration at the conclusion of his trial and was convicted of multiple counts of another sex offence by a jury.

However his sentence was adjudged to be not tough enough by the Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC, who referred the case to the Court of Appeal, in London, to be looked at again.

Lord Justice Pitchford, Mr Justice Cranston and Mr Justice Edwards-Stuart ruled that the term he was given was indeed too lenient, and increased it to 11 years.

The court heard the victim was only eight when Kember began abusing her.

He left the area for a time but, on his return, the abuse began again when she was in her teens and full sex took place.

He also threatened to kill himself when she tried to rid herself of him.

Lord Justice Pitchford said the victim had “lost her selfconfidence and felt dirty”

because of what she had endured.

“We consider that the appropriate sentence should be 11 years,” the judge concluded.