Child sex offender jailed for non-recent assaults in Ashford

A paedophile who groomed and abused a young child in Ashford in the 1990s has now been jailed.

Trevor Bagnall was arrested after the victim came forward to report what happened to them 30 years previously.

An investigation was launched and it was revealed that Bagnall had subjected his victim to repeated incidents of sexual abuse between 1995 and 1999.

The 68 year old was arrested in May 2020 and later charged.

He denied any wrongdoing.

Following a trial, Bagnall, of Farthing Fields in Bordon, Hampshire, was found guilty of gross indecency and sexually assaulting a child.

Sentenced

He was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months’ imprisonment at Canterbury Crown Court on Friday 4 September 2026.

Investigator Becki Pike, said:

‘We couldn’t have secured a conviction against Bagnall without the exceptional bravery of the victim in reporting the crime and working with us to gather the necessary evidence. ‘Bagnall refused to admit accountability and demonstrated zero remorse for his crimes, needlessly dragging his victim through a lengthy court trial in the process. ‘While nothing will erase the impact of Bagnall’s vile actions, I hope the custodial sentence offers some comfort to the victim.’

In a statement to the court, the victim shared:

‘For many years, I believed I should have done something sooner. I carried guilt for not speaking out. I now understand that I was a child trying to survive. The responsibility for what happened belongs entirely to Trevor. ‘The sentence the court imposed marks the end of the criminal proceedings, but it will not mark the end of the sentence I continue to live with. ‘Every day I carry the consequences of Trevor’s choices. His abuse has shaped my relationships, my confidence, my career, my emotional wellbeing and my sense of identity. Those losses cannot be measured by the length of any sentencing because they will remain with me for the rest of my life.’