Medway Child Sex Offender Jailed Over 5 Years for 1970s Abuse
Paul Hyland Caught After Decades
Paul Hyland, 62, from Strood, has been locked up for five years and three months for abusing a child repeatedly during the 1970s. The vile crimes, committed between 1973 and 1980, only came to light when the victim bravely came forward in August 2017.
Disturbing Digital Evidence Uncovered
After Hyland’s arrest, police seized two laptops from his Fulmar Road home. Forensic experts uncovered nearly 200 indecent images of children, 49 of which were classed as the most serious.
At Maidstone Crown Court, Hyland admitted to five counts of making indecent images but denied two counts of indecent assault. A jury convicted him anyway, leading to his prison sentence and indefinite placement on the sex offenders register, along with a sexual harm prevention order.
Police Praise Victim’s Courage
Detective Constable Wendy Tondeur, of the Medway Vulnerability Investigation Team, said: ‘Sex offenders like Hyland wreak incalculable damage on their victims, many who will suffer in silence for years, or throughout their whole lives. Thankfully in this case the victim has shown extraordinary courage to come forward and I hope they can now take some comfort that justice has been served.’
‘I hope this result shows that it doesn’t matter how long ago this kind of abuse occurs, we will always investigate and ensure offenders are brought to justice. We have a dedicated team who deal with these types of cases with the utmost sensitivity and I hope this outcome encourages other victims of abuse to come forward.’
